Postal Service Mail Carriers
Overview
SaveJob 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, tellers, and dental laboratory technicians.
Sort and deliver mail for the United States Postal Service (USPS). Deliver mail on established route by vehicle or on foot. Includes postal service mail carriers employed by USPS contractors.
Yearly Salary
| High: | $66K |
| Median: | $51K |
| Low: | $38K |
Demand
Core Tasks
- Scan labels on letters or parcels to confirm receipt.
- Obtain signed receipts for registered, certified, and insured mail, collect associated charges, and complete any necessary paperwork.
- Return to the post office with mail collected from homes, businesses, and public mailboxes.
- Sort mail for delivery, arranging it in delivery sequence.
- Deliver mail to residences and business establishments along specified routes by walking or driving, using a combination of satchels, carts, cars, and small trucks.
- Meet schedules for the collection and return of mail.
- Register, certify, and insure parcels and letters.
- Sign for cash-on-delivery and registered mail before leaving the post office.
- Hold mail for customers who are away from delivery locations.
- Leave notices telling patrons where to collect mail that could not be delivered.
- Turn in money and receipts collected along mail routes.
- Maintain accurate records of deliveries.
- Bundle mail in preparation for delivery or transportation to relay boxes.
- Record address changes and redirect mail for those addresses.
- Travel to post offices to pick up the mail for routes or pick up mail from postal relay boxes.
- Answer customers' questions about postal services and regulations.
- Return incorrectly addressed mail to senders.
- Sell stamps and money orders.
- Complete forms that notify publishers of address changes.
- Provide customers with change of address cards and other forms.
- Report any unusual circumstances concerning mail delivery, including the condition of street letter boxes.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Customer and Personal Service
85%
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.
English Language
65%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
Public Safety and Security
65%
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.
Sales and Marketing
63%
Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
Transportation
60%
Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Administration and Management
58%
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.
Production and Processing
55%
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Education and Training
53%
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Administrative
50%
Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Mathematics
47%
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Top 10 Skills
Active Listening
60%
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.
Critical Thinking
60%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Social Perceptiveness
60%
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Speaking
60%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Time Management
58%
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Coordination
55%
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Judgment and Decision Making
53%
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Monitoring
53%
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Reading Comprehension
53%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Service Orientation
53%
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Top 10 Abilities
Information Ordering
63%
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
63%
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Arm-Hand Steadiness
60%
The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
Category Flexibility
60%
The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Oral Comprehension
60%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Problem Sensitivity
60%
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
Speech Clarity
60%
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Speech Recognition
60%
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Trunk Strength
60%
The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.
Written Comprehension
60%
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Top 10 Work Activities
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
85%
Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
Performing General Physical Activities
82%
Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
Handling and Moving Objects
79%
Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
Getting Information
70%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
70%
Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
Communicating with People Outside the Organization
67%
Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
59%
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
59%
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
58%
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Documenting/Recording Information
54%
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Detailed Work Activities
- Enter information into databases or software programs.
- Obtain written authorization to perform activities.
- Collect deposits, payments or fees.
- Route mail to correct destinations.
- Sort mail.
- Deliver items.
- Perform administrative or clerical tasks.
- Provide notifications to customers or patrons.
- Record shipping information.
- Package objects for shipping.
- Maintain financial or account records.
- Explain regulations, policies, or procedures.
- Report maintenance or equipment problems to appropriate personnel.
- Arrange insurance coverage.
- Prepare outgoing mail.
- Operate vehicles or material-moving equipment.
- Sell products or services.
- Prepare documentation for contracts, transactions, or regulatory compliance.
Education
Interests
Conventional
92%
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
Realistic
51%
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
Enterprising
41%
Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.
Social
38%
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
Artistic
15%
Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.
Investigative
15%
Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.
Work Values
Support
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Relationships
53%
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.
Working Conditions
50%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Independence
43%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Recognition
39%
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.
Achievement
34%
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.