Post Office Jobs
Explore and Find Jobs,
Prepare for the 473 Postal Exam,
and Locate ALL Job Opportunities

Recommended by Library Journal

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Fourth Edition
(Available May 2005)

by Dennis V. Damp

Page Template
Preface
Chapter One Excerpt
Press Release
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction vii

Chapter One
The U. S. Postal Service 9

# Benefits 10
       Vacation & Sick Leave 10
       Health & Life Insurance 10
       Retirement 10
# Employee Classifications 10
       Full-Time, Part-Time Flexible, Supplemental 10-11
       Seasonal Employment (Holidays) 11
# Qualification Requirements 11
       Age Limit 11
       Entrance Exams 11
       Citizenship, Physical Requirements, State Drivers License 12
# Drug Testing 12
# Application Procedures 13
       Positions That Don’t Require a Written Exam 13
# Veterans Preference 14
# Pay Scales 15
# Postal Occupations With Over 1,000 Employees 16

Chapter Two
The Hiring Process 17

# Employee classifications 17
# Recruitment, Examinations, Registers 18
# Suitability 19
# Selection, Appointment 20
# Interviews 20

Chapter Three
What Jobs Are Available 21

# Improve Your Chances 22
# Postal Service Occupations 22
       Clerks and Mail Carriers 22
       Nature of the Work 22
       Working Conditions 24
       Employment, Training, Advancement 25
       Job Outlook 26
       Earnings 27
       Related Occupations 27
# Custodian and Custodial Laborer 28
# Data Conversion Operator 29
# Maintenance Positions 30
# Motor Vehicle Operator 31
# Processing, Distribution and Delivery 32
# City Carrier & Clerk 33
# Distribution Clerk/Machine & Flat Sorting Operators 33
# Mail Handler/Processor 34
# Automated Mark Up Clerk 34
# Occupations List (Partial) 36

Chapter Four
Customer Services Sales District Offices 37

# Customer Service Districts 38
       Eastern 38
       Great Lakes Area 39
       Capital Metro Operations 39
       New York Metro Area 39
       Northeast Area 40
       Pacific Area 40
       Southeast Area 41
       Southwest Area 41
      Western Area 42

Chapter Five
Postal Exams 43

# The 473 Major Entry-Level Exam 43
# Skills Tests 44
# Road Test Examination 44
# Study Habits 45
# Sample Exams 46
       Motor Vehicle Operator Exam 91 (47)
       Clerical Abilities Exam 710 (53)
       Computer Based Exam 714 (59)
       Maintenance Position Exam 931 (60)
       Maintenance Position Exam 932 (75)
       Maintenance Position Exam 933 (89)

Chapter Six
The 473 & 473-C Postal Exam 103

# Entry Level Jobs Covered by the 473 Exam 104
# Exam Content 104
       Address Cross Comparison (Part A) 105
       Forms Completion 105
       Coding (Part C Section 1) 106
       Memory (Part C Section 2) 106
       Personal Characteristics and Experience 106
# General Information 107
# Exam Overview 107
# Test Taking Strategies 108
# Address Checking Part A 110
       Part A Practice Exam 114
# Forms Checking Part B 117
       Part B Practice Exam 117-118
# Coding & Memory - (Section 1 Coding) Part C 128
       Part C (Coding) Practice Exam 130
# Coding & Memory - Part C (Section 2 Memorization) 134
       Part C (Memorization) Practice Exams 138, 141
# Personal Characteristics & Experience Part D 143
# Practice Exam Answer Sheets 145
# Answers to Practice Exams 149, 150

Chapter Seven
The Interview Process 151

# Interview Types 151
# Before the Interview 153
       Assess Your Interviewing Skills 153
       Evaluate Your Strength 153
       Assess Your Overall Appearance 153
# During the Interview 154
       Introductory Phase 155
       Middle Phase 156
       Frequently Asked Questions 156
       Sample Questions You Should Ask 158
       Closing Phase 159
# Illegal Questions 159
# After the Interview 160

