Postperson

Career path and progression

With experience, you could be promoted to higher grades like delivery office supervisor or manager. You could also move into national parcel deliveries, HGV driving or customer care jobs.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

• customer service skills
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• the ability to work on your own
• excellent verbal communication skills
• the ability to think clearly using logic and reasoning
• the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
• the ability to work well with others
• knowledge of English language
• to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

• have a good level of fitness

You may need a driving licence for some jobs.

You'll usually need your own transport to get to and from work, as you may not be able to get public transport to suit your shift times.

Related subjects

Most relevant

• Geography - Postpersons need to navigate local streets and neighbourhoods efficiently every day, planning the best routes to deliver mail across their area. Understanding maps, local geography, and how communities are laid out helps them work quickly and avoid getting lost.
• Physical Education - Postpersons walk for up to six hours a day carrying heavy bags of mail, often in difficult weather conditions. A good level of physical fitness and stamina is essential to manage the demands of the job over a full working week.

Also relevant

• English Language - Postpersons need to read and interpret addresses accurately, deal with wrongly addressed or returned mail, and communicate clearly with customers. Being confident with written and spoken English helps them sort mail correctly and handle queries on their rounds.
• Mathematics - Postpersons use basic maths when sorting parcels, checking delivery counts, and planning efficient routes. They may also need to handle recorded or signed-for deliveries where tracking numbers and quantities need to be accurate.
• Business - Postpersons are part of a large logistics operation and need to understand how delivery targets, schedules, and customer service standards work. Those looking to progress into supervisory or management roles benefit from understanding how organisations are run.