McDonald’s: Jeff Bezos and 5 Other Famous Folks Who Worked There
By Amy Levin-Epstein | Apr 19, 2011
McDonald’s plans to hire 50,000 new employees today as part of a “National Hiring Day” initiative. These new employees join some pretty famous folks who have worked at Mickey D’s over the years. Here are 6 celebs who I vote least likely to have uttered the words “Do you want to supersize that?”
1. Jeff Bezos
The Amazon CEO says that he learned real life skills at McDonald’s — like how to cook breakfast quickly. He told Fast Company that ”one of the great gifts I got from that job is that I can crack eggs with one hand. My favorite shift was Saturday morning. The first thing I would do is get a big bowl and crack 300 eggs into it.” I wonder if he can still do it now.
2. Rachel McAdams
McAdams admitted she wasn’t an A-list employee during her stint at the Golden Arches: “I was slow — I would be organizing the sweet-and-sour packets in the customer’s takeout bag while the line snaked out the door.” Good thing (for her fans as well as potential customers) that she didn’t keep her day job.
3. Macy Gray
This soulful singer didn’t just work at McDonald’s, she called it her “first big break” in a 2006 ad for the company. And that’s not the only famous face that was featured in that ad…
4. Carl Lewis
Another member of that marketing moment? This 9-time Olympic gold medalist, who’s now running for a state senate seat in New Jersey, said in the commercial that his McDonald’s job was “my first race around the clock.”
5. Jay Leno
The late night host shared with Oprah that his local McDonald’s gave him a job, as well as his first taste of comedy success, when they hosted a talent show. Of all the people on this list, Leno seems to me like he’d be the most comfortable flipping burgers.
6. Pink
This pop star probably wasn’t a superstar in the eyes of her boss when she worked at the fast food chain in high school. She admitted in an interview: “I was horrible…I’d be tripping on acid…and I would say, ‘Could I have bathroom duty?’ And I would sit in bathroom and watch the tiles.” Perhaps her ex-manager will see this and her odd request will finally make sense?
Did you ever work at McDonald’s? What useful skills did you learn? Please sign in below and share.
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MY THOUGHTS
That's interesting news. Shows us how something, which seems to be irrelevant and small, can actually open doors for big things.
Showing posts with label job ownership. Show all posts
Showing posts with label job ownership. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
WHAT CUSTOMERS REALLY WANT
WHAT CUSTOMERS REALY WANT
from the article "10 Things All Customers Want"
By Steve Tobak | February 1, 2011
http://www.bnet.com
Never before in history has a society bought and sold so much stuff. We’re all part of a giant food chain of products and services. That means, in all likelihood, that you’re not only a customer, but you have customers, too.
Since you’re on both sides of the equation, it stands to reason that you’d treat your customers the same way you’d want to be treated, right? It seems so obvious.
But do we do that? Do we do the obvious thing? No, most of us don’t. Instead, we hoist customers high up on some pedestal. And because we revere them, we treat them differently … when we shouldn’t.
We think of our customers as authority figures. And how do we interact with authority figures? Our parents, our teachers, our bosses? Differently. We’re not genuine with them because we’re afraid it will change their opinion of us. We put on airs. We spin the truth.
That’s dysfunctional behavior with all sorts of unintended consequences.
I’ve been selling products and services as far back as I can remember. My customers have ranged from corporate giants to tiny startups, from engineers to CEOs, from Tokyo to Istanbul. And you know what? They all want the same things. Some are relatively straightforward while others are counterintuitive. In any case, here are …
10 Things All Customers Want
1. Your honest assessment of the competition. Customers want information. And if you can be balanced and honest about it, they’d love to get your assessment of the competition.
2. Bad news. Give it to them straight, face-to-face, in a timely manner. Moreover, be prepared to pull out all the stops to make things right for them. Bad news is part of life and business. It happens. Deal with it.
3. The truth about your company or product’s shortcomings. You know they’re going to figure it out sooner or later. Don’t you think it’s a better idea for them to hear it from you first? Encourage them to provide honest feedback in real time so you’ve at least got a chance to address their concerns openly.
4. Be there when they need you. Availability in real time is everything, these days. It saves them time and that’s huge. Be there when they need you. It’ll make all the difference.
5. Something that goes beyond the call of duty.
6. Cut out the small talk. Time is everyone’s most precious asset these days; don’t waste it.
7. Make their jobs easier. When was the last time you actually asked what will make their jobs easier, what their specific priorities are with respect to the product or service you provide, what you can do differently to be a better vendor, or what keeps them up at night?