Chapter Eight
Veterans Preference 161

# Veterans Preference 161
       Five Point Preference 162
       Ten Point Preference 162
# Veterans Employment Opportunities Act 163
# What Does it Mean 164
# Veterans Readjustment Appointments (VRAs) 164

Chapter Nine
Job Descriptions 165

#  Position Descriptions - a Cross Section of Postal Occupations 166

Chapter Ten

Occupation Directory 183
# Complete list of all 2,000 Post Office Jobs Including Pay 184

Chapter Eleven
Postal Inspectors 205

#     Overview 206
#     Requirements for U.S. Postal Inspectors 207
#     Recruiting Standards 208
#     Special Requirements 209
#     Application For U.S. Postal Inspectors 212
#     Completing Your Application 217
#     U.S. Postal Inspection Service Divisions 218

Chapter Twelve
Civil Service Job Options 219

#     Locating Job Vacancies 220
#     Nature of Federal Employment 220
#     Working Conditions 223
#     Employment 223
#     Occupations 224
#     Outlook 227
#     Pay and Benefits 228
#     Educational Requirements 230

Appendix A
Job Hunters Checklist 231

Appendix B
Corporate Positions 235

Appendix C
Application Forms 247

Index 253

PREFACE

Generating over 68 billion dollars in sales annually, the U. S. Postal Service employs 773,000 workers nationwide to process and deliver 10.5 million pounds of mail daily. The average pay and benefits for career bargaining unit employees now exceeds $57,000 per year and the jobs are highly competitive.

This book guides readers step-by-step through the Postal Service’s recruitment system and provides the information needed to explore and find jobs, prepare for the 473 Postal Exam, and locate all job opportunities. The author writes from first hand experience, he spent 35½ years working for Uncle Sam. He provides an insider’s perspective on what it takes to go from job hunter to hired, and everything in between to improve your chances of landing a high-paying government job.

The all new fourth edition provides an overview of what is available, including many jobs that don’t require written tests and how to apply for them. Over half of all workers are mail carriers and clerks, however, postal workers are employed in hundreds of diverse occupations, from janitors and truck drivers to accountants, personnel specialists, electronics technicians, and engineers.

The Postal Service continues to improve its recruiting process, including useful on-line testing schedules and job announcements. Post Office Jobs explains these improvements and provides abundant information, study guides, resources and easy-to-follow checklists that will assist you with your job search. You will also learn about postal corporate jobs and viable job options that you can explore in the competitive federal civil service.

The Postal Service initiated a new test for major entry-level jobs in December of 2004, called the 473 Battery Exam or 473 Major Entry-Level Exam. This new exam tests applicants for general aptitude and characteristics. The 473 Major Entry-Level Exam screens applicants on job-related characteristics and it permits applicants to compete for job vacancies.

This new edition includes a comprehensive study guide for both the 473 and 473-C test versions. The only difference between the two exams is the target audience. The 473-C exam is advertised when the Postal Service is primarily recruiting city mail carriers. The 473 exam is used to recruit for all major entry-level jobs including city carrier, mail processing clerks, mail handlers, and sales, service, and distribution associates.

Post Office Jobs is the only Post Office career guide that includes a comprehensive 473 Battery Test study guide and job descriptions for the top 28 Post Office occupations. It also lists 2,000 Postal Service job classifications, offers guidance on how to explore alternative civil service occupations, and includes a chapter on how to apply for Postal Inspector positions.

Postal employees are interviewed prior to appointment by the selecting official and Chapter Seven provides detailed guidance on how to successfully handle this often nerve-racking face-to-face encounter. The interview chapter guides you step-by-step through the interview process and provides sample questions to help you prepare and reduce your stress level.

Many professional and administrative occupations do not require written examinations. Your background, work experience and education will be used to determine your eligibility for the job. You’ll learn how to locate vacancies and apply for these positions nationwide. An updated list of Customer Service Districts is included in Chapter Four that you can contact concerning test results and to learn when exams will be scheduled in your area.

