Can I add my part time job at McDonald&#x27;s to the employment section on UCAS?

Original post by Amin7

Can I add my part time job at McDonald's to the employment section on UCAS? thanks

Yes as it is employment

Reply 2

mike23mike

16

Yes, displays your communication skills, ability to work in a team, ability to work proficiently,

Reply 3

Universities Forum Helper

Yes, it will add great value to your application especially if you take time to explain what experiences, skills and understanding you have drawn from it in relation to what subject/course you are applying for.

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 4

Admit-One

Yes, you can add it, (it’s paid employment after all). No, it won’t add great value to your app. That section is barely looked at unless you have a gap in study.

Do not waste space in your PS trying to demonstrate soft skills. Talk about your interest and suitability for the subject at hand.

Reply 5

HaruhiSuoh

16

yes, you can add it, ucas also has a section where you can mention if its full time or part-time.

Reply 6

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by Admit-One

Yes, you can add it, (it’s paid employment after all). No, it won’t add great value to your app. That section is barely looked at unless you have a gap in study.

Do not waste space in your PS trying to demonstrate soft skills. Talk about your interest and suitability for the subject at hand.

Utter nonsense! It’s not about just ‘adding’ it to the employment section. It’s about using it to explain in your personal statement (as I explained before if you read it!) what you have gained from it in relation to what you are applying for. Universities greatly value this especially top Unis.

Please desist from giving erroneous advice if you don’t know what you’re talking about. There is always something that can be drawn for work experience that can strengthen the personal statement to demonstrate your passion for the subject applied for.

Reply 7

Admit-One

Original post by Makro

Utter nonsense! It’s not about just ‘adding’ it to the employment section. It’s about using it to explain in your personal statement (as I explained before if you read it!) what you have gained from it in relation to what you are applying for. Universities greatly value this especially top Unis.

Please desist from giving erroneous advice if you don’t know what you’re talking about. There is always something that can be drawn for work experience that can strengthen the personal statement to demonstrate your passion for the subject applied for.

Yeah, I read your post, it was completely incorrect.

I work at a top uni. I read 40+ personal statements a day. Tenuously tying in soft skills from being a team member at McD's isn't going to add anything of value. It's just burning up character space that you could use to demonstrate your interest in the academic subject and your suitability for it. It's not a job interview, you don't have to tell me about a time you've juggled conflicting deadlines or resolving a personal conflict.

Every member of admissions staff on here will tell you the same.

Relevant work experience is fantastic, and I love to see it expanded upon, but most applicants won't have any. Casual work can be listed, but let's not pretend we can tie it in in any substantial way to academic studies. Unless our OP is applying for business studies with a particular interest in franchising, it's going to be a tenuous link.

Reply 8

Original post by Admit-One

Yeah, I read your post, it was completely incorrect.

I work at a top uni. I read 40+ personal statements a day. Tenuously tying in soft skills from being a team member at McD's isn't going to add anything of value. It's just burning up character space that you could use to demonstrate your interest in the academic subject and your suitability for it. It's not a job interview, you don't have to tell me about a time you've juggled conflicting deadlines or resolving a personal conflict.

Every member of admissions staff on here will tell you the same.

Relevant work experience is fantastic, and I love to see it expanded upon, but most applicants won't have any. Casual work can be listed, but let's not pretend we can tie it in in any substantial way to academic studies. Unless our OP is applying for business studies with a particular interest in franchising, it's going to be a tenuous link.

No ŷou can’t read and neither are you working at a top uni or reading 40+ statements are day!
Please show me where I have said OP should talk about ‘soft skills’ and anything unrelated to what they are applying for? I specifically said if they can show how it has added to their skills, and understanding in relation to what they are applying for in their personal statement!

It’s all about how they demonstrate the relationship between the work experience and the degree they are applying for . No where have I said to simply list it in the employment section.

if it has absolutely no link to their application it is still worth adding it to their app in the employment section as it will hardly take away from it, will it? The great value comes when it is used properly within the personal statement.

It was another poster that mentioned soft skills etc so I repeat again, you can’t read and you are simply repeating what I have already said. Relevant work experience will add value in addition to

Reply 9

Interea

19

Original post by Makro

No ŷou can’t read and neither are you working at a top uni or reading 40+ statements are day!
Please show me where I have said OP should talk about ‘soft skills’ and anything unrelated to what they are applying for? I specifically said if they can show how it has added to their skills, and understanding in relation to what they are applying for in their personal statement!

It’s all about how they demonstrate the relationship between the work experience and the degree they are applying for . No where have I said to simply list it in the employment section.

if it has absolutely no link to their application it is still worth adding it to their app in the employment section as it will hardly take away from it, will it? The great value comes when it is used properly within the personal statement.

It was another poster that mentioned soft skills etc so I repeat again, you can’t read and you are simply repeating what I have already said. Relevant work experience will add value in addition to

Admit-One does indeed work at a top uni - there are quite a few experienced admissions staff on this website giving valuable advice, it's usually worth listening to!

As they said, unless the work experience is directly relevant to the degree (very unlikely with McDonald's), then the only skills you will be able to talk about are soft skills, and the very limited space in a personal statement can usually be put to better use.

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 10

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by Interea

Admit-One does indeed work at a top uni - there are quite a few experienced admissions staff on this website giving valuable advice, it's usually worth listening to!

As they said, unless the work experience is directly relevant to the degree (very unlikely with McDonald's), then the only skills you will be able to talk about are soft skills, and the very limited space in a personal statement can usually be put to better use.

Whether they work at a top university is irrelevant to me. You have no idea whether their work experience is relevant or not and you are very presumptuous that it will not add any value. Instead of outright dismissing advice given, why not ask the OP what they are applying for first? there are many constructive ways in which work experience can be used and it's not just soft skills. It could explain how working with varied people and meeting different characters fired their passion for Psychology, Sociology or Anthropology. They could describe how the machinery used in food production (use your imagination!) got them interested in and aspect of engineering or I.T in retail or, perhaps the use of cooking oil has got them wondering about how it could be used for fuel! biodiesel hence part of why they applied for a degree in GSD! the health impacts of the food they saw being made on people led to applying for BSc food and nutrition......

To just dismiss it outright as only being relevant if the OP wants to study business or start a franchise simply beggars belief and the idea they work at a top uni laughable even if it is true.

Reply 11

Admit-One

Clearing and Applications Advisor

Original post by Makro

To just dismiss it outright as only being relevant if the OP wants to study business or start a franchise simply beggars belief and the idea they work at a top uni laughable even if it is true.

I'll pass on your feedback to my line manager. You're very welcome to review any of my 3700+ posts in UCAS and applications to see if you think I've been blagging it this whole time.

I feel like you ignored what I wrote in post #5 and went off on your own tangent. The OP was specifically asking the employment section which I confirmed can be completed, but in the majority of cases discussion in the PS won't be relevant. Obviously there will be some exceptions which I've acknowledged. I provided one example, not an exhaustive list, but I do think anthropology is going to be a bit of a stretch.

(@PQ, @McGinger - anything to add with regards to writing about this kind of employment in the PS?)

Reply 12

Arden University

17

Original post by Amin7

Can I add my part time job at McDonald's to the employment section on UCAS? thanks

Absolutely, I got onto my BA (Hons) Sociology degree with Saturday experience in Asda

In your personal statement make sure you highlight the key skills you have gained from employment such as communication and time keeping

Marc
Arden University Student Ambassador

Reply 13

PQ