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.

There was a manager from McDonald's on a AMA,

slappinthebass That was me And yes, it’s true that we do prefer it if you haven’t already had experience elsewhere in related fields ie. other fast food restaurants. Their procedures are different from ours and we have very high standards, so it’s easier to start from scratch than have to wipe the slate clean.

It's really annoying that a lot of hospitality/food places claim to want chatty, outgoing smiley people but they don't seem to be the ones you actually see a the point of sale.

I guess they must have smiled at the interview at some point!

Try a local cinema, they tend to take on staff regularly and always need weekend staff.

Estate agents often need Saturday staff.

Retail companies often want staff to be able to work more than just one or two days. That could be the reason they have rejected you.

OP, I used to be a manager at McDonald's, I wouldn't take your rejection to heart.
Admittedly the perception is that if all else fails, McDonald's is always hiring and you'll be bound to get a job there.
In reality there is a massive staff base, at least 95% will be under 20. This allows shifts to be easily covered as youngsters are stuck in an unending cycle of wanting time off, then wanting extra work to pay for the days off.
It's also a very specific environment and many older people simply don't last the course. As a manager I was quite removed from it but it can be very immature and/or bitchy and it's not generally a good fit for someone who is slightly further along their life's path

The classic mumsnet answer is to get a job at Macdonalds. Outside London that is hard- they are sought after jobs. they also tend to employ youngsters so the NMW is lower and then drop them when they get to 18.

This is clearly not true. A) impossible to interview and B) couldn’t do the role
Unfortunately this happens. I can think of a very recent incident where a Philippine nurse was struck off for not being able to speak English, she was initially employed as an HCA until she'd completed the conversion and had to have an interpreter at her disciplinary meeting when things went wrong. Sacked in Cornwall as an HCA, moved to London and employed as a registered nurse.... literally no idea how she managed the second employment!

see if your local hospitals/health centres need weekend cleaners. i've seen these advertised a lot.

I think a pub restaurant is a better fit long term for a school kid morphing into student. Purely because the employer cannot stick a kid behind the bar to serve. DS went in 18 months ago as a glass washer, runner. He will be behind the bar this summer. When he comes home from uni. he will have work. My friends daughter has been at Tesco since 16. Went through uni as undergraduate, then masters. Student availability does dovetail well with some companies.

Well actually it'll be more to do with restricted availability. Mcdonalds and similar organisations rely on their weekend staff to work additional hours during peak times (normally coinciding with school holidays) so by hiring students they are more easily to get staff for the hours they need without upping anyones contract.

they also tend to employ youngsters so the NMW is lower and then drop them when they get to 18.

FevertreeLight I don’t think you have any understanding of how hard it is to actually sack someone.

A high staff turnover is good for no business. It costs far more in hiring and training to continually rehire and train than it does to increase wages as crew grow older.

I am a SAHM who has wants to return to work but has a big chunk out of my CV. Those who have found work Temping, I would like to ask how you made this possible as when I read threads on here about SAHM's everyone gets shot down immediately saying you will never get a job anywhere, your references are not up to date etc. etc.

Just sign up with an agency. Hays are a big one, but it does depend where you live www.hays.co.uk/. So try yellow pages as well.

What I and a friend do was sign up for a short course to brush up on our computer skills. You can do from the most basic upwards. Again you need to check what your local council/government offer.

It could be the hours.

I have worked for Next in the past and they advertise for certain hours but in reality they want you to be fully flexible and work whenever they want you to work.

Did you say on your application forms that you just wanted to work weekends.

Could well be because you're overqualified. They don't want people who are too good, for want of a better word, because they think you'll get bored and leave after 6 months when a better offer comes along.

Don't feel bad. I got rejected from voluntary and admin work when I had a masters degree. I don't meen to brag just that it happens a lot. Having now been on the other side of recruitment I know there are so many factors which go into the decision. I know they shouldn't but some companies make judgements about how long you will stay if you have skills which could mean you could get something better paid. Like you do. They possibly think you're just applying for any old thing and will still be looking for an admin job. Or that you won't want to work weekends long term.
Non of this ma be true but these judgements do happen. So don't feel like it's you! Is there anything you can do from home?

They may want people who can work more days of the week than just those two. I once got rejected from a supermarket (and I had a degree!) because I wasn't available for enough shifts. I felt disheartened at the time too. Best of luck finding something else.

@WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue Wait, there's a new veggie option?!? Please tell me what this is!

Also, why oh why did you get rid of the veggie wrap?! The burger is far too tasteless and carb-y it sticks to your gums. I wish they still did Quorn!!

WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue Wait, there's a new veggie option?!? Please tell me what this is

Also, why oh why did you get rid of the veggie wrap?!

Mummylife2018 The wrap is back! The veggie patty is gone and has been replaced with veggie goujons

We only have the one burger now, the vegetable deluxe, and it’s exactly the same (sandwich mayo and lettuce) but it has the lovely red pesto goujons instead of the patty

The wrap (which is the wrap of the day on Mondays) is called the Spicy Veggie One and has spicy relish, tomato, lettuce and red onion in it

We have also introduced the veggie wrap happy meal too, which is the goujons with ketchup and lettuce.

Why are people being so rude the the McDonalds manager posting? I though it was pretty interesting.

Someone upthread mentioned an estate agent, they often want people for the weekends and it would probably be far more suitable as you have an admin background.

I would guess that some people go to McDonald's a lot as customers and therefore think they know how the business is run.

The suggestions about estate agents, car dealerships and pubs are good ones, but it depends where you are. The difficulty these days is that a lot of customer facing staff have contracts which state they have to do weekend work with days off in the week because opening on Saturdays and Sundays is the norm.

OP you may have more luck going into local businesses with a short CV if you specifically want weekend work.

Why are people being so rude the the McDonalds manager posting? I though it was pretty interesting.

I have no idea. I've seen the poster's comments about McDonald's before and have always found them interesting and informative.