Absolutely terrified. Starting on Monday

[fb1969]

My first day after the induction training was a Wednesday. I then shadowed and delivered a bit with the coach on Wednesday, same again on the Thursday but delivering a bit more and delivering 99% of it on the Friday but on the Saturday I was on my own. I had the "little cry" in the delivery office the following Friday after cutting off two days running and then being told that I'd done something wrong - ignoring the fact that no one had told me how to do it in the first place.

But.....................after a couple of months I am still at it and my 3 month contract has been extended well before it ended. There are some tough days and I know it will get tougher for the time being, but I just keep plodding on and doing what I can. No one can expect you to do anything more than that. I am sure that you'll be fine and you won't be beaten - if I can do it, anyone can! I know what you mean with managers, for the first three weeks I didn't have a clue who was who. The induction training was a joke (nothing really about the job, just make sure you can pick up a pouch by bending your knees and not your back and that you can push a York round in a circle).

Chatting to someone else the other day he seemed impressed that I was already thinking "don't give a fudge" after such a short period Don't get me wrong, I do give a fudge - but it is the frame of mind that I work in. I've changed the order that I deliver in to away that makes more sense to me, and that has helped. I deliver things for the benefit of the householder, not the managers, and because it pays me.

[dvbuk55]

I got home today, had a little cry, soaked my feet, shouted at myself for being a stupid softie and announced I won't be beaten.

So did i and i've been here 20 years.

Yes FT but if you come over to the naughty room I'll give you a hug

A word of warning there ft, if you're really desperate for a hug use a tree, I made the mistake of taking up his offer and I haven't walked the same since I woke up outside on the pavement only partially dressed I dread the recall

[thefemalepostie]

My first day after the induction training was a Wednesday. I then shadowed and delivered a bit with the coach on Wednesday, same again on the Thursday but delivering a bit more and delivering 99% of it on the Friday but on the Saturday I was on my own. I had the "little cry" in the delivery office the following Friday after cutting off two days running and then being told that I'd done something wrong - ignoring the fact that no one had told me how to do it in the first place.

But.....................after a couple of months I am still at it and my 3 month contract has been extended well before it ended. There are some tough days and I know it will get tougher for the time being, but I just keep plodding on and doing what I can. No one can expect you to do anything more than that. I am sure that you'll be fine and you won't be beaten - if I can do it, anyone can! I know what you mean with managers, for the first three weeks I didn't have a clue who was who. The induction training was a joke (nothing really about the job, just make sure you can pick up a pouch by bending your knees and not your back and that you can push a York round in a circle).

Chatting to someone else the other day he seemed impressed that I was already thinking "don't give a fudge" after such a short period Don't get me wrong, I do give a fudge - but it is the frame of mind that I work in. I've changed the order that I deliver in to away that makes more sense to me, and that has helped. I deliver things for the benefit of the householder, not the managers, and because it pays me.

Thank you so much for sharing. At the moment i just feel a complete failure. No information is staying in my head. They teach you everything at 200mph and then only tell you the bare minimum. Had another cry secretly from my hubby as I feel stupid. I have never cried over a job like this (well only once when a job I loved was taken from me as The business closed)

I just can't believe Royal Mail can break someone's spirit in 3 bloody days!

[WornOutPosty]

All you have to do is pick up the mail from your fitting, and post it through a letter box. If a parcel has a sticker get a signature. If you loose a packet then so what, blame it on pressure from management. Keep doing that from your start time until your finish time then go home and forget it. It's nothing more than a glorified paper round.

[dvbuk55]

Thank you so much for sharing. At the money I just feel a complete failure. No information is staying in my head. They teach you everything at 200mph and then only tell you the bare minimum. Had another cry secretly from my hubby as I feel stupid. I have never cried over a job like this (well only once when a job I loved was taken from me as The business closed)

I just can't believe Royal Mail can break someone's spirit in 3 bloody days!

It is difficult if you haven't done a physical job before and it is physical regardless of the method. The procedure is simplicity itself and when you need the information when you are on site it will come to you and if you haven't been given it then just use common sense. Should you have some doubts then do see your line manager and say that you don't feel confident, not in yourself, but in the training you have been given. My advice is don't put troubles on your shoulder that realistically belong to managers, if you are asked to complete a delivery and you don't feel that you can then tell the manager. Being a delivery officer is not quite so simple as people outside of Royal Mail believes it to be.

