McDonald’s enlists Alexa and Google to help with its hiring

Want a job at McDonald’s? Just ask your smartphone.

Starting Wednesday, McDonald’s Corp. will let job seekers start an application by using voice commands with Amazon’s Alexa or Google’s Assistant.

If users say, “Alexa, help me get a job at McDonald’s,” Alexa will ask which country they want to work in and play McDonald’s catchy “I’m lovin’ it” jingle. After that, users can share their phone number and get a link to continue the application process. Alexa also shares some facts about working for the company, such as how it can lead to jobs in other fields.

The function is available in the U.S., Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. McDonald’s is also exploring adding the feature in other markets. It’s not yet available through Apple’s Siri.

The move is an unusual one. While some job recruitment companies have built voice-recognition systems on Google and Amazon’s platforms, both companies say McDonald’s is the first direct employer to use its platform in this way. McDonald’s developed the technology itself.

Voice-initiated hiring is a way for McDonald’s to stand out in a tight job market. The U.S. unemployment rate of 3.7 percent is near a 50-year low. Unemployment is also below 4 percent in the U.K. and Germany.

McDonald’s employs 2 million people at 38,000 restaurants worldwide, and its needs are constantly changing based on turnover and seasonal demands. Over the summer, the Chicago-based company said it was hiring 250,000 people in the U.S. alone.