What's it like to work as a Royal mail postman?

[muffingg]

Sorry, I'm using this forum for the very first time and don't know if I'm in the right category.

What's it like to work as a Royal Mail postman? I would like to know if it would be suitable for a 19 year old male who doesn't have a car.

Will I have transport difficulties?

How early will the work begin / will I have to wake up?

Living in London, how far will I have to travel?

What is your opinion about working for Royal Mail? How stressful, how much enjoyment, how difficult, any benefits, why to take this over a supermarket role?

Thanks.

Oh good you found your way here - hope you voted me best answer

Yarhoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo?

I don't know who you are, but if you were the one who answered my question on Yahoo answers, then Thank You!

[taurus88]

Okay, okay. Real world view now fella, from somebody who's not a granddad or an eighty-year veteran of RM. You know - one of those young people who can see it from your point of view, rather than one of those old people who can barely see anything through cataracts.

Now, the job's alright, you'll hate it at first, then you'll come to hate it whilst grudgingly accepting that it's your job and that it could be worse. Once you get out of the office, you're generally out of the 'aggro zone', so you can put some music on, take your time, and enjoy your work - to the extent that it is possible to 'enjoy' it. There are the obvious pros; it will keep you fit, you'll be outside in the fresh air, and you'll get to meet a variety of people. The cons are almost the same though; it will gradually do damage to even the fittest of bodies due to the hefty workload, you will be outside and subject to the elements, and you will meet a variety of c*nts. Add to that the indoor aggro from managers and you may find that the enjoyment sometimes evades you.

However, it is a fair-paying job for work of this kind (unskilled). It doesn't take any particular intelligence beyond common sense and the ability to read and write (and count). You don't have to push yourself and the part-time hours are pretty good if you're a semi-lazy individual like myself who can be bothered to get a job, but not to actually work too hard when he's in one. In terms of all the jobs I've had, I wouldn't count it amongst my favourites. But it has got me out and about, it has improved my social skills (surprisingly), as well as my knowledge of the local area. I've visited all different kinds of areas to do delivery and the variety is sometimes very enjoyable. You will get people who moan at you, but I plod along at my own pace and remain in 'easy' mode.

If you're a fairly laidback, chillaxed kind of individual, who is prepared to work but also prepared to fight their corner a little bit, you'll be fine. I don't love the job, I no longer loathe it either - I've made a few decent mates out of it and I get along well with everyone in our office, so it's cool and I enjoy it more the more I get the hang of it. I've been in the job for circa eight months now and I can go in, do my thang, all without getting involved with any kind of internal politics.

[sheff postie]

Its a good point wigan made about managers trying it on when you first start but once you lose the fear of losing your job you can pollity put 2 fingers up to them and get back to throwing your walk off

[muffingg]

Okay, okay. Real world view now fella, from somebody who's not a granddad or an eighty-year veteran of RM. You know - one of those young people who can see it from your point of view, rather than one of those old people who can barely see anything through cataracts.

Now, the job's alright, you'll hate it at first, then you'll come to hate it whilst grudgingly accepting that it's your job and that it could be worse. Once you get out of the office, you're generally out of the 'aggro zone', so you can put some music on, take your time, and enjoy your work - to the extent that it is possible to 'enjoy' it. There are the obvious pros; it will keep you fit, you'll be outside in the fresh air, and you'll get to meet a variety of people. The cons are almost the same though; it will gradually do damage to even the fittest of bodies due to the hefty workload, you will be outside and subject to the elements, and you will meet a variety of c*nts. Add to that the indoor aggro from managers and you may find that the enjoyment sometimes evades you.

However, it is a fair-paying job for work of this kind (unskilled). It doesn't take any particular intelligence beyond common sense and the ability to read and write (and count). You don't have to push yourself and the part-time hours are pretty good if you're a semi-lazy individual like myself who can be bothered to get a job, but not to actually work too hard when he's in one. In terms of all the jobs I've had, I wouldn't count it amongst my favourites. But it has got me out and about, it has improved my social skills (surprisingly), as well as my knowledge of the local area. I've visited all different kinds of areas to do delivery and the variety is sometimes very enjoyable. You will get people who moan at you, but I plod along at my own pace and remain in 'easy' mode.

