how do you like your job, if you're with USPS?

what's the postal exam like? what's the best book or information source to study and prepare with?

I just graduated with a (let's call it worthless) degree, and I am looking into any kind of entry-level job that I am qualified for, and thought this would be something worth looking into

6/4/2006 9:58:33 PM

best of luck to ya man

-ZiP!-

6/4/2006 10:07:47 PM

there is nothing wrong with majoring in a field you're interested in, but does the whole "worthless degree" thing only occur to a gradaute of one AFTER graduation?

i'm just curious

why not major in a "fun/interesting" field and then another one that will actually get you a job?

6/4/2006 10:14:21 PM

My dad worked at the post office for about seven years. Unless you get into a high growth area, starting out you only work one day a week (saturday) plus if your regular driver wants a day off as a sub. He was doing pretty good in PA as a sub for a bunch of people, but when he came down here it was back to the 1 day a week bit. Once you get into a regular position its a lot better. City carriers have diffrent benifits and a diffrent union than rural but I think you can do both as a sub.

I was kinda little when he took the exam, but I really dont remember him stressing about it. I think theres a pamphlet you can get to help.

6/4/2006 10:24:03 PM

my dad just retired from the post office with 19 1/2 years service. he processed the mail in the back. pretty much, when you start with that, you work as a part-time flex, you'll pretty much work when they need you, and they might not be "fair" about it, as in they might work you four hours in the morning, and work you four more in the evening. once you get a regular position, then its pretty straight forward, you bid on jobs based solely on seniority, so you're chances of getting a "good" job, ie working days with sat/sun off, is slim. but its a good career. and also, if you have no veteran status, you're at the bottom of the list and there is gonna need to be a big demand for them to hire all the people ahead of you on the list that are disabled veterans and then the regular veterans. as far as union goes, i know there is the mail handlers union, and the carriers have a different one.

6/5/2006 12:23:32 PM

Quote :

"I just graduated with a (let's call it worthless) degree, and I am looking into any kind of entry-level job that I am qualified for, and thought this would be something worth looking into"

great planning

6/5/2006 12:24:49 PM

at least this guy can probably hold a decent conversation at a dinner party

6/5/2006 12:54:30 PM

Quote :

"there is nothing wrong with majoring in a field you're interested in, but does the whole "worthless degree" thing only occur to a gradaute of one AFTER graduation? i'm just curious why not major in a "fun/interesting" field and then another one that will actually get you a job?"

I was basically in denial the whole time I was in college. I was brought up stupidly believing that a degree was basically all you needed to be successful. Never mind job skills or anything like that.

I didn't major in something that would get me a job because most of those degrees entail math or science, and I'm not good at either of those (well, science I do fine, but forget math). And after spending a zillion years in public school not doing what I liked, I was really all about learning things that were actually interesting to me. Yes, it was a mistake. Yes, I look like an idiot for it. It's been four years, and I'm still kicking myself.

6/5/2006 2:46:21 PM

If you don't mind telling us, what was your major?

6/5/2006 2:54:35 PM

Quote :

"there is nothing wrong with majoring in a field you're interested in, but does the whole "worthless degree" thing only occur to a gradaute of one AFTER graduation? "

I can speak for the OP, but I think most American parents who were born in the 40's and 50's are reticent to shove a bunch of "major in this so you can get a good job" crap down their kids throats - that was more of a working class/immigrant attitute. Most baby boomers did fine with whatever degree they had. My father had only a little college and was president of a satellite dish company during the 80's.

Obviously this attitude didn't always pan out for the kids, but a lot of us with worthless or undegrad degrees eventually land on our feet anyway.

6/5/2006 3:17:49 PM

before i tell you about stuff you aren't concerned about, what job you wanna do? Do you wanna be a clerk (the people at the front desk), a sorter (run the mail sorting machines) a city carrier (Generally drive a mail truck to certain stops and then walk the mail to the houses for a certain radius around hte truck, then move the truck and repeat), or a rural carrier (some drive mail trucks, but most drive their own vehicles and deliver to a mailbox directly from the vehicle).

6/5/2006 4:39:33 PM

hate math & science? welcome to my world

marketing is full of people who disklike these subjects

6/5/2006 6:18:58 PM

I also hate marketing. Business anything is not up my alley.

What is up my alley? Reading. That's about it.

6/5/2006 7:42:04 PM

United States Postal Inspection Service is the only thing interesting I could see doing for the postal service. Who wants to get bitten by dogs delivering mail?



[Edited on June 5, 2006 at 7:53 PM. Reason : dfsdf]

6/5/2006 7:43:57 PM

Quote :

"If you don't mind telling us, what was your major?"

6/6/2006 11:48:12 AM