If you want to attract younger employees, it’s probably not a bad idea to allow them to apply using whatever technology they’re most comfortable with. And McDonald’s is willing to do just that.
McDonald’s Australia — a part of the fast food giant that was rebranded as Macca’s back in 2013 — recently announced it would be accepting applications via Snapchat.
According to Evil HR Lady, Suzanne Lucas, job hopefuls can upload a short (10 second) video with a filter that puts them into a McDonald’s uniform.
Using that short video, a recruiter can decide whether the candidate should move on to the next step: the digital application process.
How it could work
For a business like McDonald’s (or Macca’s), the move seems like a very smart one. Most of Snapchat’s 158 million users fall between ages 13-34 — and the largest section of that group is in the 18-24 demographic. That’s exactly the group McDonald’s is courting for entry-level work.
While this format wouldn’t work for experienced and skill-based positions — e.g., manager, non-entry level staffers –it allows entry-level job-seekers to apply in a format in which they’re very familiar and could increase the talent pool for the hiring company.
So, if you’re a company that relies heavily on inexperienced labor, it’s probably worthwhile to keep an eye on how the McDonald’s move is working out and consider rolling it out if you’re looking to attract some extra attention to your hiring process.
Of course, there are several potential vulnerabilities HR pros need to be aware of.
Potential problems
As Lucas pointed out, a video selection as the first round of the interview process could open up the door to a number of discrimination issues, at least under U.S. laws.
If a company wanted to implement the Snapchat interview, it would have to be extra careful it didn’t accidentally discrimination against any candidates based on race, gender, age, etc. In addition, the company would have to have another method for candidates to apply (McDonald’s/Macca’s does on its website).
In addition, a company would have to make sure it wasn’t systematically weeding out older prospective employees. While older employees certainly can — and do — use Snapchat, the bulk of the messaging service’s users are under 34. That means a company would probably have to make sure a Snapchat interview process wouldn’t have a disparate effect on over-40 individuals to safeguard itself from potential legal issues.