If you're a fairly laidback, chillaxed kind of individual, who is prepared to work but also prepared to fight their corner a little bit, you'll be fine. I don't love the job, I no longer loathe it either - I've made a few decent mates out of it and I get along well with everyone in our office, so it's cool and I enjoy it more the more I get the hang of it. I've been in the job for circa eight months now and I can go in, do my thang, all without getting involved with any kind of internal politics.

Thanks a lot. Really helpful information. Your comment actually made me "love" this role tbh. But are you really allowed to listen to music? They say you can't use your mobile phone, I don't know if that's got to do with listening to music as well or not.

Also what I don't understand is, why would people moan at you? I mean you are delivering their letters to them. It's not even leafletting, its their letters which they would want to get !? Weird. Could you give an example of why someone would moan at you?

And what's the pay rate like? I mean I got offered £4.92 an hour from Monday to Saturdays and more on Sundays. I think this is just the minimum wage and not really more than average !?

[sheff postie]

Are you going through an agency?

[LukeyBoy]

The usuall moans are why is my mail so late now a days? Which is fair cop really if we were still delivering in 1980.The other I find is when Im doing another round and I do it different "the usuall post man comes at 10 and your here at 11 blah blah".

[clashcityrocker]

They moan because:
you are late
you haven't shut the gate
you have delivered a surcharge card
a driver didn't deliver a packet and now they've got a 739 card
Parcelforce left their packet at the Post Offfice
TNT left their packet in the shed
you didn't knock
you knocked too loud
you didn't leave their packet in the shed like they asked
you won't pet their snarling alsation
you don't have their giro
you have correctly delivered the letter as adressed but that person left 5 YEARS AGO
etc etc etc

[muffingg]

The usuall moans are why is my mail so late now a days? Which is fair cop really if we were still delivering in 1980.The other I find is when Im doing another round and I do it different "the usuall post man comes at 10 and your here at 11 blah blah".

Oh I see. okay. But that would be very rare I think.

[sheff postie]

i once had a bloke follow me down the road in the pissing rain and ask why his letter was wet

[muffingg]

Are you going through an agency?

Yes. Why?

[RedBagMan]

If you're coming in new - like what I did 8 months ago - you probably don't give a t*ss about what it USED to be like ... you'd be going into what it's like NOW ...

Suck it and see ... I did ... and unlike several others who started at the same time - I'm still there ... and doing my best to p*ss off many peeps on here

[sheff postie]

That why you are only getting 4.92 per hour our pay is much higher than that if you want the job try and get it without the agaency, although it might be good for you to say you have already worked at RM with an agency when you apply.

[muffingg]

That why you are only getting 4.92 per hour our pay is much higher than that if you want the job try and get it without the agaency, although it might be good for you to say you have already worked at RM with an agency when you apply.

I would do that, but I'm currently so desperate for a job really. I've been looking for one for 5 months and this is only my second interview ever. (The first one didn't hear back since) So I'm kinda desperate because of so much failure. I would really do almost anything now to not waste the rest of my gap year and to earn some ££

[countyboy]

They moan because:
you are late
you haven't shut the gate
you have delivered a surcharge card
a driver didn't deliver a packet and now they've got a 739 card
Parcelforce left their packet at the Post Offfice
TNT left their packet in the shed
you didn't knock
you knocked too loud
you didn't leave their packet in the shed like they asked
you won't pet their snarling alsation
you don't have their giro
you have correctly delivered the letter as adressed but that person left 5 YEARS AGO
etc etc etc

All of the above plus "Did you have to post it so loudly you interrupred Jeremy Kyle ?" !!!

[LukeyBoy]

Personally I tend to agree with Taurus/RedBagMan I *shock* really enjoy my job i've only been with the RM for a year maybe I'll grow to hate it but at the moment It's fine.Just keep your head down,get on with,and have a laugh on the way you wont go much wrong there's worse jobs fo sure.