Ive just got rejected by McDonalds - feel so crap

[NeedASaturdayJob]

I need a weekend job and have applied to Next and McD and they have both turned me away at application stage. I feel really shit. Granted I dont have experience in retail but I've mainly worked in admin but I know my skills are transferable. Just feel like a total loser.

I really need a job on the weekend as we need some money. Ive just had a baby and i can't go back to work due to childcare costs.

What am I doing wrong? Do they just want school/ college kids? I know they are probably in high demand but I've tried applying to so many. Ive tried the local supermarkets but only Tesco had a suitable job which I have applied for but Im not holding my hopes even for an interview.

[Grapetree]

job rejections can make even the most confident feel shit.
I don’t think they’d always prioritise college kids as they’re less likely to stay on permanently, unfortunately another candidate may have simply had more relevant experience
Have you had your CV/online application checked by anyone? It’s easy to not see a simple mistake even when we think you have double checked etc
When I first started looking for retail jobs I remember being declined by many companies (including next!) until I got a temporary contract role as a Sales helper for Next

[Sethis]

Don't feel bad. It's not that you're a worthless person, just that you don't fit into the shape of the hole that they happen to have. Being round isn't wrong, but they aren't going to hire you for a square job especially if they have a load of square or near-squares applying for the role.

If you have admin experience then I imagine temping agencies might be a better fit for you? Also possibly speculative CVs to major companies with offices in your neighbourhood/area?

I graduated in 2009 hoping to enter the youth work sector. Completely impossible because every council had cut their budget by 30% and fired half their experienced staff. I was applying for literally every job in my city and, like you, getting rejected from things I could have done in my sleep. Not because I'm incapable of doing them, but because they didn't want a graduate that was going to quit as soon as they got a better offer.

[crimsonlake]

I feel your pain. I am a supply teacher and as work is so erratic I decided to look for any job thinking I could easily get a job in a shop for example. I have applied for loads, b & q, Iceland , Argos etc with no luck at all. I am considering dumbing down my CV , I have already done that to a certain extent and now leave out my date of birth. I have had success gaining interviews outside of retail, but I am always pipped at the post to someone who has more experience. I am losing the will to live as I cannot seem to get a job. As your background is admin have you thought of temping agencies? Also lots of admin posts come up on the NHS website and I have also been offered interviews for those. Keep going is all the advice I can offer.

[YahBasic]

Can you look at other options?

Restaurant work? Delivery driver for parcels/takeaways in evening & weekend? Call centre shifts? Collect, do & deliver ironing? Manufacturing shifts? Care work?

These are the type of jobs that can be fit into the time you have available and that are always in demand in most areas.

[Peachbubble]

Would you consider care work? My friend has just got a job in a local care home - she's been a SAHM for the last 5 years, admin job before that. Even if you can only do weekends, I think they might be interested in you.

Have a look on Indeed if you feel it might be for you.

[Iruka]

Did they tell you why? Can you ask them?

[Oceanfive]

Care work might suit you, they are desperate for weekend workers and it’s more flexible than McDs. Sympathies, it’s shit

[abbsisspartacus]

Me too then I worked in an office doing admin and training in the accounts department at the moment I'm a self employed cleaner 🤷‍♀️ as a parent we do a lot of things we are not trained for

Pub work any good for you,? You don't always need to go online just pop into your local and show some sparkly personality

[Kazzyhoward]

Remember, it's competitive and the number of vacancies are fixed. There were simply other candidates with more relevant experience or qualifications or whatever criteria they've decided to weed out initial applicants. It doesn't mean you weren't suitable - it means others were more suitable this time around.

[countrybunny]

Did you have to do the stupidly questionnaires?

Don't worry OP- it doesn't reflect on you. They get such high volume of applicants that they set the questions to only select a minority of people. It makes it really difficult to get in.

[AnnAbbieLian]

There's more competition for those jobs than you'd expect and it's not that they're particularly choosy just that they have to find something to filter on so they give you those quizzes and stuff, no human involved and if you don't meet some arbitrary cutoff on ambiguous personality traits then you're automatically rejected. I really wouldn't take it personally.

[Kazzyhoward]

Part time/casual jobs are usually easier to find if you just stay local and ask around local independent cafes, shops, pubs, restaurants, etc. There are often vacancy notices in shop/cafe windows etc.

Not your ideal long term job, but a few weeks/months doing casual work will give you experience which you can then use in your cv on applications for more suitable longer term jobs.

[Neolara]

I got turned down for a job before Xmas. I was gutted as I thought I could do the job well. I got feedback two days ago and was very surprised to hear they turned me down mostly because they thought I'd find the job too easy and thought I'd be bored after 6 months and then would leave. Their suggestion was to apply for a more senior job.. Entirely possible they thought similar for you.

[NothingOnTellyAgain]

I worked in a betting shop chain for a few years when I was younger and enjoyed it, worth a go? I got a job there when some shops had said no thanks. They do weekends obv and also some evenings in the summer when the racing runs later. Pretty flexibele. This was years ago but hopefully still accurate!

Chin up :)

[snapped1234]

Ask for feedback and If you can maybe meet interviewer for a coffee to discuss short falls at interview? Worth a shot and shows your keen

[WhentheDealGoesDown]

They can pay younger people less as the minimum wage is lower by quite a bit so it is much cheaper to employ 16-18 year olds than someone over 25.

[WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue]

I’m a manager at McDonalds. Despite what people think we don’t just take anyone and we do have pretty high standards.

One of the main criteria is that we want happy, enthusiastic people that will be great with customers (we’re exceptionally customer focused now). Age is irrelevant.

[AlaskanOilBaron]

Absolutely, ask for feedback!

Car dealership? I'd imagine they need admin support on the weekend.

Good luck. Chin up. Sending you an un-mumsnetty hug.

[Tinkobell]

What about weekend work at estate agents OP? I think they struggle to find people to cover weekends there?

[HollowTalk]

Do you have any call centres nearby? They are usually 24 hour so have shifts to suit everyone.

[Sparklingbrook]

Is it your availability? I think a lot of companies now want you to be very flexible and have almost unlimited availability.

Maybe Maccies had enough weekend staff but needed other hours (late nights/all night etc) covering?

[papayasareyum]

a couple of (well educated, lovely, capable) people I know were rejected from Next. I think retail jobs often go to the under 21's as they're cheaper to hire. Our local retail shops seem to employ mostly very young people.

[NotDavidTennant]

How have you demonstrated customer service skills on your CV/application?

[Sparklingbrook]

I do think there must be an element of taking on younger people because they can pay them less. Plus 16-18 year olds want weekend shifts.

[JudasPrudy]

I've never got past application stages for retail jobs and I've had a really good career managing teams etc in the past. Eventually I accepted that the hiring bods were right, I just wasn't the person for retail, my experience proved it like yours does and that's fine. If a retail worker was down in the dumps because they couldn't get a job in admin without any qualifications or experience what would you advise them to do? Get trained up or try something else.