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iWrite · Nov 8, 2003, 10:33 AM

Check it out: "McJob"

Maybe you have a McJob?

Or have had a McJob?

EVERYONE has had one at some time -- McDonald's or not!

Sherwin · Nov 8, 2003, 10:39 AM

Originally posted by iWrite:
EVERYONE has had one at some time -- McDonald's or not!

Incorrect.

Unless you count the week stacking shelves at a local supermarket which high school thought would be good work experience for a 15 year-old (and for which I didn't get paid).

High school -> gap year -> college lecturer -> self employed. No McJobs at all.

Commodus · Nov 8, 2003, 10:44 AM

The closest I would say I've come to a McJob was with Vector Marketing; they sell Cutco knives (which are actually not too bad, I've used the demo set a fair amount). The pay was $12-14 an hour Canadian - spectacular if you're a student - but the problem was that you had to schedule all your own appointments and pay your own transportation costs.

There is opportunity for advancement, but to do so you also have to kill any hope you have for a social life. We're talking working more than 8 hours a day for presentations alone, alongside spending more hours on the phone getting those appointments and dealing with all the paperwork.

Not that I expect to waltz into an administrative job quickly, but it's relatively close to telemarketing (the difference being that you go by referrals only, and make personal appointments) and also is something of an uphill battle as far as advancement goes.

iWrite · Nov 8, 2003, 10:47 AM

Unless you count the week stacking shelves at a local supermarket which high school thought would be good work experience for a 15 year-old (and for which I didn't get paid).

If you read the definition of "McJob" that would certainly fit the definition, wouldn't it?

Doesn't matter how long it was...I don't think?

Anyway, I've liked my McJobs. I've been working since I was 14 and worked my way all the way through graduate school and some of them certainly could be classified as McJobs.

In fact, some of the best people and best experiences I've ever had were from the lowest paying jobs...I'm proud of them, in fact!

Hard work = character, IMO.

iWrite · Nov 8, 2003, 10:48 AM

By the way, McDonald's is thinking of suing Merriam-Webster because of that definition -- forgot to mention that in the original post.

Interesting, eh? Wonder if they'll win!

Sherwin · Nov 8, 2003, 10:55 AM

Originally posted by iWrite:
If you read the definition of "McJob" that would certainly fit the definition, wouldn't it?

I'm inclined to think that a McJob is something you need to do to gain money to live because there's nothing else available at that particular time.
My week's experience of shelf-stacking was 'coz school sent me (no other reason) and couldn't be classed as a job due to no pay whatsoever (no pay = not a job. Maybe a hobby/interest, maybe education, but not a job).

So I hereby define a new term: "McEducation".

(note: I'm in no way dissing McDonalds employees so please try not to spit on my veggie burger next time you serve me. In some ways working for McD's is better than being self employed - at least a McD's employee never has to worry where their next meal's coming from, as is sometimes the case when self-employed).

Sherwin · Nov 8, 2003, 10:56 AM

Originally posted by iWrite:
Interesting, eh?

I'm lovin' it.

d4nth3m4n · Nov 8, 2003, 12:31 PM

ive got a mcjob right now (on top of being a full time college student at cornell) i deliver pizzas. i love it. nothing too difficult about the job, but i get too rushed to think about all the crap i have to do for school. other times i just sit there (on the clock) waiting for the phone to ring. aaahhh, lovin it.

o, and i make about $15/hr consistently with tips.

i love my McJob!

Mastrap · Nov 8, 2003, 12:38 PM

Absolutely.

I sold hot dogs from one of these hot dog stands you see in the larger cities. Had a gas grill at the front, a fridge below and was powered by a motorcycle engine. I've got no pics left but it was a top job.
Worked after school, on weekends and during holidays.
We were essentially self employed, making about $0.15 a sold dog. Which sounds like very little but if you're selling a 1000 sausages a day it all mounts up. Also, that was 20 years ago

I loved it.

Luca Rescigno · Nov 8, 2003, 12:55 PM

I had a McJob working at Arby's. $6.25 an hour, no benefits, and a bunch of retarded supervisors and coworkers who all smoked in the building after closing until I told them I was entitled to a smoke-free workplace. Oh yeah, that got me plenty of friends.

