McJob

[ muhk-job ]

noun

1. an unstimulating, low-wage job with few benefits, especially in a service industry.

McJob

/ məkˈdʒɒb /

noun

1. informal.
   a job that is poorly paid and menial

Word History and Origins

Origin of McJob¹

1991, Americanism; coined by Douglas Coupland (born 1961) in the novel Generation X

Word History and Origins

Origin of McJob¹

C20: a humorous corruption of McDonald's , a major American fast-food enterprise

Example Sentences

In the 1980s, the term “McJob” entered the pop culture lexicon as a pejorative.

From Los Angeles Times

The author of 2006’s “My Secret Life on the McJob,” which chronicled his undercover work in fast food, said that those employees learn about the importance of reliability, working under pressure and being a team player — bedrock principles of any blue-collar job.

From Los Angeles Times

The story hangs on Ron Livingston's Peter Gibbons, an unremarkable 20-something slouching through a McJob at a generically named bank software company called Initech.

From Salon

Even McDonald’s, once the home of the dead-end “McJob,” has leveled up its offerings with college tuition reimbursement programs and other career pathways support for entry-level crew members.

From Scientific American

The word "McJob" has become a term of derision, but what's it like to actually work there?

From BBC