How to Get Internships at McDonald's. McDonald's is famous for its marketing, food and convenient service within the fast-food restaurant industry. If you are in school and you want to have an internship at McDonald's to build up your work portfolio, then you must follow a few steps before applying. Learn how to get an internship at McDonald's and work at the Golden Arches, either while in high school or at the college level.

General Advice for the Internship

Ask around. If you have friends who are doing the same internship, then ask how they applied for it and what you need to do in your interview to succeed with McDonald's and get that internship for the summer.

Attend career events at your school or in your community. Companies like McDonald's often take students for internships for the season. Ask your school adviser about these internships with McDonald's and if they come to the school, looking for interns.

Get a reference when you have completed your internship. You can use this reference to get accepted into other jobs. When you start looking for a new position, a glowing reference would be a great step toward a promising career.

High School-Level Internship

Start your application by going to mcstate.com, the site for local McDonald's restaurant job listings by state. Most likely they will have opportunities for people that do not have the experience yet, but you must be of legal age to work in your state. You can search for assistant management trainee positions if you are about to graduate and want to work full time.

Go into a local McDonald's and fill out an application. Get in touch with one of the hiring managers and ask him how you can do an internship or if he will hire you for the summer. You can also ask for reduced hours during the school year.

College-Level Internships

Start by going to the McDonald's search page for jobs at its corporate headquarters in Oak Brook, Illinois. College-level internships are usually designed for business or IT undergrad students, or MBA-level students, so they can see how a Fortune 100 company is run from the inside.

Talk to a career counselor at your college's career placement center. They can give you some insight into the process, and they may have access to the application form.

Apply for the McDonald's USA College Internship Program for Restaurant Operations. These internships take place at local restaurants, and both community college students as well as 4-year college students are eligible. You must make a 2-year commitment and work 20 hours during the school year to receive an education stipend. Check with your local or regional McDonald's for more details, or apply at the corporate job website.