There’s a McDonald’s on virtually every street corner in America – 13,905 of them to be exact. So, how hard is it to land a job working for the golden arches? When considering McDonald’s careers, you probably have a lot of questions and we’re here to answer them. Whether you’re looking for a part-time gig or hoping to start a long-term career, we’ll cover everything you need to know about being employed by McDonald’s.
McDonald’s Jobs
For an entry-level McDonald’s job, you don’t need to have any experience. But as you work your way up into managerial positions, previous experience is recommended. McDonald’s careers are all about their people. So, they want to hire individuals that are team players with leadership abilities. Even if you don’t have any previous work experience, you can use an experience of any kind during your interview to show them that you possess these qualities.
Below we have summarized some of McDonald’s job descriptions:
Crew Member
- Help maintain cleanliness in restaurants
- Take customer orders and restock supplies
- Both full-time and part-time options available
- With this McDonald’s career option, pay starts at about $8.00 an hour
Maintenance
- Clean and prep cooking equipment
- Maintain the outside grounds
- Unload trucks
- Change light bulbs, and complete other upkeep tasks
- Pay starts at about $10.00 an hour
Shift Manager
- Ensure a quality visit for each customer
- Responsible for scheduling, internal communication, and overall safety
- Training team members
- Work 25 to 40 hours a week
- Salary of up to $25,000 a year
Department Manager
- Manage assigned department including training, guest service, and food safety
- Tasks vary depending on the department
- Delegate tasks
- Create and present reports to team members
- Full time and part-time available
- Average salary of $25,661 a year
General Manager
- Manage entire restaurant to the standard set by McDonald’s
- Assist and manage Department Managers
- Hiring new team members
- Must have previous experience and be at least 18 years old
- Full benefits including paid vacation, education, health insurance, life insurance, adoption assistance, and matching gifts program
- Average salary of $46,354 a year
How Old Do You Have To Be To Work At McDonald’s?
According to child labor laws, to get a job at McDonald’s you have to be at least 14 years old. It depends on the state though, so be sure to check with the U.S. Department of Labor for your state’s laws. If you’re 14, chances are you don’t have any previous experience. For some jobs, this might be an issue. But not at McDonald’s!
McDonald’s careers often require no previous experience for entry-level positions such as a cashier or crew member. You’ll also have the opportunity for promotion into managerial roles if you can prove your leadership abilities.
McDonald’s Jobs Near Me
McDonald’s tends to advertise when they’re hiring with street signs and signs around their restaurants, but the easiest way to find out which jobs are open near you is to look on the McDonald’s website and type in your city or area code to narrow down your search. Here, you’ll be able to find open positions in your local city or browse through openings in McDonald’s corporate offices.
McDonald’s Job Application
Although it might be easier to fill out the application online, printing out the paper application and hand delivering it is an easy way to set yourself apart from other applicants. It allows you to introduce yourself to the manager and put a face with your name. Turning in your application in person also shows that you’re willing to go the extra mile (bonus points!).
But the easiest and most popular way to do it is to apply on the McDonald’s website after you have found an open position that you are interested in.
McDonald’s Job Application Form Online – Apply Now!
If you choose to fill out McDonald’s job application online, head over to the restaurant’s website. Just type your location into the search bar, choose an open position, and click “apply now.” You should hear back within two weeks. If not, head into or call the restaurant to follow up on your application.
McDonald’s Jobs Pay
How much you’ll get paid at McDonald’s depends on your role. Pay for entry-level positions starts at about $7.83. Manager positions hourly wage ranges between $10 and $11, and an Area Supervisor makes a salary of about $65,853 per year. The average pay sits at approximately $9.15, but that wage tends to be for employees with five years of experience or more. What’s nice about McDonald’s careers is that there are plenty of opportunities to work your way up.
Other Benefits
Working at McDonald’s has many benefits outside of free and discounted food. For instance, with as many restaurants as McDonald’s has, your job can be easily transferred to a different location – even to other countries! Depending on your role, these are some of the employee benefits that McDonald’s offers:
- Discounts
- Career Development Opportunities
- Tuition Assitance
- High School Completion Courses
- Paid Time Off (PTO)
- Insurance/Healthcare
- Paid Vacation
- 401 (k)
- Schedule Flexibility
Archways to Opportunities
One benefit that is available for anyone that has a job at McDonald’s – and is eligible – is Archways to Opportunities. McDonald’s started the Archways to Opportunities program in 2015 to help their employees achieve educational success. The program helps to:
- Improve English skills
- Earn a high school diploma*
- Assist with college tuition and receiving a degree
- Meet with an advisor to assist with career planning*
*These benefits are even extended to immediate family members as well.
McDonald’s Corporate Careers
There are a lot of job opportunities to be found at McDonald’s corporate locations. These are the behind-the-scenes people that help the business grow and operate. With a business as widespread as McDonald’s, there are a lot of opportunities in the corporate world. Even for aircraft captains! McDonald’s corporate careers are offered in these areas:
- Marketing
- Digital
- Supply Chain
- Finance/Accounting
- Communications
- Construction
To see additional job functions, check out their careers page online.
Even if you don’t have any experience, you should easily be able to start a career at McDonald’s – even in the corporate headquarters. And with as much room for promotion as they have, the job opportunities are endless!