8. Give them your undivided attention. Don’t take calls or visitors when you’re meeting with them. Don’t get easily distracted, either; just pay attention and listen when they talk.
9. Pick up the phone and call. When it’s something important to them, picking up the phone and calling instead of emailing, every so often, is a big deal.
10. Thank them for their business. Next time you see your customer, look him straight in the eye and tell him how much you enjoy working with him and appreciate the opportunity.
Bottom line. Every single one of you could have written this post by putting yourself in your customer’s shoes. It should be easy, since you’re somebody else’s customer. So do that. You’ll be amazed by what you come up with.
MY THOUGHTS
i keep going to a certain store or establishment because they treat me well. by 'well' i mean they they are available for questions, they go away when i don't want them around, they show they care without being patronizing. the author of this article is right - think of yourself as a customer. then deal with your customers the way you want to be treated.
from the article "10 Things All Customers Want"
By Steve Tobak | February 1, 2011
http://www.bnet.com
Never before in history has a society bought and sold so much stuff. We’re all part of a giant food chain of products and services. That means, in all likelihood, that you’re not only a customer, but you have customers, too.
Since you’re on both sides of the equation, it stands to reason that you’d treat your customers the same way you’d want to be treated, right? It seems so obvious.
But do we do that? Do we do the obvious thing? No, most of us don’t. Instead, we hoist customers high up on some pedestal. And because we revere them, we treat them differently … when we shouldn’t.
We think of our customers as authority figures. And how do we interact with authority figures? Our parents, our teachers, our bosses? Differently. We’re not genuine with them because we’re afraid it will change their opinion of us. We put on airs. We spin the truth.
That’s dysfunctional behavior with all sorts of unintended consequences.
I’ve been selling products and services as far back as I can remember. My customers have ranged from corporate giants to tiny startups, from engineers to CEOs, from Tokyo to Istanbul. And you know what? They all want the same things. Some are relatively straightforward while others are counterintuitive. In any case, here are …
10 Things All Customers Want
1. Your honest assessment of the competition. Customers want information. And if you can be balanced and honest about it, they’d love to get your assessment of the competition.
2. Bad news. Give it to them straight, face-to-face, in a timely manner. Moreover, be prepared to pull out all the stops to make things right for them. Bad news is part of life and business. It happens. Deal with it.
3. The truth about your company or product’s shortcomings. You know they’re going to figure it out sooner or later. Don’t you think it’s a better idea for them to hear it from you first? Encourage them to provide honest feedback in real time so you’ve at least got a chance to address their concerns openly.
4. Be there when they need you. Availability in real time is everything, these days. It saves them time and that’s huge. Be there when they need you. It’ll make all the difference.
5. Something that goes beyond the call of duty.
6. Cut out the small talk. Time is everyone’s most precious asset these days; don’t waste it.
7. Make their jobs easier. When was the last time you actually asked what will make their jobs easier, what their specific priorities are with respect to the product or service you provide, what you can do differently to be a better vendor, or what keeps them up at night?
8. Give them your undivided attention. Don’t take calls or visitors when you’re meeting with them. Don’t get easily distracted, either; just pay attention and listen when they talk.
9. Pick up the phone and call. When it’s something important to them, picking up the phone and calling instead of emailing, every so often, is a big deal.
10. Thank them for their business. Next time you see your customer, look him straight in the eye and tell him how much you enjoy working with him and appreciate the opportunity.
Bottom line. Every single one of you could have written this post by putting yourself in your customer’s shoes. It should be easy, since you’re somebody else’s customer. So do that. You’ll be amazed by what you come up with.
MY THOUGHTS
i keep going to a certain store or establishment because they treat me well. by 'well' i mean they they are available for questions, they go away when i don't want them around, they show they care without being patronizing. the author of this article is right - think of yourself as a customer. then deal with your customers the way you want to be treated.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Have Job Satisfaction: Take Ownership of your Job
Take Ownership of Your Job
By F. John Reh, About.com Guide
Any job you do is going to "have your fingerprints all over it." That is why it is so important to take ownership of your job, any job you do, and really own it. Do it the best you can; do it the best it can be done. That is how you succeed.
Passion for the Job
The article Passion Pays notes "when you are passionate about what you do, you do better and you enjoy it more" and explains how that pays off in increased success. Sometimes you can't be passionate about a job, but you can still take ownership. You can still own the job and do it well.
