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.

Sometimes it boils down to your availability. I took many weekend jobs as a student but was declined by a few because I couldn’t work certain days due to uni and having young DC. They want flexibility and with children that can’t always be done.

I also know people who have been declined by companies like McDonald’s because they are over qualified .

You develop a thick skin when job hunting. I’m sure you’ll find something eventually. I used to apply to 50 places a day sometimes and the majority don’t even bother responding.

I think an awful lot of places do just want college kids now purely because it costs them less. A friend of mine (mid 30s) applied for Primark before Christmas, but was unsuccessful. Looking around my local Primark, with the exception of about 5 older staff who have been there for years, I would honestly say about 90% of their staff are just kids.

I though it was pretty interesting.

AlaskanOilBaron Thank you

I've seen the poster's comments about McDonald's before and have always found them interesting and informative.

DisrespectfulAdultFemale Thank you I’m so passionate about my job and I love it so much that I really enjoy talking about it, but I’ve tried to keep a low profile in the last few months due to similar comments on other threads.

Try getting a temporary job at Next first when they have busy periods .They tend to progress ‘temps’ to permanent roles ( if you do well ) .

Might work like that with other companies

I actually think it's really nice hearing from someone who genuinely loves a job that most people moan about if they do it!!

Also I now want a McDonald's despite my dinner being in the oven

The reviews on Glassdoor of working for McDonalds are very mixed, it must vary from one to another.

Onward and upward OP, something will come along to suit.

do you have your CV on job boards? Also, supermarkets (the big 4 anyway) have admin departments, sometimes under the guise a silly name like “commercial” or something, you could also look into these types of roles.

The reviews on Glassdoor of working for McDonalds are very mixed, it must vary from one to another.

Sparklingbrook The majority of UK McDonalds are franchises, so yes, it will depend on the franchise owner and the BM and general management team as to your experience.

The company as a whole though is excellent. Their training is exceptional and their management program is one of the most highly respected in the country. There is a career available for anyone with a good hard work ethic and an enthusiastic, positive attitude.

The reviews on Glassdoor of working for McDonalds are very mixed, it must vary from one to another.

They do. Our younger son spent 10 months working at a different McDs to his brother (I mentioned him earlier in the thread) and had a totally different experience. Staff at the one he was at were treated poorly, there was a constant turnover, and the week that he left, ten other crew members also handed their notices in. That particular restaurant is one of three in our town and has a reputation for not being a very good place to work at. Our older son has worked a few shifts there to help out when they've been short staffed but said that he couldn't work there permanently.

That's awful Madison. Ten resignations-something must be badly wrong.

I don't go very much any more but over the years with DCs there have been many McDonalds I have visited that could do with some staff with an enthusiastic, positive attitude. But that's a bit tricky if it's all going wrong higher up and they aren't being treated well.

TBH if you're changing your area of work, retail in general is struggling at the moment so opportunities may be harder to come by and maybe less secure.

Temping is a good option
My bookmaker suggestion was genuine - I really enjoyed it!
Loads of other suggestions on the thread. What sort of money working in a pub / restaurant? They are always going to want Sat people and presumably have to pay min wage?

It is horrible being turned down but all you can do

over the years with DCs there have been many McDonalds I have visited that could do with some staff with an enthusiastic, positive attitude.

Sparklingbrook The customer focused, positive enthusiastic crew goals have only really come about in the last few years, so in the entirely of McDonalds history it is very new and so there are a lot of crew from before that was the focus.

However now the focus is very customer orientated and we do mostly hire for positive attitude and enthusiasm; the rest can be trained.

Have tried so many places, willing to do full or part time. Haven't passed the online process in most and I keep thinking if dh didn't have a job we'd be effed. I don't know how I can't get past the questionnaires, I've worked in loads of shops and always had good feedback and have no idea where I'm going wrong. And I'd love to work in McDonald's btw!

To be brutally honest, I should imagine the mixed employee reviews for McDonald's are largely to do with a certain clichéd idea of working for them ie that it's easy and anyone can do it. And then people get there and find out you actually need to graft and have a particular skillset which doesn't suit them because they want an easy ride.

@WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue I love your burger 🍔 posts ☺️

I love your posts as well @Whattodoaboutwailmergonerogue! I like that you're so passionate about your job. I love my job as well and it's a nice feeling.

Your original assumption, though, was that no one could get a job as a checkout operator without speaking much English. This is simply not true and a little naive.

@TiaOscura the original comment was the person genuinely spoke NO English. I can see how someone could do it knowing only a little to get by. Impossible to do with no language skills whatsoever.

My daughters just got an interview at McDonalds after trying a few times. When she spoke to the manager to arrange the interview dae, she was told there had been 56 applications - for ONE position. Shes not holding out too much hope.

I hope you find something soon.

Date, I mean. Sorry

And I'd love to work in McDonald's btw!

stayathomer Have you applied? If so, what was your flexibility like? One tip I gave another poster (and it worked - their son/daughter got the job!) was to open up the availability just so you get to interview stage, as if you’re enthusiastic, positive and customer focused at interview they will try their best to make it work for you.

It is a great job - every day is different, there are so many different roles and you meet such wonderful people.

To be brutally honest, I should imagine the mixed employee reviews for McDonald's are largely to do with a certain clichéd idea of working for them ie that it's easy and anyone can do it. And then people get there and find out you actually need to graft and have a particular skillset which doesn't suit them because they want an easy ride.

Franheaton Yes, I definitely think that’s a large part of it. We do get people like that sometimes that actually seem surprised they can’t just stand around and chat when there’s no orders! They just try and hang about or have the notion that it’s McDonalds so there’s no standards.

Nothing could be further from the truth - McDonalds has exceptionally high standards, everything from cleaning to appearance to attitude. If you come in unshaven, you’re sent home to shave. No badge? Charged for another if it’s your second+ time. Touched your face? You bet you’re washing your hands. Cleaning? That apron is coming off. Assembling food? That apron is going back on!

It doesn’t take crew long to realise how stringent McDonalds really are, and those that don’t/can’t/won’t adjust and fit in don’t pass the three month probation.

WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue I love your burger 🍔 posts

I love your posts as well @Whattodoaboutwailmergonerogue! I like that you're so passionate about your job. I love my job as well and it's a nice feeling.

sushisuperstar and Franheaton Thank you guys! And I’m really glad you love yours too Franheaton. You spend so much of your life working it would be such a shame not to enjoy it. Life’s too short not to have fun and enjoy the journey.

Thank you so much for all the suggestions!

The McDonald's was advertising part and full time jobs including nights too. I did only put weekend availability on though so maybe that didn't help me either! I honestly am hoping to work weekends till at least 3 years when youngest starts school so want something long term. I definitely didn't see it as an "easy" job either! I'm sure it's real graft and hard work but never mind.

The Next job was advertised solely as a Saturday job for 7.5 hrs.
A lot of you are probably right in that they want young people with more flexibility. Age discrimination begins for me!

IT didn't even cross my mind to try out temp agencies. I really hadn't thought that they would have anything for weekends. I've only ever seen mon- Fri type stuff. But will definitely contact them.

I'm going to look into care work / bars too and someone mentioned car dealerships and estate agents. Will check those out too.

I took a career break when my second child was born, planned to work weekends while my husband worked during the week as childcare costs for two would have cost more than my wages. Anyway, I also got rejected from McDs and KFC, but, Dominos were very happy to employ me. Have you tried them? I was on a zero hours contract but expected to work at least every Fri/Sat night. I ended up working every Fri/Sat/Sun evening and the odd Tuesday for three years. I wasn’t interested in progression as I planned to return to my career, but there was pretty good scope for progression if that’s what you wanted as far as I could see.

I haven't rtft so apologies if I repeat someone else's advice but why not try brainstorming all the local places that are open weekends and need someone with more admin type experience like hospitals, hotels, leisure centres, golf clubs. If you can afford to get your CV and a cover letter printed off and then mail them out rather than waiting for jobs to appear online.
Good luck with it all

Anyone else now getting chased about by a McDonalds advert suggesting You 'Taste and review'a Big Mac?

Hey OP, you could try as I suggested and reapply with your flexibility more open. If they see you’re positive and enthusiastic at interview they will try to make it work for you It has worked for others so may be worth a try.