My next job wasn't really a McJob - I got paid $9.25 an hour and if I was more enthusiastic, I could have probably advanced a bit and made more money. Arby's offered no hope of advancement whatsoever.

Now I don't get paid much, but I have a nice steady job working at my college's library.

Ghoser777 · Nov 8, 2003, 01:09 PM

Originally posted by Commodus:
The closest I would say I've come to a McJob was with Vector Marketing; they sell Cutco knives (which are actually not too bad, I've used the demo set a fair amount). The pay was $12-14 an hour Canadian - spectacular if you're a student - but the problem was that you had to schedule all your own appointments and pay your own transportation costs.

I remember doing that job like 3 years ago! I did it for three months, but kept feeling guilty, as if I had to twist people's arms to buy them. It just wasn't my bag.

Matt Fahrenbacher

iWrite · Nov 8, 2003, 01:14 PM

Mastrap: That's interesting! Coincides with the hotdog thread, eh? You said you don't eat them -- now we all know why...right?

Anyway, I've done a zillion McJobs. The nice thing about them is you can dump one and go get another one. I've never worked in a fast food restaurant, though, let's see...I've worked at a truck stop at the age of 14, National Forest Service (went around to campsites collecting fees -- made a good living at that at the age of 16 because it was a federal job and I made about $10 an hour a LONG time ago), various bars as a bartender (one time I worked a summer at a Los Angeles strip club -- well known -- as a bartender and made enough money for another semester of school - though not as much as those girls make), various newspapers in piddly jobs as a copy person, even jobs as a model in L.A., Honoluli, and Tokyo. Even worked briefly for a traveling medical team documenting their work in third world countries. Whatever I could do to get through and pay for college -- I've done a lot of jobs and had a great time for the most part. Tried to do the majority of them during my summers off from school and I would take any job that was safe and involved travel whenever possible.

Transferred to U of WA and went to work at Microsoft in an entry-level job thinking it would be temporary and it turned into a long-term career job -- learned a lot there, advanced, and it opened a LOT of doors along with paying for college.

Oh, and I met really cool people there -- the biggest advantage...

Sometimes jobs that seem temporary turn into great opportunities...it's the American way, right!

for McJobs.

Worst. Episode. Ever. · Nov 8, 2003, 01:22 PM

My last McJob was in 1992 at a Barnes & Noble bookstore. $5.25 per hour... plus all the books and magazines you could steal.

MacGorilla · Nov 8, 2003, 01:29 PM

Originally posted by Worst. Episode. Ever.:
My last McJob was in 1992 at a Barnes & Noble bookstore. $5.25 per hour... plus all the books and magazines you could steal.

I never thought of the "beenfits" of working there.

xylon · Nov 8, 2003, 01:29 PM

Not sure if this really counts since it happened during the summer, but I was a mover. As in go to someone's house, pick up all their stuff, put it in a big truck, go to their new house and unload it all. Hard work and not very good pay, but I met some pretty cool people and got a little (very little now that I think about it) in my pocket. Oh yeah, and I got huuggeee that summer.

willed · Nov 8, 2003, 03:06 PM

I've had a BlowJob. Is that similar?

brachiator · Nov 8, 2003, 03:14 PM

Originally posted by willed:
I've had a BlowJob. Is that similar?

Only if by "had" you mean that you were providing said "jobs" as a service. Additionally, you must have been receiving but a small amount of money for them, i.e., you were not to the "Fleiss" level.

"A job, usually in the retail or service sector, that is low paying, often temporary, and offers minimal or no benefits or opportunity for promotion."

iWrite · Nov 8, 2003, 03:17 PM

You took payment for that Willed? Minimum wage or low wages at that?

Guess that says something pretty interesting about you --->

I've heard that male prostitutes can make a lot of money, though, at minimum wage you must "work" VERY hard.

brachiator · Nov 8, 2003, 03:29 PM

Originally posted by iWrite:
You took payment for that Willed? Minimum wage or low wages at that?

