McDonald’s Recruitment and Selection Process McDonald’s recruitment McDonald’s is one of the biggest family restaurant business in the world and its vision is to provide the best family restaurant experience. To achieve this, McDonald’s put people at the centre of everything they do, and that goes for the employees as much as the customers. McDonald’s recognise that people do well when they feel good in their job, so the company to their best to create the right working environment for everyone. McDonald's needs people who want to excel in delivering outstanding service. To ensure the company recruits the right people, it has identified essential skills and behaviours that applicants should be able to demonstrate. For each position there is a job description outlining typical duties and responsibilities and a person specification defining personal skills and competences. Under McDonald's recruitment policy, each individual restaurant is responsible for filling hourly-paid positions. For recruiting hourly-paid employees McDonald's use several ways. Positions are generally advertised in the restaurant. McDonald's also uses local job centres, career fairs and other local facilities. It is vital to use effective hiring material with a clear message targeted at the right audience. McDonald’s selection The McDonald’s selection is different based on which job you wish to do for the company. For example, if you to work as a trainee manager the process lasts around four to eight weeks and consists of a four-step process: 1) Online application 2) Personality questionnaire 3) On-job evaluation (OJE) 4) Interviews The online form asks for personal details, two references, educational history and some short answers (no more than 500 words) to six competency questions such as “What appeals to you about Restaurant Management and what qualities make you suitable for the position?’’ or “Which of your past jobs have you enjoyed most and why?’’. The second step is the personality questionnaire where candidates are asked to complete a personality test, designed to evaluate their personal values and suitability for the role. Its main focus is on leadership qualities and the ability to work well in a team. Then, the third step is “The on-job evaluation (OJE)”. It is a day-long assessment in which candidates try out various tasks on the shop floor. Candidates join a restaurant crew for the first part, learning about customer service, cash-handling, equipment maintenance, food hygiene and health and safety. Later on candidates learn about complaint handling and shift management. Candidates are observed while they take part in a series of group exercises to overcome various problems. Finally, the fourth step is an interview with an operations manager. This may cover educational and work history, the motivation to join the company and basic competencies. It’s also an opportunity for candidates to ask questions about the job and future prospects. The company usually contacts candidates within ten days regarding job offers once the assessment process is complete. Competitive advantage Recruitment and selection are the key to achieving a competitive advantage for a company like McDonald’s. McDonald’s believes that the success of the restaurants and the company is achieved through their people. The company aims to recruit the best people, to retain them by offering ongoing training relevant to their position and to promote them when they are ready. The recruitment policies, procedures and practices reflect the company’s determination to realize its aim.