Visit for up-to-date guidance on Postal Service job options including direct links to key Postal Service recruiting sites. Also visit to explore other civil service opportunities. This site includes extensive assistance for job seekers and covers many topics for people interested in exploring all federal careers.

If you are seeking a job with the Postal Service you should also be aware of the many scams that offer or guarantee postal employment for a fee. The Postal Service does not charge application fees and no one can guarantee you a federal job. All jobs are filled competitively.

If you're looking for good pay with excellent benefits, pursue the Postal Service job market. Use this book's resources, including the Job Hunter's Checklist in Appendix A, to begin your personal job search.

INTRODUCTION TO GOVERNMENT EMPLOYMENT
CHAPTER ONE (Excerpt)

The U.S. Postal Service’s annual operating revenue exceeds $68 billion and they pay $2 billion in salaries and benefits every two weeks. There are more than 773,000 workers in 300 job categories for positions at 37,000 post offices, branches, stations, and community post offices throughout the United States. Approximately 40,000 postal workers are hired each year to backfill for retirements, transfers, deaths and employees who choose to leave the Postal Service.

Vacancies are advertised internally by the USPS and not by the Office of Personnel Management. Visit their web site at for exam schedules and job vacancy lists. In 1971, the Postal Service became independent. Pay scales are determined by the Postal Pay Act.

---

Informative Sites:
www.usps.com/employment
www.postofficejobs.info

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Pay starts at $25,871 per year for full time career employees at the PS-1-BB pay grade and increases to $53,551 at the PS-10-P pay grade. The average pay and benefits for career bargaining unit employees was $57,051 per year, excluding corporate-wide expenses, in 2003. The largest pay system in the Postal Service is predominately for bargaining unit employees. There are also Executive and Administrative Schedules for non-union members that range from $20,875 up to an authorized maximum of $98,514.

BENEFITS

Postal employees receive the same general benefits provided to federal employees for the most part. However, USPS employees pay considerably less for their health care bi-weekly premiums than the competitive Civil Service does.

Vacation & Sick Leave

All employees receive: 10 paid holidays, 13 days of vacation for the first three years, twenty days of vacation with three to fifteen years service and after fifteen years twenty-six days. Additionally, 13 sick days are accrued each year regardless of length of service. Military time counts toward benefits. If you have three years of military service, you begin with four weeks paid vacation and three years toward retirement.

Health Benefits & Life Insurance

Medical health plans and the Federal Employees= Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) programs are available to all employees. The medical plan is an employee-employer contribution system and includes HMO and Blue Cross and Blue Shield programs. There are hundreds of plans to choose from. The FEGLI program offers low cost term life insurance for the employee and basic coverage for the family. FEGLI offers up to five times the employee=s salary in death benefits.

One of the primary benefits of Postal Service employment is the satisfaction you experience from working in a challenging and rewarding position. Positions are available with the level of responsibility and authority that you desire.

Retirement

The Postal Service retirement system was significantly changed for individuals hired after January 1, 1984. Social Security is withheld and a new employee contribution system is fashioned after a 401k defined contribution plan. You can elect to contribute into a THRIFT savings 401k plan. The government will match your contribution up to 5 percent. This is effectively a 5 percent pay increase. Your contributions are tax deferred and reduce your taxable income by the amount contributed. The retirement benefit is determined by the amount that has accumulated during the employee=s career. This includes the interest earned and capital gains realized from the retirement fund.

There are many withdrawal options including lump sum and various fixed term annuities. The contribution plan payout is in addition to the social security benefits that you will be eligible for at retirement. Postal workers pay considerably less for their health benefits than competitive federal civil service employees due to their negotiated union contracts.

EMPLOYEE CLASSIFICATIONS

Initial appointments are either casual (temporary) or Part-Time Flexible (Career). Hourly rates for Part-Time Flexible employees vary depending upon the position's rate schedule. Some positions are filled full-time such as the Maintenance (Custodial) classification.

