I had been unemployed since Jan 2013 (I left a job as a regional property manager due to extensive management changes & the new expectation to travel from home overnight 4-5 days a week vs. what I agreed to when I accepted the job of 1-2 overnights)......I had sewn since I was about 10 and had been working on some things for the 4H fair last summer when my husband requested a quilt last summer......that's when I found M* and was hooked. I started on the forum and participated in swaps and discussions daily (probably spent too much time on here actually). I was able to complete a few quilts, but had been searching for a job all last year.
I put in an application in November for the PO as a rural carrier & after several weeks of testing, drug testing, interviews, paperwork, job acceptance & training....I finally have been able to start training with the route I will be filling in on. I accepted a position at a smaller branch as opposed to one I was offered at a larger facility because I was hoping I'd have more of a chance to go full-time and/or get some more hours as a fill-in while I waited for a permanent opening since the small branch indicated they were always short handed & they wanted me to train on multiple routes.
Well, over the past couple weeks I have done a couple ride alongs, practiced sorting mail, and on one delivered 1/2 the mail on 2 different days. Now, I'm starting training on another route and did a ride along, one 1/2 day...I do the other 1/2 day tomorrow and then Friday I will be doing it all by myself.....soooooo nervous! I feel fortunate that I was a manager at a local paper in which I oversaw 50+ routes so I have a lot of experience doing routes....however, things are different at the PO and there is so much to do in order to learn the route.
If there is any PO carriers on here willing to give some tips to me----I'll accept any and all!!!! My main worry is increasing my speed so I get done and back to the office by the deadline.
A couple of things that I have learned that I will pass onto everyone-----1) It is very important to keep the area in front of your mailbox cleaned out....I started at a time when we have received lots of snow and this has drastically opened my eyes to the things carriers have to work with in order to deliver the mail....today was horrible doing the part of the route with all the snow especially since our counties have been under snow warnings and travel warnings.
2) ALSO---if you receive lots of packages consider getting one of the super large mailboxes. After my 1st day of delivering...we went to lowes and I was looking at the super large mailboxes and my husband just laughed at me.....I can say I'll definitely be getting one to make it easier on the carrier....especially in this weather it was horrible treading through all the snow to deliver packages and I greatly appreciate the customers with large mailboxes so that a good amount of packages fit into them.
3) ---I never would have the carrier pickup my packages because I felt guilty and would take them to the PO myself....however, I now know that the carriers don't mind doing this because this is extra traffic on the route which ensures they have good numbers when their route is evaluated....so, everyone ship those packages, pre-print your labels and go online to request your carrier to pick up your packages!!!
It's amazing how my perspective has changed in doing a new job. I really enjoy delivering mail although am sad that it has limited my time here on the forum & limited my quilting time.
I put in an application in November for the PO as a rural carrier & after several weeks of testing, drug testing, interviews, paperwork, job acceptance & training....I finally have been able to start training with the route I will be filling in on. I accepted a position at a smaller branch as opposed to one I was offered at a larger facility because I was hoping I'd have more of a chance to go full-time and/or get some more hours as a fill-in while I waited for a permanent opening since the small branch indicated they were always short handed & they wanted me to train on multiple routes.
Well, over the past couple weeks I have done a couple ride alongs, practiced sorting mail, and on one delivered 1/2 the mail on 2 different days. Now, I'm starting training on another route and did a ride along, one 1/2 day...I do the other 1/2 day tomorrow and then Friday I will be doing it all by myself.....soooooo nervous! I feel fortunate that I was a manager at a local paper in which I oversaw 50+ routes so I have a lot of experience doing routes....however, things are different at the PO and there is so much to do in order to learn the route.
If there is any PO carriers on here willing to give some tips to me----I'll accept any and all!!!! My main worry is increasing my speed so I get done and back to the office by the deadline.
A couple of things that I have learned that I will pass onto everyone-----1) It is very important to keep the area in front of your mailbox cleaned out....I started at a time when we have received lots of snow and this has drastically opened my eyes to the things carriers have to work with in order to deliver the mail....today was horrible doing the part of the route with all the snow especially since our counties have been under snow warnings and travel warnings.
2) ALSO---if you receive lots of packages consider getting one of the super large mailboxes. After my 1st day of delivering...we went to lowes and I was looking at the super large mailboxes and my husband just laughed at me.....I can say I'll definitely be getting one to make it easier on the carrier....especially in this weather it was horrible treading through all the snow to deliver packages and I greatly appreciate the customers with large mailboxes so that a good amount of packages fit into them.
3) ---I never would have the carrier pickup my packages because I felt guilty and would take them to the PO myself....however, I now know that the carriers don't mind doing this because this is extra traffic on the route which ensures they have good numbers when their route is evaluated....so, everyone ship those packages, pre-print your labels and go online to request your carrier to pick up your packages!!!
It's amazing how my perspective has changed in doing a new job. I really enjoy delivering mail although am sad that it has limited my time here on the forum & limited my quilting time.
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