For the eighth consecutive year, McDonald's Malta is to hire over 250 part-time crew members during its annual recruitment drive, being held on Saturday. The new crew members will join the current complement of 450 employees, bringing the total number of people employed with McDonald's Malta up to 700.

All interested applicants, including those wishing to work at McDonald's Gozo, are invited to attend interviews, being held at Le Méridien Phoenicia Hotel, Floriana, between 9 a.m. and 4.30 p.m.

"As a McDonald's crew member, individuals will be part of the world's leading food service team," Joanna Smith Ellis, McDonald's Malta marketing manager, said. "A job at McDonald's provides valuable work experience, helping an individual's personal and professional development.

"McDonald's is renowned as an employer throughout the world for transmitting skills and values that will serve a lifetime. This Saturday, we aim to expand awareness of the opportunities offered at McDonald's by dedicating a full day to all those interested in joining our team."

McDonald's are looking for individuals, aged 16 and over (applicants' date of birth must be before September 15, 1990), seeking to have fun while delivering high quality food with a fast, friendly service.

Selected candidates will benefit from McDonald's world-class training programme, an open door management policy, frequent crew activities, equitable pay, flexible working hours, and reward and incentive programmes. Crew members will also learn lifetime skills, including teamwork, punctuality, self-confidence and customer service.

A good number of people from around the world started their careers at McDonald's. As stated by some of them, including international and local personalities, their first job at McDonald's helped lay the foundation for their career.

"My first part-time job was at McDonald's as a crew person," local professional goalkeeper, Justin Haber, said. "It provided action, fun and a sense of accomplishment.

"I learned core lifeskills, mainly independence, the importance of punctuality, how to operate in a chain of command environment, how to interact with the public and, most important, teamwork. There is so much more to working at McDonald's than people know."

For both lawyer Dr Nadia Vella and physiotherapist Maria Busuttil, McDonald's offered them their first part-time job. "Working at McDonald's really helped us in the pursuit of our careers. It was the place where we learnt the true meaning of excelling in a fast-paced environment and what it means to operate as part of a team," they said.

"These are just a few examples of successful people who got their start at McDonald's," Ms Smith Ellis said. "We want to make people realise they can be a part of all this. We're seeking to give people the reality about working at McDonald's and understand what's possible when you put on our uniform."

McDonald's human resources global strategy is to support and enhance the professional development for employees. McDonald's is one of the largest global employers, with a workforce of over a million people.

Of McDonald's top 50 members of its worldwide management team, 20 started as crew, working in their local restaurants. In addition, 70 per cent of all restaurant managers and 40 per cent of all owner/operators started as crew. McDonald's has a history of providing training and growth opportunities for its employees at all levels.