In one fell swoop, McDonald's hopes to reimage the notorious "McJob" into a career path with plenty of potential. The company and its vast franchise system have announced that 50,000 new crew and management positions will be available at a hiring event April 19.
The unprecedented event is expected to increase the company's collective employment by 7 percent. Both full and part-time positions will be available that day at close to 14,000 participating U.S. restaurants.
"Our restaurant employees are the foundation of our business. They are the men and women who interact with our customers every day, enhance the McDonald's experience and continue to help make our business strong," said Jan Fields, president, McDonald's USA. "Our national hiring event is an opportunity to invite more people across the country to join our team, and learn that a McJob is one with career growth and endless possibilities."
Fields is a good poster child for such an effort, having begun her career in an entry-level position with the Golden Arches. More than 50 percent of McDonald's franchisees and 75 percent of restaurant managers started out as crew members within the chain.
According to Dr. Dennis Tootelian, who studies business trends and policy at the Center for Small Business at California State University in Sacramento, the impact of this one-day hiring extravaganza is far-reaching, translating into $54 million more in payroll taxes contributed to the U.S. economy.
Tootelian also predicts a statistical multiplier effect, with the 50,000 new workers generating almost $1.4 billion in annual spending, or more than $3.5 million per day. More information on hiring day is available online.