[monkeymutha]

I felt like crying today when it got to 4pm (after being on delivery for 6 hours), was dark and I was delivering the absorbtion part of the walk (the bit that's no-where near the other bit). Time of year though. Still only 14 more hard days until christmas. Chin up. It's a job. No-one expects much from you on your first few weeks. It actually takes a while to get good at this job, even though there is no skill involved.

[krussel]

I just can't believe Royal Mail can break someone's spirit in 3 bloody days!

Nah your tougher than you think.

Although it was a lifetime ago I can still remember my first week. I thought I was never going to get it, EVER. The frustration of watching people prep frames of mail and bundle them up at speed totally made me feel slow and stupid. I could have easy walked out that week.

Going out on my own was scary and for the first hour I actually felt awkward about walking on to people’s property. Once again I seemed to be going backwards compared to the regulars.

I made my first big mistake a couple of days later when I confused a Road with a Close and after delivering to 8 houses I ran out, of houses I mean and the numbers on the mail carried on. Stood there saying “shite” over and over again in my head and feeling a cold sweat develop. I went back and knocked on doors and got about half of it back, really humbling as they handed it back one at a time, but you do survive and that’s what the first weeks are, just survival.

Don’t forget you have joined at the busiest time of the year and where mail volumes go through the roof with loads of badly written cards and packets. The rest of the year its mostly type written.

Its going to be tough but just hang in there as we all started at the beginning.

[fb1969]

Being a delivery officer is not quite so simple as people outside of Royal Mail believes it to be.

I echo that, most people think it is just a case of putting mail through a letter box!

A big problem for me in the early days was the terminology used - frame, prep, ips, re-dies, bundle, pouches - might as well have been a foreign language. Get on top of some of them so you know what people are talking about and you a long way there. I still call a "pouch" a bag, but it is nearly three weeks since I forgot to do the redirections before bundling up and going out - thats progress

[Judgee]

It really annoys me that the training is so poop these days. As places are supposed to have a dedicated coach for training I find it even more annoying. I used to train new starters in my office. I'd written up a time sheet for them on what to do and in what order. Broke them in gently to the delivery side only giving them a full round to do on their own on the last day. Even then I'd still help them if they struggled. I didn't even get the suppliment payment that these so called coaches get these days!

Still my reward is that every person I ever trained is still working for RM today! I think that's a good thing, could be accused of wrecking their chance at a happy life I suppose!

Half the new recruits we get in my office now leave within a month, the work place coach just gets them to do half his walk each day and that's thier training for the week. Poor buggers wander around looking baffled after that!

My advice would be just work at your own pace and if you are unsure about anything try and ask someone. There are still helpful people in most offices the trick is to find these people in yours. Make notes if you have to so you can check them if you are unsure of anything. Don't worry about aching feet, after three months your feet will get used to the battering and you won't notice it. Most importantly of all.......... DON'T PANIC!

[KS]

Try and get a little perspective. Is anyone gonna die if they dont get a letter/packet or if you make a mistake. No.

[feduppostie]

stay strong you have joined at the worst time of the year

If you can survive xmas you can survive the rest of the year

chin up x

[fng]

You'll be rate

[Vespacol]

I used to get stressed on new frames as i wanted to show that i was a good worker but would spend far too long looking for one address infact i used to go dizzy sometimes

And my first few weeks i missed doing my redirections a few times , i never understood the importance of them at first
And did not know customers paid for this service


And my packet bag used to terrify me at times and trying to prep them into my walk

But put me on the same wlk for a week or two and i would be prepping the frame like lightning and thats how i enjoyed doing it personally

My own walk and it would have been my dream job

Col

[thefemalepostie]

Well I have arrived for my fourth day (second day out on a walk with trainer). I look like I have been to battle with my aches and pains and plasters and shin splint dressings!

I am ment to be doing half the round today. But with a runner for a trainer it will probably be less than a quarter as trainer wants to get back to do other work in do.

No tears this morning which is a good start. But the failure in me did drop a job application form into a place on the way to work!

[mr ford]

Well I have arrived for my fourth day (second day out on a walk with trainer). I look like I have been to battle with my aches and pains and plasters and shin splint dressings!

I am ment to be doing half the round today. But with a runner for a trainer it will probably be less than a quarter as trainer wants to get back to do other work in do.

No tears this morning which is a good start. But the failure in me did drop a job application form into a place on the way to work!

whats shin splint dressings ?