New Postie...

villa_rule_123 · Post by **villa_rule_123** » 19 Sep 2008, 13:13

Hey guys, not sure whether to post this in the introduce section or in here, as it's more of an advice thread.

Got the job yesterday, and they said I'd have to go to an induction day a week on Monday, what can I expect from that?

Is the work hard to start off with, i.e. will I be doing the round on my own right at the start, or will I be trained into the role?

Thanks in advance. :)

villa_rule_123 · Post by **villa_rule_123** » 19 Sep 2008, 13:45

Few more questions:

1. I'm working 9-2 permanent Mon-Sat, which day will most likely be my day off?
2. Will I be expected to go in before 9, or will I start dead on 9?
3. Will I likely finish after 2, and what happens with my pay if I finish after 2?
4. I drive, so will I be doing much driving on my round, or is it all about walking?

Some questions might be a bit stupid, but I know very little about the job at the moment. :D

Pmn · Post by **Pmn** » 19 Sep 2008, 15:56

villa_rule_123 wrote:Few more questions:

1. I'm working 9-2 permanent Mon-Sat, which day will most likely be my day off?
2. Will I be expected to go in before 9, or will I start dead on 9?
3. Will I likely finish after 2, and what happens with my pay if I finish after 2?
4. I drive, so will I be doing much driving on my round, or is it all about walking?

Some questions might be a bit stupid, but I know very little about the job at the moment. :D

1. Usually you get on the reserves lists and to pick a walk each week. The higher you go on the list, the more choice you get in terms of days off.

2. Dead on.

3. First day on your own (you should start off shadowing another postie for a few weeks) you'll probably go over your time. Find out the situation with booking 'docket' (overtime). You might have to let your line manager know before you go out or it may be okay to put it down afterwards. You have to fill in the overtime sheet, which in my office anyway is always on display next to the sheets you sign when you come in the morning.

4. Personally, to start off with, it might be an idea to use it to get out to your starting point with your first bag. However, you shouldn't work from your car.

villa_rule_123 · Post by **villa_rule_123** » 19 Sep 2008, 16:06

What do you mean 'shadowing' someone? Will I still have my separate round or will I pair up with someone?

The reason I asked about the car is because I have a sat nav to use incase I can't find a house.

Pmn · Post by **Pmn** » 19 Sep 2008, 16:44

villa_rule_123 wrote:What do you mean 'shadowing' someone? Will I still have my separate round or will I pair up with someone?

The reason I asked about the car is because I have a sat nav to use incase I can't find a house.

Yes, you should go out a walk with another Postie and follow them around while they do the job. This should extend to helping them throw off the walk but I suppose if you're starting at 9, this might not happen? The Postie over time will then probably give you bits and pieces to do on your own. A road, then maybe 1/4 the walk, 1/2 the walk, to get you used to the job. I did this for a couple of weeks but apparently it should last longer. Then you should be on the same walk, on your own, for a few weeks.

Of course, all this is what should happen. But from what I've read on here, I was lucky to get 2 weeks shadowing and 2 weeks on my own walk as others seem to get sent out on their own straight away.

I use SatNav to get out to start point on a new walk but (my one anyway) is not much use for finding specific houses. Especially named houses. At the end of the day, if you just follow your letters (assuming you've tied up right) then it shouldn't be much of an issue.

NewPostieUK · Post by **NewPostieUK** » 19 Sep 2008, 17:42

I've been there nearly a year, and have only ever done one walk, so don't necessarily expect to do lots of different walks.

I had 4 days 'shadowing' which everyone seemed to think was OK, but I still got lost on my first day alone. With hindsight I would have printed off a map and/or taken notes. If you already know the area it will be easier.

My training has been on a 'trial and error' basis. I just get on with it, and if someone sees me doing something wrong, they explain what I'm doing wrong. For example I was pouching off specials, along with recordeds and normal packets, which apparently is a no-no.

Induction was 99% classroom, trying to keep my eyes open.

villa_rule_123 · Post by **villa_rule_123** » 19 Sep 2008, 17:44

I hope I do get someone to follow around for a couple of weeks, I'm getting a bit nervous I don't live in the area my round will be.

Is it just luck or do most people get to 'shadow' for a while?

MartinMail · Post by **MartinMail** » 19 Sep 2008, 19:00

I started last October.

The "coach" will show you how to sort the letters into the walk frame. He/She will maybe give you a street on your first day, then add to it each day.

I only got the "training" for 2 weeks. After that, I was given my own walk for 6 months, as a guy had recently been fired.

After the 6 months, I now cover other guys days off. 5 walks per week. With my day off, being today, next week will be Saturday and Monday. Week after that Tuesday, etc etc...
:lfo :cfo

MartinMail · Post by **MartinMail** » 19 Sep 2008, 19:02

** Also

The introduction day is just basic H&S stuff.

A day off basically.

If, your managers are anything like mine, your first couple of months will be easy, then their true colours will appear.

Bar stewards.

DGP1 · Post by **DGP1** » 19 Sep 2008, 19:16

The new staff coming into my office now get NO training, just a map printed off Google and away you go

But then the trainer is working as a manager and the hours allocated to training are put back into the budget (otherwise our budget would be even more than 3k hours over

).

BELIAL · Post by **BELIAL** » 19 Sep 2008, 20:15

Check out the rules, terms and conditions,health and safety,break entitlements,bag weights,hours of employment ,overtime rates and join the union.
It is not unheard of for new starters to be exploited and abused by the management machine in an attempt to paper over the cracks. Your inexperience and insecurity may be ruthlessly exploited and often long serving staff are under too much pressure to realize [ a few won't give a s**t but they are usually of the Jack blackleg variety and few and far between]
So ,and thanks for presenting the opportunity to restate this ,if you do not wish to be treated like sweatshop labour, JOIN THE UNION,Or phone up Adam and see if you can negotiate some preferential personal terms

brothermagrew · Post by **brothermagrew** » 19 Sep 2008, 20:37

belial spoken like a true spartan.

BELIAL · Post by **BELIAL** » 19 Sep 2008, 21:03

Didn't they all get killed?

DGP1 · Post by **DGP1** » 19 Sep 2008, 21:31

BELIAL wrote: Didn't they all get killed?

Yeah but didn't they have fun doing it (all oiled up and naked

)

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 20 Sep 2008, 11:48

BELIAL wrote: Didn't they all get killed?

But they went down fighting and standing proud - a good way to show that not always does it go the way the big boys want it to.