McDonald’s: How to Apply For a Job, Benefits, Salaries, and More

McDonald’s, one of the largest fast-food chains worldwide, is looking for enthusiastic, hard-working, and flexible people to join their team. As a worldwide employer, McDonald’s works to ensure that all employees have opportunities to develop personally and professionally, making it an exciting place to grow your career.

The fast food giant is not just famous for its sumptuous burgers and crunchy fries. It is also known for the opportunities it gives employees to work in different roles and gain experience, which can lead to promotions down the line. 

If you are interested in working at a McDonald’s franchise location, here is what you need to know about applying for McJobs at the world-famous fast food chain. 

  • McDonald’s Team and Its Global Mission
  • What Types of Jobs are Available at McDonald’s?
  • How Do You Apply for Jobs at McDonald’s Restaurants?
  • Benefits for McDonald’s Restaurant Employees
  • Pros and Cons of Working McDonald’s Jobs

McDonald’s Team and Its Global Mission

McDonald’s is a globally famous, award-winning chain that has been changing the world for over six decades, one tasty burger at a time. Th company is present in over 100 countries and 38,000 locations worldwide, with thousands of employees working under their payroll. 

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Their menu includes a wide range of food on offer, so there’s something to suit every tastebud. So whether you prefer the classic Big Mac or chicken nuggets, you can be sure that it’ll still be available wherever you are in the world. McDonald’s even has meals on their menu specific to certain regions and year-round seasons. 

At the heart of McDonald’s operation is the group of enthusiastic employees working day and night to maintain their global reputation. From flipping burgers to planning the next community project, the young employees of McDonald’s perform every role with gusto. 

McDonald’s employees have a lot of responsibility and are part of an exciting world that offers action and fast-paced work environments. So if you think you have what it takes, McDonald’s might be your place!

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What’s It Like Working at McDonald’s?

McDonald’s is a great place to start your career in the fast food industry. The training you will receive is world-class, and there is plenty of room for advancement within the company. Additionally, it is an excellent way to gain valuable work experience among people who are building their careers in fast food.

McDonald’s offers flexible work hours and part-time opportunities. This allows employees to work while studying instead of choosing between the two.

Whether you’re working corporate or in the kitchen frying patties, your general experience at McDonald’s depends on your outlook and your manager’s leadership style. If your supervisor or manager lets wrongdoing or bullying slide, it’ll trickle down to you and make your work experience regrettable. 

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What Types of Jobs are Available at McDonald’s?

Jobs at McDonald’s are categorized into two broad divisions, restaurant jobs and corporate jobs. Restaurant jobs entail all the roles involved in running a McDonald’s restaurant, and corporate positions are restricted to behind-the-desk employment at the headquarters or corporate offices. 

McDonald's: How to Apply For a Job, Benefits, Salaries, and More
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Restaurant jobs at McDonald’s include assistant manager, manager, cook, maintenance, crew trainer, and cashier. McDonald’s does not hire into the managerial role unless you’ve been a manager in another branch. Otherwise, you’ll work your way around the restaurant and go through a long and rigorous process before being made a manager. 

Jobs at the corporate level may include administration coordinators, operations associates, and junior accounting and reporting analysts. In addition, at corporate, you can choose career tracks in technology, human resources, finance, marketing, and community building. 

Corporate vs. Restaurant: Which McDonald’s Career Division Is Best for You?

Both divisions have their purposes and differences and whichever you choose to pursue depends on your goal. For example, if you aim to own and run a retail restaurant or fast-food chain one day, it’ll be better to learn and grow by working in the restaurant and moving around different departments. 

Within the restaurant ranks, you’ll learn firsthand about relating with customers, sorting inventory, what goes into making the perfect meal, and how long it’ll take. You’ll also learn how to handle customer conflict and what it takes to run a restaurant when you rise to the managerial level.

But if you plan to work behind the desk in the hopes of staying within the cubicles of any company, then working in the corporate paper-to-pen end of things should be your route. You’ll be working with a smaller group with less active pressure. 

How Do You Apply for Jobs at McDonald’s Restaurants?

There are two significant ways to find and apply to positions at McDonald’s, but that depends on where you want to work. First, McDonald’s regularly posts openings through job search sites, like Indeed and Careerbuilder, so you can always search online to find the best positions.

McDonald's: How to Apply For a Job, Benefits, Salaries, and More
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You can also visit McDonald’s restaurant in your area or browse for their latest employment opportunities on the company’s career page. After submitting your application, it will take a few days to get called back for your interview and work trial. 

How to Apply for Corporate Jobs at McDonald’s

If you’re interested in joining the corporate team at McDonald’s, it might seem a little tricky to get your foot in the door. 

Unfortunately, McDonald’s corporate positions are not open to the general public, so you will need to apply directly on the company website and submit your resume for consideration. 

Benefits for McDonald’s Restaurant Employees

Beyond salaries, McDonald’s employees enjoy several benefits, including enrollment into the NEST (National Employment Savings Trust) pension scheme. McDonald’s employees are also entitled to healthcare a medical benefits in accordance with their roles within the company. 

McDonald's: How to Apply For a Job, Benefits, Salaries, and More
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Employees are also entitled to a daily lunch when working at a McDonald’s restaurant. In addition, you can expect holiday pay if you work full-time. 

Lastly, most people only plan to work at McDonald’s for a short time, so they don’t spend years there. Knowing this, McDonald’s rewards employees who stay on their payroll for longer durations. The higher your years of service, the higher your reward. 

How Much Can You Earn Working at McDonald’s?

When you’re working at a McDonald’s restaurant, you may not earn enough to buy a vacation home, but with enough financial prudence, you’ll be able to earn a sustainable living. Depending on your location and role, you could earn from $10 an hour to over $20 an hour. 

McDonald’s corporate jobs are a different ball game. The average salary for McDonald’s corporate employees is around $50,000 a year, with bonuses up to $4,000 depending on the role.

Pros and Cons of Working McDonald’s Jobs

As with any job and company, there are pros and cons of working at McDonald’s that are important to note when considering working for the company.

When you begin working at McDonald’s, especially the restaurants, you’ll have the flexibility to pursue your dreams while working to pay your bills. But that doesn’t mean you wouldn’t encounter roadblocks. 

McDonald’s restaurants are high-pressure workplaces with moving parts that must continuously move to keep customers happy. You may work at the front desk and need to keep a smile up even on bad days. 

On some days, customers, coworkers, and your superiors will smile at you, and on others, they could be the reason why your day is ruined. Being able to succeed in such high pressure, interpersonal teamwork environments will be important to handling the role.

Career Benefits of Working at McDonald’s as a Student

As a student working at McDonald’s restaurants, you’ll have a shot at entry-level experience. You’ll learn to work with others in a fast-paced environment, follow orders, and take the initiative on specific tasks. 

The franchise operates a well-oiled machine where every moving part must function smoothly for the whole to work. McDonald’s ensures that it puts you through rigorous training in order for you to work well with the team. 

Students can get into corporate McDonald’s through internships and full-time university programs. Students entering their final year will benefit more from the internships, where they’ll learn from industry professionals in a real work environment for 10 weeks. 

Conclusion

McDonald’s is generally a terrific place to work, depending on your branch and designation. Salaries vary according to your responsibility, and you get to pick your hours if you work at the restaurants. 

Also, if you’re new to the working world, McDonald’s offers a great opportunity to gain valuable life and work experience for future careers within the company or beyond.