At public post offices, postal clerks work behind the counter. They perform a variety of customer service tasks, including inspecting and sorting mail as well as selling stamps and packaging materials. The requirements for becoming a postal clerk vary by country and region, but the majority of applicants must be at least 18 years old, have a high school diploma, and pass general skills exams. Most post office managers conduct thorough background checks on potential employees to ensure that they hire honest, hardworking people.
Many of the skills needed to succeed as a postal clerk can be learned in high school courses. Math and computer classes are essential for students to develop technical skills like calculating postage costs and entering customer information into electronic files. Courses in communication prepare students to communicate with coworkers and customers in a clear and effective manner. While some post offices will hire high school graduates with no prior work experience, most employers prefer candidates who have demonstrated their abilities in other customer service positions. Working in a retail store, a grocery store, or a call center can help someone prepare for a career as a postal clerk.
A person who wants to work as a postal clerk can put together a resume and start applying to local post offices with the right education and experience. Many large cities have central hiring offices that handle all local branch hiring, and an applicant can learn how and where to submit resumes by contacting a main office or searching government Web sites. Because all of the reported information is checked before a hiring manager contacts an applicant for an interview, it is critical to be thorough and honest on a resume. The applicant’s level of education, all previous jobs, and dates of employment at each should all be included on the resume.
The background check process can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks, so applicants for postal clerk positions should not be concerned if they are not called in right away. Managers must double-check dates of employment, school information, and citizenship. In addition, a thorough criminal background check is performed to ensure that an applicant has no prior convictions. Even a minor criminal record can jeopardize a person’s chances of landing a job due to government postal regulations.
A person who gets an interview can expect to meet with several managers, take a drug test, and be given a basic training course outlining the job’s basic responsibilities. In most countries, interviewees must pass written tests that assess math skills, basic job functions, and reading comprehension. A person can expect to spend several weeks in formal, on-the-job training after landing a job. An individual is given the opportunity to work independently after a probationary period of supervised work and ongoing training.