McDonald's demands a bachelor's degree and two years' experience - just to be a cashier

PUBLISHED: 15:05 EST, 3 April 2013 | UPDATED: 10:08 EST, 4 April 2013

It used to be high school drop outs flipping burgers at McDonald's, now the fast-food joint is demanding a bachelors degree.

In a frightening example of how competitive the job market is for young people right now, a McDonald's outpost in Winchedon, Massachusetts, has just posted a call-out for a full time cashier - but insists only college graduates need apply.

And even they must have 1-2 years of cashier experience before they'll be trusted with the Big-Mac-selling responsibility, according to the advert.

Highly skilled: A McDonald's outpost in Winchedon, Massachusetts, pictured, has just posted a call-out for a full time cashier - but insists only college graduates need apply

'Get a weekly paycheck with a side order of food, folks and fun,' the independent McDonald's franchise boasts.

More...

In the ad, uploaded on jobdiagnosis.com, the restaurant says it wants 'friendly people... to smile while serving lots of guests daily,' and declares 'work with your friends or make some new ones!'

While it may be tricky to score the clearly competitive role, it'll be worth it, according to the chain.

Advert: In the ad, pictured, uploaded on jobdiagnosis.com, the restaurant says it wants 'friendly people... to smile while serving lots of guests daily,' and declares 'work with your friends or make some new ones!'

Advert: In the ad, pictured, the restaurant says it wants 'friendly people... to smile while serving lots of guests daily,' and declares 'work with your friends or make some new ones!'

Once their feet are under the counter, the successful applicant has the chance to work their way up the company ladder, the ad insists, boating impressive 'advancement opportunities.'

The McDonald's website also lists the full time position in Spanish, but doesn't give a salary.

A management position also listed starts at $10 an hour, with a sign on bonus if the applicant has previously worked at a McDonald's branch.

Burger: Jobs at the burger restaurants used to be for high school drop outs not college graduates

With colleges churning out more graduates and youth unemployment at 11.5 per cent, youth advocates reckon the unusually high qualifications McDonald's is demanding are a sign of the times.

'Sadly we've taxed-and-spent our way to an economy in which there's intense competition for just about any job... and young people are getting screwed over even worse than the country overall,'

Evan Feinberg, president of the Washington-based youth advocacy group Generation Opportunity, told the Washington Examiner.

McDonald's want ad demands bachelor's degree, two years experience for cashier | WashingtonExaminer.com

Add your comments

Comments (232)

The comments below have not been moderated.

View all

this conclusion is exaggerated. The McDonalds in question is ONE store with a Franchise Owner that is posting job requirements for HIS Store not ALL McDonalds stores. He could post for a Doctorate if he wanted to. Chill out~get perspective.

- Katie , Cen-Tex, United States, 04/4/2013 16:34

Click to rate Rating (0)

Yay. this means no more ghetto people working there! Thats a plus isnt it?

- BiGBoSS , shadow moses, 04/4/2013 16:31

Click to rate Rating 1

It's not that I think I'm too good to work at McDonald's, but there is NO way I'm going to college, acquire the expense of school loans for a job that will pay minimum wage- a wage that won't pay me enough to pay back my school loans and make a living. What a farce!

- starlite , NYC, 04/4/2013 16:29

Click to rate Rating 5

What a total Ray Kroc.

- Gramsci_Refusenick , Idiocracy, United Kingdom, 04/4/2013 16:29

Click to rate Rating 1

I find this so interesting. I have a friend who complained recently that she was upset because the people working, what she believed to be under her, were being paid more money and they didn't have a college degree like she did! In her mind a college degree means she should be paid more and should go further in a company than someone who just went to high school. The fact that she has a graphic arts degree, no MA, has been out of school for ten years and has NEVER worked as a graphic artist, EVER, makes no difference. She has a degree. She bought into the lie, have a degree, have a wonderful life. The reality: A degree is wonderful, if it's in a marketable area of study that requires specific skills and knowledge. Another reality: A degree does not mean you get to start at the top, either. You still have to pay your dues, just like everybody else.

- SomewhereinKentucky , USA, 04/4/2013 16:25

Click to rate Rating 4

If I did a sandwich course in Hamburgerology at the MacDonald's Hamburger University in London could I do this for my year out?

- Gramsci_Refusenick , Idiocracy, United Kingdom, 04/4/2013 16:07

Click to rate Rating 2

The REAL story here (which you aptly illustrated with your headline - substituting "cashiers" for "cashier") is that we have so "dumbed down" high school, that a high school diploma is now worthless. In order to get someone who does NOT obsess about "how do the numbers FEEL when you add them up", you HAVE to get someone with a bachelor's degree. A mere high school graduate cannot even write a simple sentence correctly these days. [For proof, see your headline.] They also cannot make change without using a calculator. Even with the calculator, they often get it wrong. Cheers.

- Rabbit20164 , Washington D.C., United States, 04/4/2013 16:04

Click to rate Rating 3

Liberalism at its finest. Just like all the collige grads working at the coffee shops. Such mediocrity.

- shadowalker , St Boni, 04/4/2013 16:01

Click to rate Rating 7

A bachelor's degree to flip burgers? How about we start with speaking english and being a citizen first?

- SGinNC , Fayettevile, 04/4/2013 15:53

Click to rate Rating 14

I am a lettuce washer at McDonald's. So I guess my job is secured for now.

- Assbook , Boston, United States, 04/4/2013 15:30

Click to rate Rating 9

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.