micky: i just don't understand what some of you people are complaining about. i have worked for mcdonald's for 12 years,from cleaning the lobby up to management. yes, it is stressfull at times and the customers can be a pain, but i have always enjoyed working with and meeting the different types of people. morris: You can work with different kinds of people in most jobs. As for me, I work with men ranging in age from my own generation to my grandfather's age, and I enjoy hearing from their wide range of experiences. No women though; I miss them!
I've spent eight years of gainless employment in fast food myself, but that was mostly my choice. It wasn't McDonald's, and I won't be naming them here, since it is irrelevant. I spent many of those years at the first level of management, and was offered more promotions, since I was faster, smarter, and more trustworthy than most of the managers I've had. I turned the promotion down every time because there was nothing more to gain. An extra $5000 per year in exchange for fifteen extra hours a week doing something I hated in the first place? That's 780 hours of unpaid overtime annually! No thanks! I only stayed because I was a student, I had to support my family and there was nothing to be gained by leaving. I already had a low paying, dead-end job; why would I want another?
Without meaning to be insulting, I must ask: Twelve years ago when you started, what did you really want to do with your life? Was this a goal of yours, or is your job something you fell into because it was easy, convenient, and comfortable?
mick: we have many staff at our restaurant who come back to visit (if on a break from university or such,) so we can't be that bad an employer.
Hugh: The same happened where I worked. This was mostly because it was guaranteed employment for those who returned every summer and winter break, and one wouldn't have to waste time looking for a job they had no intention of keeping anyway. Like my experience, there was little chance of a college student finding a better job in the time available, so back they came.
mickeyd: the basics of the job are people skills, and yes i know there are managers out there who don't have any,but if you have a gripe or complaint about your job, tell someone! write a PAL letter, talk to your owner or supervisor or ops consultant. the problem has to be brought forward before any solutions can be made.
hughmorris: Sometimes, you can tell a lot about an employee by what they complain about. The best ones complain about things that keep them from doing their jobs well or safely, like broken equipment, lack of management support, etc. The worst complain about not getting enough cigarette breaks, or the air conditioner not being cold enough. I was fortunate in that all eleven of the genreal managers I've had (the only ones whose opinions counted) treated me fairly. The lower managers were a mixed bag, and some were the bullies you described. Since my job was not that important to me, and I can't stand people who run and cry to Mommy or Daddy (the general manager) instead of taking their problems to the offending coworker himself, I've found the best way to deal with such people was to ignore them. My reasoning was that I had been playing the game entirely too long to be bothered by some minor leaguer whom the general manager was hoping I'd train to be my boss. Anyway, I could work ten hours without opening my mouth, or at least until the bully left. They could say "hello" or "goodbye" to me, and that was it. When given instructions, I would simply do the task without looking up or acknowledging them. It worked beautifully; they all eventually found other shitty jobs and left.
micky: i like to check out this site from time to time(this is my first message) just to see what to AVOID doing. i know that for some people this job sucks, but for most of the people i have met it is a means to an end. we all need money and we all need to work and if mcdonalds suck so bad, try burger king or k.f.c. or just deliver newspapers. please leave a reply if you'd like as i am interested in your comments
Morris: On behalf of everyone, welcome to the Debating Room! A more useful piece of advice might be: "If mcdonalds suck so bad, do whatever is necessary to get a better job." You suggested getting a similar job someplace else, which is likely to "suck" just as much. I spent my waning years in fast food closing at 3:00 a.m., only to drag myself to college at 8:00 a.m. later that morning. It seemed to work. One year out of college and out in the field, my income is double what it was after my eighth fast food year! And that's with a lousy two year degree, since I ran out of money and patience for college after three years. That tells me I wasted entirely too many years working for nothing. But, the management and cash handling I had in those years looked good on my resume. Human resource managers were impressed, and euphamistically described my work history as "stable." Yeah, it reminds me of something one might find in a stable, but turning down the equally dull, but somewhat better paying jobs at competing fast feeders helped me in the long run. Other than the women, there is nothing I miss about those years.
No Longer Eligible For Food Stamps,
Hugh Morris
None.
