Career Coach : Will a Postal Worker job deliver the right career for you?

Many of us take the postal system for granted in many respects, sending a letter or receiving a package without taking much time to think about the process and work that goes on behind the scenes to deliver your item on time. If you are looking for a new career or have considered taking employment as a postal worker, what does the job entail and would it be the right career move for you?

Your role

If you choose to apply to become a postal worker, there are many specialized tasks and specific duties that you may be expected to undertake in your role, all of which contribute to ensuring that mail and packages arrive safely and on time at their intended destinations. If you take up a role of actually delivering the post your working hours will almost always mean an early start at around 6AM or even if you are offered a late shift, this would be around 1PM, so the job suits an early riser and someone who can react well to a demanding work pattern.

Not just delivering mail

You will be expected to fulfill other duties and tasks in addition to pounding the streets and delivering the mail. The job of a postal worker also involves sorting through the mail at the delivery office and probably includes also picking up mail from post offices and boxes in the area that they are delivering to households in.

Application requirements

There are no recognized formal qualifications required in order to start your career as a postal worker at entry level other than you must be at least 18 years old, and the postal service always try to select people who have excellent communication skills . Holding a drivers license would be a very strong advantage as there are many times when you will be required to drive a vehicle during your rounds especially in more rural areas, and also having a broad knowledge of the geography of an area through driving experience will help you stand out as a strong candidate.

Benefits of the job

As a postal worker you are employed by the Federal Government which offers you a degree of job security and benefits that are not always available with private companies. As a government employee you will enjoy security of tenure, as hiring and firing is not that common unless you step out of line, and you will enjoy healthcare, allowances and the opportunity for overtime and additional bonus on top of your basic salary.

Is it right for you?

If you have a sociable personality, enjoy early mornings where you get to complete your work before lunch and have the rest of the day to yourself, have an eye for detail so that you can sort and deliver mail efficiently and accurately and have a good sense of direction (vital if you are going to deliver the mail successfully!) then the role of being a postal worker could well be the perfect job opportunity for you and not just deliver the mail but also deliver a great deal of satisfaction for you as well.