Few questions for a new postie starting soon

[zzeezzy]

Hello fellow posties,

So I have been given a conditional offer and subject to security checks shall be starting next month (doing the welcome day first, then starting at my sorting office the next day).

My few questions are (sorry if this has been covered by the way): -

1) What do you actually do at the Welcome Day? Mines taking place at Birmingham Royal Mail Distrubution Centre. It doesn't really say much on the Royal Mail website and it mentions "interactive sessions", which made me wonder what goes on during the day.

2) Do I need to have a good knowledge of the area before I start? They never asked me about this at the interview so I assume not. Just slightly worried because my knowledge of the area isn't good (I live in a village about 10 minutes car drive away from the town I'll be working in, hence why I don't really know it well).

3) At the interview they kept going on about heavy lifting etc. But are the bags generally really that heavy (I know it varies every day, so it is a bit of a vague question)? I'm not the biggest guy in the world... no point lying. (About 5 ft 8 and slim).

Just a few general pre-job worries for me, looking forward to the job generally though. If I can't post them here then I can't do them anywhere right?

[DirtyHarry]

Welcome day????
This company has seriously lost it's way, bigtime.
When I started many moons ago, it was two weeks at the school learning as much about the job, the business, as possible.
Now it's shrunk to a 'Welcome day.' Sheesh!!!!

[Mr_Pink]

Don't worry about the welcome day, its quite boring to be honest.

You'll be shown some videos, have a talk about security of the mail, bit on elf & safety, demonstrate you can correctly lift an empty mail bag, and push an empty york in a circle.

If your P/T make sure you get your manager to pay you for the whole 8 hours.

[Sidley]

You don't really need a locals knowledge of the area. You should accompany someone on a duty for a day or so, so you get to know the wheres and hows. If your office is post-revision you should be using a trolley so the weight shouldn't really be a factor. If Pre-revision you can carry as little as suits you and you will just have to make more calls at drop boxes to replenish your pouch.

Don't worry, if you're not sure about something just ask, your colleagues will keep you right.

[zzeezzy]

You don't really need a locals knowledge of the area. You should accompany someone on a duty for a day or so, so you get to know the wheres and hows. If your office is post-revision you should be using a trolley so the weight shouldn't really be a factor. If Pre-revision you can carry as little as suits you and you will just have to make more calls at drop boxes to replenish your pouch.

Don't worry, if you're not sure about something just ask, your colleagues will keep you right.

You get a sat-nav on your PDA right if I believe?

[Sidley]

Possibly true but our office is Pre-revision and with only a bank holiday weekend to go before we go live no-one has shown me a PDA or how to use one.

[SP115]

You don't really need a locals knowledge of the area. You should accompany someone on a duty for a day or so, so you get to know the wheres and hows. If your office is post-revision you should be using a trolley so the weight shouldn't really be a factor. If Pre-revision you can carry as little as suits you and you will just have to make more calls at drop boxes to replenish your pouch.

Don't worry, if you're not sure about something just ask, your colleagues will keep you right.

You get a sat-nav on your PDA right if I believe?

No, That would be sensible.

[trevjim]

Hello fellow posties,

So I have been given a conditional offer and subject to security checks shall be starting next month (doing the welcome day first, then starting at my sorting office the next day).

My few questions are (sorry if this has been covered by the way): -

1) What do you actually do at the Welcome Day? Mines taking place at Birmingham Royal Mail Distrubution Centre. It doesn't really say much on the Royal Mail website and it mentions "interactive sessions", which made me wonder what goes on during the day.

2) Do I need to have a good knowledge of the area before I start? They never asked me about this at the interview so I assume not. Just slightly worried because my knowledge of the area isn't good (I live in a village about 10 minutes car drive away from the town I'll be working in, hence why I don't really know it well).

3) At the interview they kept going on about heavy lifting etc. But are the bags generally really that heavy (I know it varies every day, so it is a bit of a vague question)? I'm not the biggest guy in the world... no point lying. (About 5 ft 8 and slim).

