MIRANDA LAI SIU-SIM knows what she is looking for when assessing candidates for the management training course run by McDonald's Restaurants (Hong Kong).
'They have to be customer-orientated, positive thinking, outgoing and cheerful,' said Ms Lai, the company's human resources manager.
'It goes with the company culture. It helps enormously if they walk into their first interview with a 'sunshine smile'.'
There is no shortage of applicants for the roughly 150 positions on offer every year. Ms Lai has become adept at conducting group interviews for about 50 candidates a month and narrowing this total down for individual interviews and a three-day, on-the-job evaluation for the best 15.
Besides a personality that fits, applicants must have the right qualifications. That means a degree in any discipline or at least a Form Five education with five passes, including in English, Chinese and mathematics. Non-degree holders also require at least two years' work experience, ideally but not necessarily in the restaurant or retail business.
Ms Lai said that the job tended to attract people who were good at interacting with others and preferred not to be office-bound.