STOMP:Top Student Fr NUS Chooses To Be A McDonald's Manager

[Vulcann]

To each his or her own.

 

Local context die die must chiong up the corporate ladder in order to be successful meh?

 

On a side note she though not that pretty but quite sweet leh...

 

BTW married to a property agent liao hor...

 

From STOMP:

 

http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/stomp/sg...ds_manager.html

 

Posted on 23 Oct 2012

 

Top student from NUS chooses to be a McDonald's manager

 

 

Source: The New Paper

 

Photos: The Straits Times, The New Paper

 

Ms Christina Ong made the Dean's List while studying at the National University of Singapore, an accolade reserved for top students. But instead of slipping on high heels and conquering the corporate world she chose to serve burgers and sundaes at McDonald's.

 

Before even graduating from her course in project and facilities management, she had two offers from quantity surveying firms. She is now a manager at the fast food giant.

 

While the 27-year-old beams with pride when talking about her job, many people think otherwise, she says candidly. "It's not something that people always think graduates should do.

 

"Some think it's a job people do in their spare time as a short stint in their teens, and do not see it as a viable career option," she adds. Her career choice is an unconventional path among her peers, she muses.

 

Most of her friends work in offices, not fast food joints. Her decision to join McDonald's full-time in March last year also raised eyebrows at home.

 

Her NTUC cashier mother and coffee-shop assistant father felt that she could get better pay elsewhere. The fact that she had to work shifts was also a sore point.

 

Fresh graduates like Ms Ong earn between $2,000 and $2,500 a month, says a McDonald's spokesman. Some of her relatives also asked her point-blank why she would want to work at a fast food joint, doing such menial tasks as mopping up greasy floors and taking orders.

 

But she waves away the dismissive talk, showing perhaps the determined streak that allowed her to graduate as the top student of her cohort at Singapore Polytechnic.

 

"At McDonald's, we lead by example, so I do everything from the basic to the advanced, like scheduling the work timetables of the crew and interviewing new hires."

 

And it's clear that Ms Ong has great affection for her job and the company, which she started working for as a part-timer at 16. Every weekend, she assembled Happy Meals and dished out chilli packets for eight hours a day from 7am to 3pm, before going out with her friends.

 

Through her schooling days at the Institute of Technical Education (where she won the prestigious Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship), polytechnic and university, she worked two days a week at McDonald's.

 

During the school holidays, she worked full-time. "I really enjoy the family-like environment and people there. It's a young, vibrant environment and it doesn't feel like I'm working at all.

 

"I even worked on my birthday," she says with a big grin. That she bumps into friends who visit the outlet does not make her feel embarrassed or awkward, Ms Ong insists.

 

Asked if their opinions bother her, she replies without skipping a beat: "If they don't buy it (my decision to work at McDonald's), I don't try too hard to convince them. I enjoy it. If you're always so concerned about what people think, your life will be very difficult."

 

Ms Ong's parents are gradually coming round to her career choice. The job has taken her overseas - to the US city of Orlando for an international convention organised by the company, and to the Philippines for a restaurant leadership programme.

 

Just two weeks ago, she bagged the Super Star Award - the highest service honour - at the Excellent Service Awards for the food and beverage industry. That certainly helped, she says with a smile.

 

Although there are sacrifices she has to make for the job, she makes it clear that she finds them minor inconveniences. "I really don't like night shifts, which start at 10.30pm and end at 7.30am, or run from 5.30pm to 2.30am," Ms Ong says.

 

Working over weekends is also something she does on a regular basis. She and her husband, a property agent, have learnt to work around it.

 

"We try to have dinners together on weekday nights," she says. The bubbly and spirited individual adds that she sees herself working at McDonald's at least for the next five years.

 

"One day, I may want to open a business of my own, a cafe perhaps?" she says.

 

[Toothiewabbit]

This is what I call a self-made girl

[Old-driver]

Wasted, so young married liao

[Vid]

  On 10/23/2012 at 11:56 AM, Old-driver said:

Wasted, so young married liao

 

27 young meh?

[Galantspeedz]

the only problem with working in fast food is the smell on the clothing, means better to bathe then make love unless some like to do it with a oil fryer

[macrosszero]

She has had a long and circuitous path. From Secondary School, to ITE, to Polytechnic and then university, and topping her university class.

 

Aside from A-levels, she has sampled everything that the Singapore education system has to offer and if she stays in McDonald's, expect her to have a rapid rise through the corporate ranks. McDonald's doesn't solely employ teenagers and retirees, some people may forget that it is an MNC itself.

[Shor]

行行出状元!

[Galantspeedz]

  On 10/23/2012 at 12:13 PM, Macrosszero said:

She has had a long and circuitous path. From Secondary School, to ITE, to Polytechnic and then university, and topping her university class.

 

Aside from A-levels, she has sampled everything that the Singapore education system has to offer and if she stays in McDonald's, expect her to have a rapid rise through the corporate ranks. McDonald's doesn't solely employ teenagers and retirees, some people may forget that it is an MNC itself.

 

maybe also primary 7 and primary 8

[LoverofCar]

Coming out from IT THE END and make good in her university study..... salute....she probably trying to learn something about fast food operation and will open up her own business....

[Galantspeedz]

  On 10/23/2012 at 12:24 PM, LoverofCar said:

Coming out from IT THE END and make good in her university study..... salute....she probably trying to learn something about fast food operation and will open up her own business....

 

smart lady... learn from the best

[Evillusion]

  On 10/23/2012 at 12:12 PM, Galantspeedz said:

the only problem with working in fast food is the smell on the clothing, means better to bathe then make love unless some like to do it with a oil fryer

i dont mind making love to a french fries that has her looks!

[Mcfguy]

yes, she's starting from the bottom to learn all the trade. Admirable. She wants to start her own restaurant or cafe someday. Mactuckey or KenDonalds would be good.

[Mcfguy]

  On 10/23/2012 at 12:36 PM, Eviilusion said:

i dont mind making love to a french fries that has her looks!

 

Dun bluff, you are eyeing the buns.

[Jman888]

if she promote, she get to go hamburger university in US ok

 

quite fun working there lah, no stress like in the corporate world.

[Evillusion]

  On 10/23/2012 at 12:43 PM, Mcfguy said:

Dun bluff, you are eyeing the buns.

i bet her buns got no sesame seed...maybe got raisins! :ph34r:

[Holdenutessv]

  On 10/23/2012 at 12:36 PM, Eviilusion said:

i dont mind making love to a french fries that has her looks!

 

Be careful, too much salt not healthy.

[Evillusion]

  On 10/23/2012 at 12:54 PM, Holdenutessv said:

Be careful, too much salt not healthy.

u saying i shouldnt 'eat' her ah? Dont worry i only lick!

[Gizmore]

mcD found a rare gem.

 

just how many in mcD higher management have got her experience? She started working at mcD since 16. From the very low rank to a manager now.

 

Singapore needs more ppl like her who is passionate about her job.