Salary of a postman

[Pat Ostman]

vAs far as working alone is concerned that only applies to the outdoor element of the job

And they have even took that away from us now.

[DirtyHarry]

That is rubbish. Oh well, I must continue my search into another career. If there was a chance of full time jobs, I would still be really interested, but that is a nightmare recruiting method for anyone looking for a secure job for life.

Secure job for life?
I can imagine quite a few middle class cretins choking on their Pimms, if they ever read the above.
A secure job for life, for any working class lad/lass is absolutely frowned upon by the middle class nonces who rule this country.
No, you're a young man, you've your whole life ahead of you, emigrate, leave this God-forsaken shell of a country, it's well on it's way to being finished for good.

[taurus88]

I think people on here over-play the education card a bit. I've got friends who have just graduated from all manner of Universities and they're considerably worse off a year down the line than I am presently. They owe circa £20k and are fighting for even the most menial of jobs. I think the education system has basically imploded in on itself, there are too many degrees and not enough skilled positions. If you're looking for a job then a postman will do for the present. Obviously, be more ambitious, but being a postman provides good experience of work and will look good on your CV considering it's with a big corporation and places you in a position of trust.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

The education system in this country is now no longer just to educate people as it once was, that's why you have courses like football culture degree. Cynics could say that market forces are being used, in that when having a Degree was relatively unusual then applicants for jobs could ask and get better pay and conditions. However, now, and more so when the target of 50% is reached, when degrees are fairly common place then T&Cs and pay for graduates will be diminishing.

[deltaforce]

Become a Heating engineer...very good earnings and always in demand!

[jockstrapp]

At the end of the day it's a job and if you need something to tide you over until you find something better then go for it.
The staff are a great bunch...the managers...aren't.Just don't expect too much and it will pay the bills.

Not the majority of ARSEH0LES in my office. They go out of their way to drop each other in the sh1t

[Lounge Lizard]

That is rubbish. Oh well, I must continue my search into another career. If there was a chance of full time jobs, I would still be really interested, but that is a nightmare recruiting method for anyone looking for a secure job for life.

Church of England vicar - that's a well paid, full time secure job for life -

[OnAFlyer]

There's often enough overtime to regularly make hours up to those of full timers.
Also there's a chance of full time after a few months if you apply for vacant walks nobody else is interested in.

Not in my office, there are currently 10+ vacant walks and nobody can apply for them. The last full time contract was given out 4-5 years ago and that was to staff who had been with RM 5yrs +.

Anyway, to the OP I would say go for it. At your age if you don't like it you can just leave. I did it as a summer job in the 90's and am still here, I love the job and couldn't imagine being sat in an office bored senseless all day.

[Terry Butcher]

I think people on here over-play the education card a bit. I've got friends who have just graduated from all manner of Universities and they're considerably worse off a year down the line than I am presently. They owe circa £20k and are fighting for even the most menial of jobs. I think the education system has basically imploded in on itself, there are too many degrees and not enough skilled positions. If you're looking for a job then a postman will do for the present. Obviously, be more ambitious, but being a postman provides good experience of work and will look good on your CV considering it's with a big corporation and places you in a position of trust.

You have a good point, Taurus. I'm a similar age to you (I take it 88 is the year of your birth?) and also have a lot of friends who are either at or have recently graduated from Uni. The problem is that when they finish there are very few jobs out there, so they struggle to get "menial" (as you put it) work for little more than minimum wage. One friend has a masters degree in Law and is working at Tesco, with over 20K worth of debt hanging over his head. The state of today's economy, lack of jobs and the sheer abundance (an devaluation) of degree holders means that me, a POSTMAN, is earning nearly £10 an hour while a LAW GRADUATE is earning just over £5 an hour on the tills of a supermarket. While I do envy the student lifestyle of my friends i can't help but wonder how long it will take them to enjoy the fruits of their labour ie graduate level employment, if ever. They envy my complete lack of debt and massive disposable income...in comparison to broke students at least!

I could see why a 40 year old postie with 20+ years at Royal Mail would persaude youngsters to embrace education as they may be unaware of the true value of a university degree today, while trying to disaude them to follow their footsteps of a career in an "unskilled" job. Us "youngsters" have the luxury of being somewhat involved in the uni process and can contemplate it's true value to meaningful future employment, we see the consequences in our friends. I'm contemplating going uni at somepoint but I'm not to sure if now is the right time. Anyway, there are far worse jobs than getting fresh air and exercise in the sunshine all day, although us posties do swear it's the worst job in the world on a wet Thursday! I'm prepared to stick it out for as long as it takes, although i don't envisage it as a career for life.

