Make Mine a McJob

If you haven’t found the position that’s right for you in Philadelphia, maybe it’s time to consider a McJob. President of McDonald's U.S.A., Jan Fields said, "We're excited to offer 50,000 new jobs, all across America, all in one day."

On April 19th the fast food giant is going to add an influx of full and part time employees to its team. The new crew and management members manning McDonald’s 14,000 restaurants in the U.S. will raise Ronald’s roster to 700,000 employees across the country. It breaks down to about 4 new workers per store on top of the hiring McDonald’s does on a regular basis.

Across the board, McDonald’s is doing well and wants to take a leadership position to offering opportunities to people who want to work. The hiring spree is based around new jobs, not replacement positions. They are hoping to acquire talent that is open to advancement whether it is someone who has been unemployed for a while or just starting out in the working world.

Fields started out on fries in 1978 before advancing to her current position presiding over domestic operations. She is proud of her “McJob” and the career that came with it and she is not alone. About half of all McDonald’s franchise owners began behind the counter.

The average wage for new hires is just above minimum wage at $8.30 per hour but what individuals are offered depends on region, franchise and position. A part-time counter worker might not earn enough to cover what’s considered a “living-wage” of about $14 an hour but managers can bring home more than $50,000 a year. They cite the strength and continued growth of the company as additional security when considering a career with them.

According to their website other benefits (*subject to availability and certain eligibility requirements and restrictions) include:

• Competitive wages


• Free uniforms*


• Free or discounted meals


• Flexible hours


• Medical insurance*


• Prescription drug coverage*


• 24-hour nurse line access


• Vision discount*


• Available dental*


• Short-term disability*


• Term life insurance*


• 401(k)*


• Paid holidays*


• Vacation*


• Educational assistance*

Corporate staff can expect even more. Maybe it’s time to drop the stigma that has been attached to the Fry Guys and find your next career under the golden arches.

Fast food not your bag? Search for something more at PhillyJobs.com.

By Heather Fairchild - Heather is a multimedia developer with experience in web, film, photography and animation as well as traditional fine arts like painting and sculpting. In addition to writing for [name of site], she is co-founder of design and promotion company, Creative Kazoo with fellow Beyond.com blogger, Staci Dennis. Heather’s spare time consists of making puppets, teaching Sunday School, building Legos and doing science experiments with her children.

Overlooked Words That We Should Use More Often

I am a firm believer in the power of words. The things we say can hurt people, make them feel worthless, raise their spirits, motivate them and even help them see the world differently. I spend a good amount of time reading articles online and I am constantly amazed at the things people say. When they read an article about something they find offensive, some people have no problem commenting that the particular person or author should be “taken out and crucified on the street.”.

Although I realize that they can't possibly be serious, those words are still out there. These words could have a great impact on the writer or the person in the article but they also have a huge influence on the person who said them. Words have much more power to influence both ourselves and the people around us than we want to give them credit for. So, it stands to reason that if negative words can have a negative affect, positive words can have a positive affect as well. So, if you want to make a change in your life, land a new job, improve your relationships or be an effective manager, take a moment to think about the words you chose.

Sometimes it is the smallest of words that can make all of the difference. They have the ability to encourage, lead, make people feel important, make them feel good and they set a great example of positivity.

Here are some overlooked words that we could all stand to use a bit more often:

• Thank you – We learned it as children, but often forget it as adults. Openly expressing gratitude for the people and the tasks we take for granted can change our outlook and make others feel appreciated.
  
  
• I forgive you – When people say they are sorry, it is easy to say “Don't do it again.”, but try giving them verbal affirmation that you forgive them. Apologizing is hard, and accepting an apology gracefully is just as difficult.
  
  
• You can do it – I have a friend that I call each week when I am feeling the pressure of my deadline just so that she can say “You can do it” in a mock-Rob Schneider voice. A little encouragement can go a long way.
  
  
• I was wrong – These words are so powerful. In your personal relationships as well as your professional ones, being able to stop defending yourself and just say that you were wrong is hard. But, when you admit it, it frees up energy that can be devoted to repairing the damage.
  
  
• I admire you – If there is someone you look up to, let them know that you admire them. They may be trudging along just like you, and it might not ever occur to them that someone respects what they do.
  
  
• Good job – Everyone likes a pat on the back. Unfortunately, they are easy to forget about.
  
  
• I'm sorry – There is nothing like a heartfelt apology.
  
  
• I understand – If you are being given complicated directions from your boss or your partner is telling you how they feel, let them know verbally that you understand what they are saying. You will be giving them the gift of being heard.
  
  
• You're important – Everyone wants and needs to feel valued. Let the people who are important to you know how you feel.

Try using these words more often for a week and see if you start to notice a change in the people you interact with and in yourself. Keep in mind that other people aren't mind readers, so even if this list seems like things that should go without saying, they won't know unless you actually say it.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for PhillyJobsBlog, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.