A Mail Carrier, or Mailman, is responsible for delivering letters and packages to commercial and residential areas along a particular route. Their duties include sorting and processing mail at a post office, collecting packages and return mail from drop-off points and traveling by car, bicycle or on foot to take each piece of mail to its intended destination.
A Mail Carrier should be able to fulfill various duties and responsibilities. The following are some duties and responsibilities a Mail Carrier should be able to execute:
- Helping to sort and prepare the mail for delivery
- Deliver mail to mail boxes, receptacles and other designated areas
- Retrieve outgoing mail from businesses and residences
- Collecting of monies for COD’s (Cash on Delivery) as well as mail marked “postage due”
- Obtain signatures from customers for all mail that is registered, insured or certified
- Lifting, carrying and delivering heavy bags of mail as well as packages of all sizes and leaving notices for packages that are undeliverable
A competitive Mail Carrier will have certain skills and qualifications, including:
- Interpersonal communication: Since they must interact with an array of employees, managers and patrons each day, Mail Carriers must be friendly and skills in written and verbal communication.
- Strength and stamina: Mail Carriers must deliver mail in all types of weather. They must be able to walk and stand for long periods of time, while also carriers heavy bags and packages.
- Ability to work alone: Although they do interact with many people throughout the day, Mail Carriers must be highly comfortable working alone.
- Ethics: Given that Mail Carriers are tasked with handling an array of valuables and sensitive information, they must be highly ethical.
- Reliability: The timely delivery of mail and packages is important for an array of reasons. Therefore, Mail Carriers must be highly reliable.