• Full-Time and Part-Time Flexible (career) employees comprise the Regular Work Force. This category includes security guards. Part-Time Flexible employees are scheduled to work fewer than 40 hours per week and they must be available for flexible work hours as assigned. Part-Time Flexible employees are paid by the hour. Hourly rates vary from $12.29 for PS Grade 1 Step BB to $27.26 for PS Grade 11 step P. See page 15 for a complete pay scale listing
• A Supplemental Work Force is needed by the Postal Service for peak mail periods and offers casual (temporary) employees two 89-day employment terms in a calendar year. During Christmas an additional 21 days of employment can be offered to Supplemental Work Force employees.

College students may be considered for casual (temporary) employment with the Postal Service during the summer months. The rate of pay now exceeds $11.00 per hour. Tests are not required and appointments can not lead to a career position. Apply early for summer work. Contact Post Offices in your area by no later than February for summer employment applications. Casual temporary positions are also advertised on the Postal Services= excellent employment and job listing web site at http://usps.com/employment.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

Various standards from age restrictions to physical requirements must be met before you can take one of the Postal Service exams.

Age Limit

You must be eighteen to apply. Certain conditions allow applicants as young as sixteen to apply. Carrier positions, requiring driving, are limited to age 18 or older. High school graduates or individuals that terminated high school education for sufficient reason are permitted to apply at age 16.

Entrance Exams

Clerk, carrier and other specific postal job applicants must pass an entrance exam. Specialties such as mechanic, electronic technician, machinist, and trades must also pass a written test. The overall rating is based on the test results and your qualifying work experience and education. Professionals and certain administrative positions don't require an entrance exam or written test. They are rated and hired strictly on their prior work experience and education. The clerk and carrier exam was updated in December of 2004 to the new 473 and 473 C Battery Exam. The only difference between the two is that the 473 C is used for city mail carriers.

The 473 and 473 C Battery examination covers the following major entry level positions including:

U City Carrier
U Mail Processing Clerk
U Sales, Service, and Distribution Associates
U Mail handler

The 473 Battery Examination covers the majority of entry level hiring although some offices also maintain custodial registers, which by law, are reserved for veteran preference eligibles. The USPS also maintains motor vehicle and tractor trailer registers and some highly skilled maintenance positions such as Building Equipment Mechanic, Engineman, Electronics Technician, and General Mechanic. All of the skilled maintenance positions require examination 931. A separate announcement, examination number 932, is required for Electronics Technician positions.

Six sample exams are presented in Chapter Five and a sample 473 Battery Test is included in Chapter Six to help you prepare for this test. The 473 examination and completion of forms will require approximately two hours and fifteen minutes. Jobs with the U.S. Postal Service are highly competitive due to the excellent salary and benefits offered. It’s essential that you pass the test with the highest score possible to improve your chances. Applicants scoring between 90% -100% have a better chance of being hired.

Citizenship

Applicants do not have to be U.S. citizens. If you have permanent alien resident status in the United States of America or owe allegiance to the United States of America you can apply for Postal Service Jobs.

Physical Requirements

Physical requirements are determined by the job. Carriers must be able to lift a 70-pound mail sack and all applicants must be able to efficiently perform assigned duties. Eyesight and hearing tests are required. Applicants must have at least 20/40 vision in the good eye and no worse than 20/100 in the other eye. Eyeglasses are permitted.

State Drivers License

Applicants must have a valid state driver's license for positions that require motor vehicle operation. A safe driving record is required and a Postal Service road test is administered for the type of vehicle that you will operate.

DRUG TESTING (SUBSTANCE ABUSE)

The Postal Service maintains a comprehensive program to insure a drug-free workplace. A qualification for postal employment is to be drug free, and this qualification is determined through the use of a urinalysis drug screen. When you are determined to be in the area of consideration for employment, you will be scheduled for a drug screening test.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

Positions Requiring Written Examinations

The USPS now maintains a national directory or register of openings. The Postal Service has a decentralized hiring process for personnel and examination related matters. The examinations are administered by examination center personnel from local Customer District Human Resources offices located in most large cities. A comprehensive listing of Customer Service District offices is provided in Chapter Four.

