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Postmasters and Mail Superintendents
Overview
Salary
Demand
Core Tasks
Technology Skills
Tools Used
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Top 10 Skills
Top 10 Abilities
Top 10 Work Activities
Detailed Work Activities
Work Context
Education
Majors
Interests
Top 10 Work Styles
Work Values
Related Careers
Overview
Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Experience
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Education
These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Job Training
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Examples
These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, and tellers.
Plan, direct, or coordinate operational, administrative, management, and support services of a U.S. post office; or coordinate activities of workers engaged in postal and related work in assigned post office.
Salary Salary
Salary at 10th Percentile: $66K
Salary at 25th Percentile: $71K
Median Salary: $78K
Salary at 75th Percentile: $88K
Salary at 90th Percentile: $96K
Demand
Core Tasks
Monitor employees' work schedules and attendance for payroll purposes.
Organize and supervise activities, such as the processing of incoming and outgoing mail.
Prepare employee work schedules.
Resolve customer complaints.
Direct and coordinate operational, management, and supportive services of one or a number of postal facilities.
Hire and train employees, and evaluate their performance.
Prepare and submit detailed and summary reports of post office activities to designated supervisors.
Select and train postmasters and managers of associate postal units.
Inform the public of available services, and of postal laws and regulations.
Negotiate labor disputes.
Issue and cash money orders.
Collect rents for post office boxes.
Confer with suppliers to obtain bids for proposed purchases and to requisition supplies, disbursing funds according to federal regulations.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Administration and Management
89%
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Public Safety and Security
84%
Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
English Language
82%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Production and Processing
81%
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Customer and Personal Service
80%
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Education and Training
74%
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Clerical
72%
Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Computers and Electronics
72%
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Mathematics
72%
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Personnel and Human Resources
72%
Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Top 10 Skills
Active Listening
80%
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Coordination
80%
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Reading Comprehension
80%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Social Perceptiveness
80%
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Speaking
80%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Time Management
80%
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Management of Personnel Resources
78%
Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
Critical Thinking
75%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring
75%
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Negotiation
73%
Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Top 10 Abilities
Oral Comprehension
80%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
80%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Written Comprehension
80%
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Deductive Reasoning
78%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Speech Clarity
78%
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Speech Recognition
78%
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Inductive Reasoning
75%
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Problem Sensitivity
75%
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Information Ordering
73%
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Near Vision
73%
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Top 10 Work Activities
Getting Information
91%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
90%
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others
89%
Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
88%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Interacting With Computers
86%
Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Scheduling Work and Activities
84%
Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others
83%
Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates
83%
Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
83%
Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Performing Administrative Activities
83%
Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
Detailed Work Activities
Prepare staff schedules or work assignments.
Direct organizational operations, projects, or services.
Resolve customer complaints or problems.
Direct administrative or support services.
Evaluate employee performance.
Conduct employee training programs.
Hire personnel.
Prepare operational progress or status reports.
Negotiate labor disputes.
Provide basic information to guests, visitors, or clients.
Collect payments for goods or services.
Coordinate with external parties to exchange information.
Work Context
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Time Pressure
How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
Electronic Mail
How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Face-to-Face Discussions
How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Deal With External Customers
How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
Responsible for Others' Health and Safety
How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
Responsibility for Outcomes and Results
How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
Coordinate or Lead Others
How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
Education
Interests
Enterprising
100%
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Conventional
81%
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Social
62%
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Realistic
43%
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Investigative
24%
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Artistic
15%
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Top 10 Work Styles
Dependability
96%
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Adaptability/Flexibility
95%
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Integrity
94%
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Leadership
94%
Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Self Control
92%
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Attention to Detail
90%
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Cooperation
90%
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Initiative
89%
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Stress Tolerance
89%
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Persistence
87%
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Work Values
Independence
81%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Support
77%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Working Conditions
72%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Relationships
67%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Achievement
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Recognition
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
