I’m just making French fries

When a teen announced yesterday she had landed a job at McDonald’s making French fries, she was offered congratulations. When someone expressed the opinion that it was a good opportunity, she dismissed the remark with a measure of contempt.

It is an opportunity. Aside from an opportunity to develop some customer interaction skills and to earn money, you’re at the start of building a work history. And then these random points came to mind:

• You’re learning how to follow verbal instructions and written procedures. It’s not unlikely that many of these procedures are associated with health regulations designed for your safety and the safety of others.
• You’re learning to be part of a team. You could be assessed for your interaction with others.
• You’re learning the importance of putting forth your best effort in everything you do, regardless of what you do.
• You’re learning about work ethics and growing a reputation.
• You’re learning how you can be the example of how to behave in a work environment.
• You’re learning how to put aside the personal for the professional.
• You’re presented with opportunities to witness good and bad behavior and how to accept one and reject the other.
• You’re learning about responsibility and perhaps you’re learning about consequences.

So the next time you drop that basket of fries into the fryer, think about what’s ahead. More than a crunch?