To apply for postal positions visit the Postal Services= online employment and job listing site at http://usps.com/employment/ and their test scheduling site at http://uspsapps.hr-services.org/. You can also call 1/866-999-8777 and follow the prompts. You must have the job announcement number to use the phone system. If you don=t have an announcement number, which is readily available for current openings on the Internet, contact your local Post Office, Management Sectional Center (MSC), General Mail Facilities or a Customer Service District Office in your area. You can also obtain computer access to the USPS web site at many local libraries. Job opportunities are also advertised at local post offices, in national and local newspapers, journals and periodicals.

A passing score of 70 percent or better on an exam will place the applicant's name on an eligible register for a period of two years. Registers are lists of job applicants that have passed an exam or evaluation process. Your score determines your placement on the register. Applicants can write to the Postal Examination office for a one-year extension. Requests for extension must be received between the eighteenth-and twenty-fourth month of eligibility. Most people hired have a score of between 90% and 100%. There is a separate register for each job classification. To improve your chances, test for as many different positions that you can qualify for.

Positions That Don=t Require a Written Exam

Vacancies in these positions C generally professional and administrative C are announced (advertised) first within the Postal Service. Postal employees who have the knowledge, education, credentials, and skills may apply for these openings. If there aren=t any qualified internal applicants (called bidders in the federal sector), then the postal service will advertise the vacancies to the general public and accept resumes and applications for rating. All applicants must pass an entrance exam-ination and/or an evaluation process to be placed on a register in numerical score order. Corporate positions that don=t require entrance exams are covered in Appendix B.

It is generally recommended that job applicants seeking entry level professional and administrative positions take the 470 Battery Exam to get their foot in the door. Once hired, as vacancies open in their specialty such as accounting, budget, and engineering, they will have first crack at the jobs through internal Postal Service job announcements. You can view the diverse lists of job advertisements online at http://usps.com/employment. There are lists of jobs reserved for current federal employees only. Once you get your foot in the door you can bid on these restricted announcements and the experience that you will gain from the entry level position will help you to better understand the postal system.

Realistically, many professional jobs won=t be filled internally. Few postal clerks and non professional employees will have law degrees, engineering credentials, or doctorates for example. Review the list of more than 2,000 job classifications in Chapter Ten to see the scope of available jobs. This list also includes the total number employed and the pay for that occupation.

These job openings will generally be advertised in local papers and on the USPS web site. You should also contact local (CSSD) Customer Service & Sales District personnel offices listed in Chapter Four to identify upcoming job vacancies for your specialty. You can also call your local CSSD office to check on the status of your application or to follow up on interviews.

You will be rated on a point system (maximum of 100 points) even without a written test. Therefore, your resume and Application For Employment (PS Form 2591) must be thoroughly completed and include all key information such as degrees, training, credentials, and detailed work experience. Only the top three candidates will generally be referred to the selecting official for consideration.

VETERANS PREFERENCE

Veterans receive five or 10 point preference. Those with a 10% or greater compensable service-connected disability are placed at the top of the register in the order of their scores. All other eligibles are listed below the disabled veterans group in rank order. The Veterans Preference Act applies to all Postal Service positions. Refer to Chapter Eight for detailed information on Veterans Preference.

Custodial exams for the position of cleaner, custodian, and custodial laborer are exclusively for veterans and present employees. This exam is open only to veterans preference candidates.

PAY SCALES

There are several pay schedules in the Postal Service. The Postal Service (PS) pay scale for bargaining unit employees and the Executive and Administrative Schedule (EAS) pay scale for non-bargaining unit employees are presented in this chapter. Special pay scales are also used for rural letter carriers.

The Postal Service also pays extra compensation, overtime, and night shift differential to workers. A Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) is added to the base salary of employees at the rate of one cent per hour for each increase of a .4 point increase in the Consumer Price Index. Additional pay scales are posted on http://federaljobs.net  and they are updated as changes occur. Visit federaljobs.net to explore other federal job opportunities.

The remainder of Chapter One covers pay and benefits, and Postal Occupations with over 1,000 employees.

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