Making A Difference
The people who get promoted are those who make a difference. If there is no difference between what happens when you come to work and when you don't, why would anyone want to pay you?
One simple way to make a difference is to do any job you tackle the best it can be done. That is what taking ownership means. You may not be the best choice for a particular job, but once it is given to you it is up to you to get it done the best way possible.
If you do that, people will notice. And when they see you take ownership of every job you do, they will start to give you the jobs that are important to them. The more you do jobs that matter to your superiors, and do them well, the faster you will move ahead.
Passion, Energy, Pride
When you are passionate about what you do, you have more energy. You care more about what you do. When you care more about what you do, you do it better and you can take pride in what you have done. When you are proud of what you have done, you are passionate about it. It is a cycle that feeds on itself and increases your capability.
On the Other Hand
Try this. Don't take ownership of some job. Just slide through it. Take the easy way out. Let others do the work and sit back and take all the credit when it is done.
Do you think that job will be done well? Do you think upper management is going to be looking for the person who did that job so they can put him/her in charge of the next job? Or when the next layoff comes will that person be on the list of expendable people?
Don't kid yourself. Every job you do has your "signature" on it. People know who did it.
Bottom Line
You want the work you do to be something to be proud of. You want the jobs you take on to help your career, not hold you back. So go above and beyond and really take ownership of every job you do. You will feel better for having done that. And others will notice.
You don't want the Vice President to tell Human Resources, "We can let (your name here) go. He/she never does much anyway." Instead, at the next company meeting, you want the CEO to stand up and say "and special thanks to (your name here) for that great job on the xx project." That is a big step on the way from first time manager to CEO.
MY THOUGHTS
Passion is great! Ownership of your job is all that your boss should ask for. But first, you need to look for an organization whose culture is all about ownership and passion. If you have passion and you work like it's your own company and you find yourself working for an organization where ownership is for the owners and passionate people is a threat to them - then you'll be like a duck in the desert. But then, who cares. At the end of the day, even if it didn't work and you know you gave all the passion you have - that's still something to be happy about.
By F. John Reh, About.com Guide
Any job you do is going to "have your fingerprints all over it." That is why it is so important to take ownership of your job, any job you do, and really own it. Do it the best you can; do it the best it can be done. That is how you succeed.
Passion for the Job
The article Passion Pays notes "when you are passionate about what you do, you do better and you enjoy it more" and explains how that pays off in increased success. Sometimes you can't be passionate about a job, but you can still take ownership. You can still own the job and do it well.
Making A Difference
The people who get promoted are those who make a difference. If there is no difference between what happens when you come to work and when you don't, why would anyone want to pay you?
One simple way to make a difference is to do any job you tackle the best it can be done. That is what taking ownership means. You may not be the best choice for a particular job, but once it is given to you it is up to you to get it done the best way possible.
If you do that, people will notice. And when they see you take ownership of every job you do, they will start to give you the jobs that are important to them. The more you do jobs that matter to your superiors, and do them well, the faster you will move ahead.
Passion, Energy, Pride
When you are passionate about what you do, you have more energy. You care more about what you do. When you care more about what you do, you do it better and you can take pride in what you have done. When you are proud of what you have done, you are passionate about it. It is a cycle that feeds on itself and increases your capability.
On the Other Hand
Try this. Don't take ownership of some job. Just slide through it. Take the easy way out. Let others do the work and sit back and take all the credit when it is done.
Do you think that job will be done well? Do you think upper management is going to be looking for the person who did that job so they can put him/her in charge of the next job? Or when the next layoff comes will that person be on the list of expendable people?
Don't kid yourself. Every job you do has your "signature" on it. People know who did it.
Bottom Line
You want the work you do to be something to be proud of. You want the jobs you take on to help your career, not hold you back. So go above and beyond and really take ownership of every job you do. You will feel better for having done that. And others will notice.
You don't want the Vice President to tell Human Resources, "We can let (your name here) go. He/she never does much anyway." Instead, at the next company meeting, you want the CEO to stand up and say "and special thanks to (your name here) for that great job on the xx project." That is a big step on the way from first time manager to CEO.
MY THOUGHTS
Passion is great! Ownership of your job is all that your boss should ask for. But first, you need to look for an organization whose culture is all about ownership and passion. If you have passion and you work like it's your own company and you find yourself working for an organization where ownership is for the owners and passionate people is a threat to them - then you'll be like a duck in the desert. But then, who cares. At the end of the day, even if it didn't work and you know you gave all the passion you have - that's still something to be happy about.
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