This Is Why McDonald’s Is the Perfect First Job for Your High-Schooler

If your teen is looking for the opportunity to make a little money, then you may consider pointing him or her in the direction of the nearest Golden Arches because McDonald's is the perfect first job.

It may not seem like a glamorous career, but a job at McDonald's can provide your teen with many important life lessons, ranging from how to follow detailed procedures to providing a chance to network with other teens who are serious about their future. There's a lot your teen can learn in a job in fast food, and this list will prove the point.

Don't believe that McDonald's is the perfect first job for a high-schooler? If you need more reassurance, get it from the folks who actually worked at McDonalds as their first job. Throughout this list, we will add stories from actual people who recommend going to the place with the golden arches as a debut to the working world.

One of the reasons why McDonald's is the perfect first job is because the hours are flexible. That's what a former employee said. Flexibility is good for a first job, especially for teens who have a lot to deal with at school. They'll get work experience while learning so they're prepared for adulthood.

If you want reassurance that McDonald's is a great first job, then just ask the company. According to them, they are "committed to being America's best first job." They want to create an environment where teens can learn and build skills that they can use later in life. They even have an "Archways to Opportunity" program that helps teens now and in the future.

The pay at McDonald's won't make your teen rich, but it's enough for some spending and saving money. In addition to the hourly pay, the company will also provide compensation via long and short-term incentives, 401k plans, and other great benefits that will set your teen up for the future.

Like many companies, McDonald's also offers paid time off. They don't want to overwork teens. Paid days are providedover the course of the year and teens can take them at almost any time. This is important if your child has a school field trip or other commitments.

The company also provides rewards for exceptional employees. When your teen meets certain requirements or thresholds at McDonald's, they can get a certificate or gift. This is a great way to teach your teen that if they work hard, there is always a reward at the end of the road.

If your teen is planning to go to college after high school, then McDonald's is the place to be. They have a great tuition assistance program where teens can earn money for higher education. Plus, there could be the chance for your young adult to go to school while working so they can earn money for books and admissions.

According to Quora user Paige Shiffler, McDonald's is the perfect first job because you can learn many skills that aren't taught in school. She says that after working at McDonald's for four months, she has developed many skills, including how to communicate with others, multi-task, and be more productive.

One of the most important soft skills you'll learn as a teen at McDonald's is how to be a team player. This is an invaluable skill that will help your teen in any job they get in the future. A person needs to know how to work with others, and they'll get the chance at McDonalds.

Another Quora user named George Geal-Killy says that the work at McDonald's is very physical. There will be a lot of moving around from station to station. Plus, there will be some lifting and moving of objects. This is great, especially if your teen has a more sedentary lifestyle at home. Physical activity is good for the body and for mental well being.

According to Quora user Carrie, while teens will be busy at McDonald's, the work is not so hard that they'll be exasperated at the end of the day. They will receive training and advice as they go so that they can get the hang of the work. 

McDonald's is a great job, especially if your teen will be taking orders or working the drive-thru window. It's a chance to meet new people and experience different types of customers. Some customers will be easy while others will be more challenging. It's a great chance to create your own customer service style.

McDonald's is the perfect first job because your teen will learn how to be the best employee they can be. Encourage your teen to ask their manager for feedback about the work they're doing. Then, implement that feedback during the next shift. Teens can learn about being a good employee all day long, but nothing matches real-life feedback.

Many people take a job at McDonald's as an entry-level job. Some will work there for a few months or years and then move on. However, there's also the chance that your teen could make McDonald's into a career. Eager employees could become a manager and move up from there.

If you're taking orders at McDonald's, you may be required to remember a lot of information at once. You need to get the order right so you can impress the customer and your management. By learning to memorize information, your teen will excel in school and future jobs.

Erik, a manager at McDonald's since 2008 commented on Quora. He said that a lot of the job will entail handling customer's problems. That's not always a bad thing. Problems present an opportunity to troubleshoot. The ability to troubleshoot is a skill that not all people have, so it could be a good skill to have in the future.

By getting a job at McDonald's, your teen could learn quickly about the value of connections. They never know if the person they're standing next to at the fry station could be a future hiring-manager at a company they want to work at later in life.

By getting a job at McDonald's, your teen will also learn the importance of punctuality and getting to places on time. If they're late too often, they'll likely get in trouble. This is a good lesson to learn before moving on to other jobs.

When your teen works at McDonald's, they'll get something more valuable than straight A's. They'll get something to put on their resume as job experience. Many adults don't have anything on their resume, but your teen will. It can go a long way when they start looking for other jobs.

The final reason why McDonald's is the perfect first job is that your teen will learn how to follow a procedure at work. As Jessica Ann Murray on Quora says, you'll need to "directly follow correct procedures." Everything will need to be done in a certain way, and it will teach your teen how to follow directions. This is important for life at home and at work.