Just a few general pre-job worries for me, looking forward to the job generally though. If I can't post them here then I can't do them anywhere right?

1) Health and saftey videos mainly! pretty boring and you dont end up not actually knowing what to do on your first day, just that you need to bend with your knees etc.

2) not really no, even if you know it well, its the numbers and how its bagged up which is important which you can only learn on the job. Dont worry too much about that.

3) Bags vary on loops and days, sometimes they are killer, but you can always use a trolley for it if its too much. no one is going to point and laugh if you dont feel like having it on your shoulder (at least they shouldnt! ). Its quicker to have it on your shoulder as you can go places trolleys cant, so you are always going to want to do that, but if you cant, just use a trolley. Sometimes you will have 2 bags instead of 1 for a loop, in which case you have to use a trolley.

# Also dont take note of the horror stories on here, some offices are worse then others, so dont think they are all the same. Dont worry about it, just go in with an open mind and you will be fine.

[postiewhite]

Hello fellow posties,

So I have been given a conditional offer and subject to security checks shall be starting next month (doing the welcome day first, then starting at my sorting office the next day).

My few questions are (sorry if this has been covered by the way): -

1) What do you actually do at the Welcome Day? Mines taking place at Birmingham Royal Mail Distrubution Centre. It doesn't really say much on the Royal Mail website and it mentions "interactive sessions", which made me wonder what goes on during the day.

2) Do I need to have a good knowledge of the area before I start? They never asked me about this at the interview so I assume not. Just slightly worried because my knowledge of the area isn't good (I live in a village about 10 minutes car drive away from the town I'll be working in, hence why I don't really know it well).

3) At the interview they kept going on about heavy lifting etc. But are the bags generally really that heavy (I know it varies every day, so it is a bit of a vague question)? I'm not the biggest guy in the world... no point lying. (About 5 ft 8 and slim).

Just a few general pre-job worries for me, looking forward to the job generally though. If I can't post them here then I can't do them anywhere right?

My view because im a newish starter.
The welcome meeting is just about health and safety,a few videos, you get into teams or pairs. Your never singled out and if your a quiet person you dont have to speak up. This was mentioned at the beginning of the meeting so you will not feel intimidated at all or pressured as you wont be picked on. To be honest you dont learn much about the job until you start in the delivery office the next day.

You dont need to know the area,I didnt and still dont. It might make your learning easier if you did but everything follows suit and as long as you can find your first house then then your fine.

Going back to the training session. You get breaks and lunch. We were supposed to be there til 5 but were finished for 3. You get a full days pay for it too the same week. Again nothing to worry about.
Welcome to the madhouse.

[steven100]

New starter - Have you still got time to reject the job offer.

And are you fit????? Don't worry about the welcome day they will feed you a lot of balonie.

Sorry welcome to the militant zone .

[chrisj]

You don't really need a locals knowledge of the area. You should accompany someone on a duty for a day or so, so you get to know the wheres and hows. If your office is post-revision you should be using a trolley so the weight shouldn't really be a factor. If Pre-revision you can carry as little as suits you and you will just have to make more calls at drop boxes to replenish your pouch.

Don't worry, if you're not sure about something just ask, your colleagues will keep you right.

You get a sat-nav on your PDA right if I believe?

Yes, there is a SATNAV on the PDA. At the Menu, select Navigate to PC

[zzeezzy]

Thanks guys.

Fit yes, fit enough for this job? Who knows :P

[krussel]

Thanks guys.

Fit yes, fit enough for this job? Who knows :P

The fitness comes after a few weeks of walking. Can be a little tough at first but you will be fine.

I am 5/8 and also slim but don't find any real problems. Being slim normally means your carrying less body weight to start with.

[Cedar_Room]

My advice would be to buy yourself an A-Z of the town where you are going to be delivering to.

Streets aren't always signposted nor do they follow on how you would expect them to.

Chances are the frame you will be working from will be all over the show too (although it shouldn't be).

Good luck comrade!