I’ve spent much of my life looking for work, and it’s never much fun. Recently, I applied for a job at McDonald’s. Well, hasn’t just about everybody applied for a “McJob” at “Mickey Dees” at some point in their lives? I mean, their fast-food restaurants are all over the world. Soon there will be one in Afghanistan, I’m sure.

For people who may be applying for such a job in the future, I’ve compiled a list of questions – six out of 35 - which McDonald’s asks anyone applying for a job as a crew member. These questions don’t relate to one’s specific job skills; instead, they are more of a psychological nature, and some are rather curious.

Perhaps it is more of a personality test, used to predict a person’s behavior in particular situations. The cynic in me suggests these tests simply give the company a seemingly objective way of disqualifying people for employment, rather than age, sex, education, race or other factors, some of which could get the company in trouble.

So here are the six questions I selected:

 

1. If you do not get this job, how easy will it be for you to get another one?

- Very easy

- Easy

- Difficult

- Very difficult

- I don’t know

 

2. How often do other people come to you with their problems?

- Never

- Rarely

- Sometimes

- Frequently

- Almost always

 

3. While you are working, you overhear a pair of coworkers on break. The two are talking about another team member because she works too slowly. What would you be MOST likely to do?

- Tell the coworkers not to complain about another team member

- Suggest that the coworkers directly talk with the person who works too slowly

- Keep working on my own tasks and say nothing to the coworkers

- Suggest that the coworkers talk about their concerns with the supervisor

- Tell the team member that others are talking about her and she should work faster

 

4. How do you typically handle stress on the job (or in school)?

- I speed up to handle the extra work

- I work more slowly, but concentrate harder

- I rely on others more when I’m under stress

- Stress does not influence how I approach my work

- I don’t know

 

5. During the middle of a shift, you notice that your coworker, Jim, looks really upset. What action would you take?

- Ask him if there is anything you can do to help

- Leave Jim alone and give him time to cool off

- Ask Jim if he’s having family problems

- Volunteer to work during your break so Jim can have extra time to cool off

- Let your supervisor know that Jim might not be ok

 

6. I would prefer a job in which

- the work is interesting

- I am helping people

 

For me, these questions were not easy to answer, because too many relevant factors are not explained and, at the very least, the correct “answers” to these questions would be subjective as far as I’m concerned. Therefore, I may not be prime material for working at McDonald’s. At any rate, McDonald’s, like any other company, can do whatever it wants on such tests, and if you want to work there, you have to push the right buttons. Good luck on your job search!

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