Nothing wrong with being a Postie, "menial" work is the norm these days, whether you're a law graduate or a lad who failed his G.C.S.E's. (I didn't, in case you were wondering!)

[anTi]

[quote

[Wessex]

Hello Little Jack you are leaving it a bit late to be looking for a job if you have just left school.Royal Mail recruitment now takes quite a long time to process applications so I would get your application in while you are looking for other jobs.

[taurus88]

I think people on here over-play the education card a bit. I've got friends who have just graduated from all manner of Universities and they're considerably worse off a year down the line than I am presently. They owe circa £20k and are fighting for even the most menial of jobs. I think the education system has basically imploded in on itself, there are too many degrees and not enough skilled positions. If you're looking for a job then a postman will do for the present. Obviously, be more ambitious, but being a postman provides good experience of work and will look good on your CV considering it's with a big corporation and places you in a position of trust.

You have a good point, Taurus. I'm a similar age to you (I take it 88 is the year of your birth?) and also have a lot of friends who are either at or have recently graduated from Uni. The problem is that when they finish there are very few jobs out there, so they struggle to get "menial" (as you put it) work for little more than minimum wage. One friend has a masters degree in Law and is working at Tesco, with over 20K worth of debt hanging over his head. The state of today's economy, lack of jobs and the sheer abundance (an devaluation) of degree holders means that me, a POSTMAN, is earning nearly £10 an hour while a LAW GRADUATE is earning just over £5 an hour on the tills of a supermarket. While I do envy the student lifestyle of my friends i can't help but wonder how long it will take them to enjoy the fruits of their labour ie graduate level employment, if ever. They envy my complete lack of debt and massive disposable income...in comparison to broke students at least!

I could see why a 40 year old postie with 20+ years at Royal Mail would persaude youngsters to embrace education as they may be unaware of the true value of a university degree today, while trying to disaude them to follow their footsteps of a career in an "unskilled" job. Us "youngsters" have the luxury of being somewhat involved in the uni process and can contemplate it's true value to meaningful future employment, we see the consequences in our friends. I'm contemplating going uni at somepoint but I'm not to sure if now is the right time. Anyway, there are far worse jobs than getting fresh air and exercise in the sunshine all day, although us posties do swear it's the worst job in the world on a wet Thursday! I'm prepared to stick it out for as long as it takes, although i don't envisage it as a career for life.

Nothing wrong with being a Postie, "menial" work is the norm these days, whether you're a law graduate or a lad who failed his G.C.S.E's. (I didn't, in case you were wondering!)

Yes, 88 was/is the year of my birth and my friends are very much the same, though as many as half of them are unemployed and on JSA. I envy them their "university stories" but I cannot see how it is in any way worth starting off on -£20k when you get out into the world of work. I don't want to be a career postman, and if it becomes more viable in future I would love to enhance my qualifications, but the reality is that I baulked at the notion of being in massive debt four/five years ago and I don't see a way that that's going to change in the future. Personally, I'm saving up my money to be able to buy a house and perhaps see as much of the world as possible. Doing an outdoorsy job is a massive pro for me at the moment even if there are times when it does my head in.

[fishtank]

The original poster was considering postman as a career chioce.
That would in my opinion be a mistake at his age.
As most of you who have been here a few years will agree ,there is no career progression in this job....that's all it is..a job.
If that is the sum total of your ambition at his age...to have a job,then i fear for this generation.
I would at 18 much rather bum around Europe with feck all to my name than have my soul crushed in this place.

[gb93]

There is a lot worse jobs than being a postman out there, though you would not think it going by majority of comments on this site.
The saying the grass is always greener springs to mind.
Yes maybe it has became a bit more physically demanding over the last few years and not so much time made.
But in my opinion all in all still a decent job and one I don't dread doing every day.
Maybe easily pleased.(doesn't mean T&C should be allowed to be eroded at will or indeed that they can't be improved) just some reality to what is achievable or sustainable.

[resperin]

I totally agree with what you said Terry, and i've got similar mindset/ambitions as yourself Taurus. since i've started this job a couple years ago i have saved about £27k, with o/t which i use for other expenditure like presents/going out.