Work?? Yes, I went out and found a job. With the US Postal Service. God knows I use them enough, might as well work there.
I went to my orientation the week of Thanksgiving, and have been been going in for a few hours a day to work behind the counter and behind the front, sorting mail.
I understand now why people go off.
There are specific deadlines-if the post box says "last pick-up at 5", you had better be out there at 1700L with your scan gun. Or 1701L, but certainly NOT 1659L. All the mail needs to be in the rental boxes at a certain time, and sorted by a certain time. There are deadline stresses every day.
There are also personnel stressors. In my orientation class of 15, no one was eligible for benefits. The woman who's training me? Nada. Which is all well and good in a down economy, but I wonder how well that's going to go for people who get bitten by a dog. And you know why mail carriers have a satchel? To defend them (along with pepper spray) against bad dogs.
So it's interesting. And it's hard work. I'm learning a lot!
5 comments:
Crazy dogs were an issue when I worked for UPS. I sometimes wished I could just throw the package on the doorstep (from the truck, I mean) and take off.
Congrats on the job! We live in a small town, pick up our mail at the P.O. so I'm there almost every day. I love our very hardworking postal staff.
Oddly enough, I once saw one of those news clips about arming the local mail carriers with - get this - an umbrella. One of those compact ones that pop out when you push a button. Apparently even the craziest dog will step back from an object that suddenly goes WHOOSH! and gets huge in their face in a split second!
Best of luck with the new job!
Congrats on the new job. My MIL used to work for the USPS; she retired earlier this year.
LOL, I love the umbrella suggestion.
I've always thought that postal workers were unsung heroes. They (you,now) do a difficult job quickly and acurately and (almost always) with a smile and a helpful attitude. Not to mention that nowadays the job can be dangerous even for the inside workers. There are plenty of us who appreciate our postal heroes and I'm glad to have this opportunity to say so.
Post a Comment