Postman as long term career

[de91]

i have no intentions of pursuing teaching as a career, i want to be able to have a life outside of work and my health is more important than having a 'safe' job with good holidays.

This has to be some kind of a windup surely?

Sorry, it was a pretty stupid statement, I was more so referring to stress levels as a teacher and didn't even consider the physical stress on your body every day as a postman when I said that. Swings and roundabouts.

Leaving a career in teaching to become a postman. YOU must gone nuts !!

Some would agree, but it's not for me. I was thankful to actually get my qualification without having some sort of breakdown along the way. There is no way I can sustain that as a career. After those experiences I just want a job where I can get to work, put in a hard shift, get home and not think about it until the next morning.

[5plusbonusball]

Oh to have 6 weeks off in summer, 2 at easter, 2 at christmas and every saturday off! Beats my lousy 5 weeks .

[clashcityrocker]

I used to work with an ex teacher who had opted for the life of a postman over the stress of a secondary modern.

[fishtank]

I couldn't teach,I don't have the patience or the temperament to deal with kids like the arrogant little s**t I was at school.
I needed a good slap and if I had been my teacher I would have obliged.

[tilts]

Give it a go, you'll probably find that you'll be treated well by management due to the fact your educated and they will fear being tied up by your tongue!

[UnhappyGremlin]

I considered teaching also, but decided I wouldn't be able to cope with kids and their attitudes.
Little did I know about RM managers and theirs!

I wouldn't recommend RM as a career choice.
Not unless you have the drive to go into management and climb as far as you can.
This would also require a lack of a conscience.

RM will be here in 20 or 30 years, in my view.
It just won't be in the same state or format that it is now. But then, what will be?

Personally, I'd go for a managerial job in a supermarket.
It seems to be the only sector that relentlessly expands, and should therefore be relatively safe, for job security purposes.

[wiganpostie]

My missus is a teacher and she loves it, but she works with the really young 'uns, before they become wrong 'uns. I'd say a typical week for her is about 45- 50 hours, plus her pay is excellent, and the school's sick leave procedure is far more forgiving than that of Royal Mail's, and her pension is much better too. You must have had some really bad experiences as a student teacher to even consider giving that up for what this job has become.

[Judgee]

With a degree of any sort you have many options. As suggested you would be considered for many management positions... all far less brain numbing than anything within the RM. By all means have a crack at RM if you want to get a years work out of the way while you think about it, but don't look at it as a long term career move.

As for teaching well there are many choices and I'm sure I'm teaching my granny to suck eggs here but. If you don't like the little ones go for the teenagers. Hate teenagers go for mature students... hate them then maybe people with extra needs. My other half is a teacher and she has loved or hated it depending on which place she's worked at so even different schools could make a big difference. Take a break from all things to do with teaching for a while then give it another go, you may find it's not as bad as you first thought!

I suppose at least a stint at RM would make any other job seem alot better!

[camphill888]

Leaving a career in teaching to become a postman. YOU must gone nuts !!

you are 20 years to late the good times is over mate

[silly suffolk]

the pay rates for managers at rm are very good in comparison to places where you might have to use your brain. you don't have to be to clever to make a good living.

[NWpostie]

I would consider this only as a job not as a career, the money is better than some jobs no doubt about it for an unskilled grade.

With your qualifications I would considerer maybe working in higher education such as Colleges where you will get people who regretted wasting their education opportunities at School and is looking for a second chance. they are bound to be better behaved and paying for it.

As to what Royal Mail will be like in 10/20 years time it will probably a bit smaller and leaner, they may well focus on delivering packets and leaflets. not so much social mail as it will mostly be done online. it will become more mechanised with the final delivery being done by hand, the USO may well be scrapped by then letter deliveries maybe reduced to 3 day , while packets could be expanded to 7 days with franchises doing some of them and possibly taken over by a private company or consortium that will attempt to reduce wages and conditions to generate more profit for their share holders. I would give this job 10 years in current terms before we significant reductions in T&Cs with more casuals and part timers.

[maximus12]

I'd say if you are interested give it a go and find out for yourself what it's like. I started early in the year and I'm enjoying it, compared to other unskilled jobs the money is good. Start at 6, go home when you finish and forget about it until the next day. Everything in the company is determined on a seniority basis so don't expect to get first pick of anything. From what I've seen on here some offices sound aweful but where I am is pretty good. Give it a go and you will soon see if it's for you.

[dvbuk55]

How long as a teacher did it take to find you had chosen the wrong career and how long would it take you to find being a postman is the wrong choice? Perhaps you should continue in education and become an adult student. The management structure in RM is due for a major shakedown in the next 3 years and I'm pretty sure there'll be a lot less.

[catch22]

thanks for the honest replies, definitely gives me something to think about.

i did apply for a graduate scheme and my application is under review - maybe thats why they havent got in touch since i was told at my postman interview i had 'passed' and i would receive an email the next day (it has been over a week now - no number to phone to chase it up).

if i don't get onto the grad scheme or working at the train station, i will probably take the job for now with the desire to apply for future grad schemes/management jobs at royal mail. i have no intentions of pursuing teaching as a career, i want to be able to have a life outside of work and my health is more important than having a 'safe' job with good holidays.

quite looking forward to doing some physical work tbh, would make a nice change, although im sure the novelty would wear off as you veterans have said. thanks for all your opinions anyway. the next few weeks will consists of even more waiting, either for a second interview for the trains or graduate application update / postman application being accepted online.

experience is a bonus, you'll learn lots of new things. and these all look great on your CV. dont think of this job as a permanent fixture, you're young and fit to cope, but you wont be forever, so use it as a stepping stone. they are also my intentions. I have also applied via grad, but i would have to relocate and have young children. so for now. i'll stay put, and work in as many areas as i can.

the managers wage- its not that high. And not really worth aiming for unless you went higher- but with a degree, its worth going via grad training.... And i'm sure it very stressful- which is why it would help having experience....
although teaching will also be stressful, depending no where you are. i don't fancy teaching, did look into it. but felt uncomfortable dealing with large groups of kids.

Anyway- good luck with the job. i enjoy it.

[banner18]

Teaching is a vocation, it requires dedication and is not a 9 to 5 style job and it isn't a good idea going into teaching if your heart isn't in it or you want a simplistic work life balance. I can't understand why you didn't drop out of teacher training though if you found it wasn't for you. I have found that posties, considering we are an unskilled workforce, are above some of the scrat
I have found working in other unskilled sectors and as a degree qualified person you wouldn't tolerate that for long but will find a wide array of people in deliveries to get on with. Plenty of posties I know have degrees or have moved from professional jobs to the more straight forward lifestyle it offers.