“Love Island” star Olandria Carthen says her work ethic started long before reality TV, and her family’s connection to McDonald’s helped shape the way she approaches success today.
Carthen is partnering with McDonald’s for the brand’s new “First Job Confessional” campaign, which launched March 6 in honor of National Employee Appreciation Day. The initiative encourages people across the country to reflect on their first jobs and the life skills they gained from those early experiences. According to the company, one in eight Americans has worked at a McDonald’s location at some point in their career.
The campaign also resonates personally for Carthen because of her family’s history with the fast-food giant.
“My mom and sister worked at McDonald’s and showed me that our first jobs teach us skills we carry for life,” she shared with People.
Before stepping into the spotlight, the reality star says her own first job came much closer to home. Growing up in Alabama as the oldest of six children, Carthen began babysitting, a responsibility that quickly helped her develop real-world skills.
“Before I was on TV, I was just a small-town girl from Bama, raised by a family that believes in clocking in, working hard and doing things the right way,” she shares. “Being the oldest of six, it kind of came naturally. I had a great mother to mimic as far as the motherly duties that came with it.”
She says caring for multiple kids at once forced her to learn how to stay organized and communicate under pressure.
“Learning how to multitask, learning communication skills — especially with unruly kids that don’t want to do nap time,” she confesses. “Learning how to work in high-stress environments and knowing how to effectively communicate through those times.”
Through the “First Job Confessional” campaign, McDonald’s is inviting fans to record their own first-job stories at pop-up booths designed to resemble ordering kiosks. Participants who share their stories in person may receive a $15 McDonald’s gift card while supplies last.
The first pop-up opens at Gansevoort Plaza in New York City on March 6 and 7, with additional stops planned for Austin, Pittsburgh, and Chicago later this year. Fans can also submit their stories online through the campaign’s official website.
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