What: McDonald’s MCD 267,20 -3,37 -1,25% may have found a new use of voice assistants like Google Home and Amazon Echo, allowing job candidates to start an application with voice commands.
Wait, what: Starting today, job seekers in select countries will be able to ask Alexa and Google for assistance with their first steps of a job application, the company said.
Through
a new voice skill, called Apply Thru, McDonald’s seeks to “drive
applications worldwide” and simplify their application
process.
How:
Applicants activate the skill by saying “Alexa, help me get a job
at McDonald’s which prompts the voice assistant to ask a few
clarification questions like location, job are and interest. People
then receive a text message with a link to continue their
application.
According to the company, this is the “world’s
first voice-initiated application process”.
“Alexa has
many of the qualities we look for on our teams — friendly,
responsive and fun.”, says David Fairhurst, Executive Vice
President & Chief People Officer at McDonald’s.
Backstory: Businesses already use AI to help them pre-screen potential applicants and weed out those who might not be a good match.
Check this demo of a resume screening done by a robot
Almost all Fortune 500 companies use some sort of automation in their hiring process.
McDonald’s employs almost 2 million across its global network.
