How to Get a Job - United States Postal Service (USPS)

Getting hired for the United States Postal Service (USPS) is not a short process. There are a few things that you need to do before they will consider hiring you. I think it took me about 8 months before I was actually hired. So if this is what you want to do, then make sure you are ready to wait it out. Don't forget to keep your regular job, because you may only work 1 day a week in the very beginning. I started my application process on May 5, 2007 and my first day working for the United States Postal Service was on January 7, 2008. (The process did take a while, but it can be worth it to work with the USPS!)

How I Got Hired To Work for the USPS - The first thing you need to do is to check out the United States Postal Service web page online. This is the best place to begin to see if there are any positions open in your location. Once you have their web page up. Look at the bottom of the page for the word Careers. Click on it. It will take you through the next steps for applying for the job.

How I Got Hired To Work for the USPS - After they have received your request to apply for a position at USPS. They will send you in the mail a letter stating when you need to take an exam along with an exam booklet. Make sure to review this, it will help you understand what you are testing on. There is no cost in taking this exam. So make sure you don't spend any money when trying to study for this exam. Don't order anything offline. The USPS website has some study exams on there that you can print out for use at home if you want more review.

How I Got Hired To Work for the USPS - Study for the exam with the information they have sent you. Now go take the exam. It took me just over a month before I received my test results. I think a grade of 70 is passing (unless they have changed it.) Now you just have to wait for the test results.

How I Got Hired To Work for the USPS - Ok, so now you have the test results. You will be set up for a day to go in and meet the supervisors for a group orientation. There will be a few other candidates there with you. This will give you an overview of what will be doing for the United States Postal Service, and to see if you really want to go any further in the process of being hired. You will also have a chance to talk one on one with one of the supervisors there.

How I Got Hired To Work for the USPS - If you decide that you are going to go further with the application process. They will send you for a urinalysis test. If you pass the urinalysis test. They will then set you up to take a driving test. They called me by phone to schedule the test. (I am not sure if they schedule through the mail on this one.) After you have taken the driving test, you will get a notice in the mail saying that you have passed or failed.

How I Got Hired To Work for the USPS - So you have passed your driving test, that's great! Someone will soon call you on the phone to set you up for a personal interview with one of their supervisors or managers. Don't get nervous, it's just a normal interview. They will ask you about yourself, and then tell you more about the post office and how it works (some of this was probably mentioned in your group orientation.)

How I Got Hired To Work for the USPS - So you made it through the personal interview. If they liked you and believed you were qualified for the position, they will call you back in to finish up your application paperwork. You will also have your finger prints taken so they are on file, and I believe they check your eye sight while your there.

How I Got Hired To Work for the USPS - Once finished with that, they will call you and schedule you for your first day of working for the United States Postal Service. You will have to go through a 2-3 week orientation about the post office. (Yes! I got paid for this orientation.) The first two weeks consisted of in class training. The 3 week consisted of taking one more driving test. You will go through a 3 day course of in class driver training. Then you will get to learn how to drive one of the right hand drive vehicles. Pay attention to their tips that they give you for driving it and backing it up. It might just help you through that part of it.

How I Got Hired To Work for the USPS - After the 3 week training, you will be sent to work on your route with the regular that is on that route. Listen to what they have to say because it will really help you. (The regular on my route really helped me out a lot.) The first day you are working, you will work the whole day with your regular. You will case the mail and then deliver the mail. On the second day, you will case the mail and deliver mail on half of the route. On the third day, you will case the mail and deliver mail on the other half of the route. Now on the fourth day that you are scheduled for that route, you will deliver it yourself. If you have problems, make sure you call in to your supervisor, they will help you out.

I really enjoy working for the United States Postal Service. It is definitely a "great" place to work. The only other advice that I would give you before applying for the USPS, is to have a part time job lined up that will be flexible in their schedule. Preferably a night time job. You are only guaranteed one day a week when getting hired on. So if you can not afford a one day a week job, then get that part time job until you make regular and get your own route. Best of luck to all that apply for the United States Postal Service. It's a great place to work!

http://www.usps.com/