McDonald’s: Would you like a job with that?

Men and women from a variety of backgrounds lined up and applied for positions Tuesday at McDonald’s locations across the nation as part of McDonald’s National Hiring Day.

The event provided employment to about 50,000 Americans in an effort to help improve the economy and reduce the high unemployment rate.

In March, the unemployment rate was at 8.8 percent with 13.5 million people unemployed, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Tuesday’s campaign provided about four open spots per location in a wide range of positions. Applicants ranged from high school students to degree-holding unemployed adults. Store managers had them fill out the application and immediately conducted interviews onsite. Job seekers walked into locations Tuesday morning in the hopes of improving their financial situation, and many of them did.

The event helped boost the restaurant industry, which employs nearly 10 percent of the US workforce. About 12.8 million Americans this year work for the restaurant industry, making it the second-largest private sector employer in the US, according to RestaurantNews.com.

The campaign was also an effort to improve the negative perceptions about working at McDonald’s. The company wants people to want to work at their restaurants because its employees often move up the ranks. According to the company, about half of its franchises and more than 75 percent of its managers started as store workers.

Regardless of alterior motives, more hiring improves the economy. As more people get jobs, more people spend and put back into the economy.

Tuesday’s event, while the first of its kind for McDonald’s, was similar to an event held by Sears in Canada last October. Sears advertised a national hiring day for part-time employees by offering extended benefits and discounts.

While McDonald’s efforts went well, it barely made a dent in our staggering unemployment rate. Other corporations and business should follow suit and host similar hiring campaigns to spread the word about job openings and help out our fellow Americans.