If you’re looking to land a job with McDonald’s, you’re following in the footsteps of thousands before. In fact, at this very moment, McDonald’s employs about 200,000 people in more than a thousand locations across the UK.
McDonald’s is a great first job and a favourite of students or those looking for part-time work. With so many franchises, you likely won’t have to go far to find an open position. To land the job, however, you’ll need a great CV — and that’s where we can help.
This CV guide, along with the corresponding CV example, will cover the following topics:
- What does a McDonald’s employee do?
- How to write a McDonald’s CV (tips and tricks)
- The best format for a McDonald’s CV
- Advice on each section of your CV (summary, work history, education, skills)
- Professional CV layout and design hints.
Resume.io is an expert resource for job seekers in all fields and at all levels of their careers. If you’re applying to multiple jobs, check out our collection of occupation- and employer-specific CV examples.
What does a McDonald’s employee do?
McDonald’s employs roughly two million people in its corporate offices, fast food restaurants, and franchises worldwide. While McDonald’s employees may work in business and management, logistics, marketing, or HR, the majority of applications for McDonald’s jobs are for kitchen and service roles within the restaurants.
These hourly associates handle a number of tasks including:
- Preparing burgers, fries, and other menu items
- Taking customer orders in the restaurant or via a drive-thru window
- Serving food to customers in the dining room
- Cleaning floors, tables, and chairs
- Restocking condiments, drinks, and supplies
- Reporting and ordering inventory
How to write a CV for McDonald’s
A CV for McDonald’s will contain many of the basic sections found in most applications including:
- The CV header
- The CV summary (aka profile or personal statement)
- The employment history section
- The CV skills section
- The education section
As with other entry-level jobs, a CV for McDonald’s is a starting point. Restaurant managers are used to training new employees in the specific processes that operating a McDonald’s requires. If you are in the kitchen, you’ll be asked to learn recipes and cooking times.
In the front of house, you’ll be trained on the register system and customer service policy. Therefore, the goal of your CV is not to show that you have these specific skills already (unless, of course, this is not your first McDonald’s gig!) but to prove that you have the teamwork, adaptation, and motivation skills to be a successful employee.
Get more inspiration for your application from our hospitality CV sample, waitress CV example, or part-time job CV sample.
Choosing the best CV format for McDonald’s jobs
McDonald’s employees have a few options when it comes to choosing the best CV format. If you have previous jobs to show, the reverse chronological approach is likely the best option. This CV structure focuses on the employment history section where you can show previous positions starting with the most recent and working backwards.
If you have less than three previous jobs, you may consider alternative CV structures like the functional or hybrid models. These options focus more on your skills and personality traits while giving you space for other types of experiences further down on your CV. Read more about them in our guide to CV formats.
McDonald’s offers more than jobs — they also provide apprenticeships to compliment degree-seeking students. Check out the range of opportunities on their UK careers page.
CV summary example
The summary of your CV is the place to introduce you and your top qualities to the McDonald’s hiring manager. These 3-5 freeform lines are likely the only place you’ll be able to speak directly to the employer and point out why you’re a great fit for the job.
Since McDonald’s hires so many people in various locations, it’s also a smart idea to state the exact role you’re applying for and the location where you wish to work. See our adaptable summary example below.
Professional and reliable food service employee hoping to join a new McDonald's team and help to make a difference in the dining experience of customers. Committed to achieving the highest level of customer service that aligns with the mission and values of McDonald's.
Employment history sample
The employment history section allows you to highlight previous jobs that are most relevant to the McDonald’s position. First, list the job title, employer name, dates worked, and location. Then create 4-5 bullet points that describe your duties, skills, and accomplishments.
If you don’t have much previous work to show, you can rename this section to ‘Experience’ and include any volunteer work, side jobs, hobbies, or school activities that prove you’re responsible and a hard worker — the essential qualities for any McDonald’s position. Check out our CV sample below.
Crew Team Member, McDonald's, Liverpool
November 2019 - Present
- Earned the 2021 Outstanding Crew Team Member award for our region.
- Assist customers in ordering their favourite McDonald's meals.
- Remain knowledgeable about all menu changes, products, and promotions.
- Assist with the preparation of the world famous McDonald's food.
- Help to maintain a clean and welcoming dining environment at all times.
- Collaborate with other crew team members and managers to achieve goals.
- Adhere to all food safety and sanitation policies.
- Approach each shift with a positive, motivated, and helpful attitude.
- Work late night and weekend shifts as needed.
Food Service Member, Taco Bell, Liverpool
July 2017 - October 2019
- Consistently provided fast, fun, and friendly service to our guests.
- Prepared and stored food ingredients according to food safety protocols.
- Assembled food and beverage orders and checked for accuracy.
- Maintained a clean and safe work and dining environment at all times.
- Served guests courteously and quickly with an enthusiastic attitude.
- Operated a cash register and maintained a neat and well-stocked work area.
Kitchen Hand, Frederick's Place, Liverpool
October 2015 - May 2017
- Assisted the head chef and kitchen workers with kitchen maintenance and food preparation processes.
- Washed dishes, glasses, and cooking utensils and put them away.
- Worked in a collaborative manner to achieve goals in a timely manner.
- Adhered to all safe working and food safety guidelines .
CV skills example
Skills are a major component of a complete McDonald’s CV. As discussed, McDonald’s hiring managers are necessarily looking for you to have job-specific skills already, so long as you can demonstrate you’re a quick learner who is serious about the position.
Use the CV skills section to highlight these personal qualities that may be hard to train in other candidates. If you happen to have experience in kitchens or with register systems, these hard skills are great to mention as well. See our adaptable skills CV sample below.
- Exceptional Customer Service
- Professional and Motivated Atttitude
- Knowledge of Food Service
- Food Safety
- Food Preparation
- Problem Solving Skills
- Time Management Skills
McDonald’s CV education example
McDonald’s is one of the easiest positions to land without formal training or education. Nevertheless, the education section is a staple of any complete CV. Make sure to list the degree or qualification name, school name, dates attended and location.
If you are still a student, you can include your expected date of graduation. The education section is also a great place for any certifications, training or awards you have to show. See our adaptable CV example below.
A Levels in English, Science, and Mathematics, King David High School, Liverpool
September 2013 - June 2017
CV layout and design
A clean and organised layout can put you far ahead of other entry-level candidates who submit sloppy CVs. For a McDonald’s role, you won’t need a complicated design.
Look for one that draws attention to your name and contact information by placing it in an attractive header. A neutral colour scheme is best for entry-level roles like McDonald’s. Here are a few more tips to create a great layout:
- Use common section headings like ‘Education’ or ‘Skills’ instead of more creative ones
- Keep a balance of white space to text so that the page is easy to read
- Get a head start with a professionally-designed CV template
- Use more than two different font styles on one CV
- Go overboard with colour, images, or other design elements
- Forget to proofread for spelling and grammar mistakes before you submit
Key takeaways for a McDonald’s CV
- McDonald’s is a great stepping stone into a career in hospitality or as a first job to gain some work experience.
- Hiring managers are ready to teach you about the role as long as you demonstrate a positive attitude and willingness to learn on your CV.
- Create an ‘Experience’ section instead of an ‘Employment history’ section to include a wider variety of activities.
- Begin creating a great page layout with our adaptable McDonald’s CV sample.
