Calling all Royal Mail bots.

CliffyBiro

CliffyBiro

CliffyBiro

Caporegime
Joined
1 Mar 2008
Posts
26,303
I'm thinking of becoming a Postie. :)


To any posties old or new:

What's it like day-to-day?
What's the pay like?
Is there space for career progression?
Do you need to be able to drive (Will hopefully pass test soon.)
Do you have any say on the area where you work?
Roughly, how many hours a day is your standard shift?

+ Anything else you'd like to add. :)
 
a1ex2001 said:
You get lots of free stuff at christmas time because you can help youself to a few parcels a day.
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Not just Christmas! I used to regularly get Blockbuster DVDs nicked in the post. Had various parcels opened or stolen too. Depends on the area though - current postie is very good.
 
jamief said:
Not just Christmas! I used to regularly get Blockbuster DVDs nicked in the post. Had various parcels opened or stolen too. Depends on the area though - current postie is very good.
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Only seems to happen round here at Christmas as our regular postman is a good sort, the temp guys we get at chritmas are ridiculous we get packages left all over the place and no notes through the door to let us know, to make it even more ridiculous the sorting office is about 5 minutes walk away so I'd rather he took the parcels back!
 
Been a postie for nearly 5 months now :)

Day-to-day I really enjoy it. Don't like the first few hours in the office sorting but once you get out and about it's awesome. Go at your own pace, nobody on your back, meeting people. Good exercise too.
Pay is pretty poor if I'm honest. I'm on £7.80/hr, works out about £16k a year before tax. I think it starts to rise the longer you're with the company though.
Career progression is limited. You can do manager training so you end up managing an MC or a bunch of DOs, but it's a completely different ball game to being a postie from what I can gather. Better money though.
I don't think you have to be able to drive. The job descriptions usually say occasional driving but just apply anyway. Most of the driving rounds are rural jobs and you'll probably just get put on a cycling/walking round. Mention in your application that you have your test coming up though.
Initially you don't really get much say on where you work it seems. I'm getting shifted around all over the place (area reserve) but I'm told once you get a bit more senior (6 months to a year) you'll get your own round and stay in a single office. Your mileage may vary though - There's quite a few who have done the same round since the day they started.
Hours a day - usually about 8 on a 40 hour round. start at half 6, out about half 9, finished by half 2 on an average day.

Any more questions feel free to gimme a shout :)
 
I did it until recently.

One of the best jobs Ive had. Great people, great work. Money is good for what is essentially a glorified paperboy ;)

its actually a lot harder work than it looks. a lot of people here **** them off but until you actually try the Job you dont realise how heavy the workload is .

Id definately do it again if I wasnt currently joining RAF
 
Sweet, that sounds good. :)

The thing is, I'm actually in a pretty rural area myself so being moved about on which round I do may not be great.

Wouldn't it be awesome to work in your own area?

That would be the business right there. :p
 
and to answer some questions..

Most contracts are 25hrs now, but you would probably get over 30 while starting out.

You cant choose what areas to work as the walks are done on seniority, people whove been there longest get first choice in a repick.

You would likely to be a reserve, covering a number of walks while people are off.

You dont need to be able to drive. Its sometimes easier having a car, but you arent really meant to use one anyway. Regardless of what impression you get from the people at the delivery office (if you land a job that is)
 
What's it like day-to-day? Harder than you'd probably imagine but as you'd most likely be part time on a <30 contract you'll probably be just going in, picking up your pouches and doing a walk. Although it won't happen like that!

What's the pay like? Decent for what is ultimately unskilled labour, although not sure what the pay is for shorter contracts

Is there space for career progression? Be a "boss"? Go for it, it's a sideways move but you'll have to be a good yes man's nodder.

Do you need to be able to drive (Will hopefully pass test soon.) I'm pretty certain if out of every two job applicants anywhere in the world if one had a driving license and one didn't the one with would get the job 99% of the time. And yes, it'll help immensely for good reasons and bad.

Do you have any say on the area where you work? You get what you're given until there comes a time that you have enough seniority to pick your own permananent walk.

Roughly, how many hours a day is your standard shift? Depends on the day. It's job and finish so it's 6am until anything from Noon until after 1pm

+ Anything else you'd like to add. :) Yep, ignore morons and moronics comments like thouse below about helping yourself. The integrity of the mail is taken very seriously and you'd be expected to uphole it.
 
skippi90 said:
I'm thinking of becoming a Postie. :)


To any posties old or new:

What's it like day-to-day?

amazing when its dry. horrible when it rains. suicidal thoughts when it snows

What's the pay like?

not amazing but better than every other unskillled job i can think off

Do you need to be able to drive (Will hopefully pass test soon.)

would help MASSIVELY. been able to park up along your route with bags in the car helps hugely

Do you have any say on the area where you work?

probably could do after a while. when you start off you usually just fill in for whatever routes available

Roughly, how many hours a day is your standard shift?

depends on which contract you have. some go in extra early to do sorting etc. i did 6 till 1ish most days. you finish when you finish basically.

+ Anything else you'd like to add. :)

well errr i had a fallout with my boss and am never allowed to work for RM again , one of stupidest things ive done but i was young and stupid :(
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i had no dogs on my round worth noticing.

the few old people who constantly moaned where much much worse. ''why havent i got any post today'' ''why are you early'' '' why are you late'' ''wheres the old postman''
 
"andy" said:
i had no dogs on my round worth noticing.

the few old people who constantly moaned where much much worse. ''why havent i got any post today''

Nobody loves you

''why are you early''
I couldn't wait to set my eyes on you.

'' why are you late''
I am late because you are late! (Malibu style)

''wheres the old postman''
He died. Yeah.
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Sorted. :)
 
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