Well, the usual neo-con refrain about McJobs (and the glories of a no-minimum-wage economy) is that some jobs just aren't worth more than a a buck or two per hour. That is, not everyone's services are worth "Charlie Sheen" rates.

andi*pandi · Nov 8, 2003, 08:00 PM

if mcdonalds is suing anybody, instead of Miriam Webster it would likely have to be Douglas Copeland. I thought he coined the phrase way back in the 90s. Waaayy back.

And yes, I've had my share. Some were college co-op jobs, there was the christmas I worked at Crate and Barrel merely to sustain my shopping budget...

some of them kind of sucked, but at least I never had to wear a funny hat and ask if folks wanted fries with that.

EvanV · Nov 8, 2003, 09:07 PM

Never had a McJob

Started out working for a Magazine when I was very young, and now I am self-employed running my own business

ThinkInsane · Nov 8, 2003, 09:47 PM

I worked in a pizza place in college. Not one of those chain joints that make you where a red, white and blue uniform, but a mom and pop joint. T-shirt, jeans, and a red apron. It was actually a lot of fun.

iWrite · Nov 8, 2003, 11:29 PM

And all the free pizza you wanted, right?

I think if I had to work in a restaurant I would want it to be a pizza place. Very simple and straightforward work for the most part.

The other place I'd work? Dunkin' Donuts. Bad for the waistline but great for the freebies.

Andi: Didn't the people at Crate & Barrel, the shoppers, get on your nerves? Maybe it's just our local mall atmosphere but the people tend to be SO snooty and particular here and I would lose it after about a week of their attitudes. That goes for any department store in the local mall.

Then, again, I'm not that loser on television right now wearing a black and yellow suit with question marks all over it hawking his supposed book about "Free Money" -- complete loser.

willed · Nov 8, 2003, 11:30 PM

Originally posted by iWrite:
You took payment for that Willed? Minimum wage or low wages at that?

Guess that says something pretty interesting about you --->

I've heard that male prostitutes can make a lot of money, though, at minimum wage you must "work" VERY hard.

Hey, I do it for the love, not the money

Sealobo · Nov 9, 2003, 01:07 AM

Last last summer i worked in an invstment bank in HK as a summer intern (mon-fri, 8hrs/day). I got paid $6.10 USD/hr... and i had to work like a freaken horse and get scolded by the management. Now that sux... not sure if it's a McJob though.

Eriamjh · Nov 9, 2003, 11:00 AM

McJobs are not meant to be McLifestyles, McPermanent, or McCareers. At least, not to me.

A McJob is just for McKids who need McMoney before they get real jobs. Any McFool knows that!

:XI: · Nov 9, 2003, 11:29 AM

Originally posted by Eriamjh:
McJobs are not meant to be McLifestyles, McPermanent, or McCareers. At least, not to me.

A McJob is just for McKids who need McMoney before they get real jobs. Any McFool knows that!

shut the McUp.

i've got one now, factory work, fabricating window frames. pay sucks, but 'round here it's pretty much that or unemployment.
The money isn't the best i've had either, but i'm not in it for the long term.

iWrite · Nov 9, 2003, 11:41 AM

I was thinking the same thing, XI. I'm sure he means well, but a LOT of people have worked McJobs just to get through (heck, that's the very definition of one, basically) until something better comes along or to survive.

I remember when I started college taking a desk clerking job for $4.85 or something like that -- and had two weeks to go before a paycheck and having only $13.40 to last me for two weeks. I remember buying pizza and rationing it out -- thankfully we had an Arby's in the lobby and the Arby's girls felt sorry for me and would bring me Arby's sandwiches. If not for them I wouldn't have made it I don't think!

Anyway, keep it up...

passmaster16 · Nov 9, 2003, 01:08 PM

Yeah I know this feeling...especially when you're a poor college student. It's a matter of survival. You do whatever you have to do to make ends meet. I washed dishes for $5.15/hour while I was in high school to pay for car insurance etc. My parents wern't the type to just give me money. I think these jobs are good in that they build character. They gave me the motivation to do well in school because I didn't want to have to work one of these jobs for the rest of my life. Not that it's a bad thing if people make careers out of them, but not for me...I'd rather have that desk job.

iWrite · Nov 9, 2003, 01:41 PM

More and more, people need McJobs as a matter of survival with the economy the way it is -- especially in rural places. You gotta respect the person working one just to support his or her family.