interview fast approaching...

[aspiring postlady]

Hi guys

I hope you are all well. I know there are many topics and threads open for new starters but i feel by opening a new thread i will receive more feedback and advice? (am hoping)

1) I have an interview next week for a postwoman with driving position just wondering how i can prepare for this?

2) It is a part-time role. Currently i work full-time and get paid £1400 a month after tax. Just wondering are there many opportunities to change to full-time as this is my intention to have a full-time job. Also what is the pay like? How much do you think i will get paid on my part time hours? The times i will be working is stated below;

Hours of work:
Part time, 25 hours per week (9.00am - 2.00pm Monday to Saturday with 1 day off)
Attendance may vary approximately 1 hour either side.

3) what challenges do you face? what are the good bits and bad bits about the job? please be honest as i am thinking of leaving my current role for this role as i want an outdoor active job to improve my physical well-being. Are thier any targets and if so are they easy to meet?

4) are there any opportunities to progress? if so, which role would be offered?

5) Do you have to work in rainy snowy weather conditions? Are you prone to getting more ill by doing this?

Many thanks,

That's all the questions i have for now. Thanks in advance! :-)

[Rumple]

Very unlikely to get made full time. RM want more part time contracts, that is how they see the future.
Yes we work in rainy, snowy conditions but that won't make you Ill.
The pros- the hourly rate isn't too bad.
You get a cracking tan in summer.
You work with some great people.
The cons- your hips, knees and ankles will ache endlessly.
You don't get supplied sun cream in the summer.
You work with some total bell ends.
You work in terrible weather in winter.
Management will put you under pressure to work harder and faster even if your at your limit.
A turkey in December has better prospects looking forward than a postie.

If I was taking home £1400 after tax I wouldn't swap it for a p/t job with RM unless it was a nightmare of a job.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

1. Like any other interview - lots of research. Also check out response on here to similar questions about the questions they ask.

2. Opportunities to go full time. Extremely unlikely to happen quickly. Current average time to get a FT position at my office is 10 - 12 years. FT Pay is roughly the same as your previous - but thats after a years probation and if you are employed by RM either on a permanent contract or a Fixed Term one. If casual it depends if its through Angard (just above MW) or RM (a little more) and where you are.

Overtime is generally available either on your own duty, or to cover absences

3. Dogs, Terrain, Weather, the public - basically the usual stuff.
No actual targets, unless you go into management - but you are expected to work at quite a high walking speed when on delivery. 2.1mph may not sound a lot but when you have to stop at every house to put their mail in - then the actual speed needed to stay at the average is 4mph - and you have to keep that up for 4.5 hours or more.

4. Only into management or training. There is currently only 1 grade of post person and we all called OPGs.

5. Yes you HAVE to work in any weather unless its too dangerous to do so. One winter I had to walk into work as buses weren't running get the duty ready. Buses had started then so got one to my round. Delivered the round in continual snow and then, because the buses had been withdrawn, walked into work, then walked home as well. Longest day ever. Yes you are more prone to illness, but a lot of posties take supplements and annual flu jabs to combat it.

PS you are okay starting a new thread, but look round others as well - you'll get a better balanced and more rounded view. Ignore the doom and gloom stuff, and the opposite ones where every thing is perfect - the truth is somewhere in the middle.

[bustedflush]

OK, you'll be tired first 2-4 weeks until your body gets used to the walking. You will be able to eat more and not put on weight. You have the same chance of a FT contract in the next 5 years as Torquay Utd. have of winning the Premier League in the same timescale. The stress is bad at the start, as you get used to a job for a few weeks then being a reserve you get chucked from pillar-to-post onto different frames/walks with different partners. You will be given a training booklet of 16 or so pages filled in by your 'workplace coach'. Mine has one paragraph after nearly 2 years. For my first 6 months it felt like starting a new job every Monday when changed from walk to walk weekly. You have to be a certain type of person to hack it. If you last 6 months you are in a small minority of the new intakes. Everything that goes wrong is YOUR fault according to the managers. Don't even think of booking leave in June/July/August in your first 10 years due to 'seniority' - you won't get it. (I have heard this may be changing soon though.)
Once you're used to it it becomes better like all jobs. Experience is the key, standing up for yourself. Make sure the CWU rep speaks to you about your rights and informs you of the unfair pressure that occurs if you can't complete in your allotted time or want O/T as a result. Work your hours and don't be tempted to start early because you feel 'slower' than the rest. Don't have any sick-time in your first year, you won't get a cent in pay for it.
Apart from that it's alright.

[Tanker007]

All of the above...Just to reiterate...you will NOT get Full time hours!..not now not ever..unless you move to a management position...and that brings a shed load more of problems.. You need to weigh up what's best for you..but if i had my time again I never would have applied to join RM

[ganda]

Twenty three years and counting, yes it's bliddy awful now but was a great job ten years ago. When I started I rang RM and they told me to report to the local DO the next morning at 5:10am. I got there and no one knew I was coming, still they set me on and that was that. How times have changed.

[dave72]

Don't worry about the weather, they supply you with the gear to face it. Just don't get caught in the rain with just the kagool

[deekin]

In the interview you will be asked to give examples of times you have done this or that. Don't just say "yeah, pressure is something I handle well" or "I enjoy helping customers", have a few examples from previous work of how you went an extra mile somehow or how you had to one day act on initiative because something went wrong, or how a misunderstanding was eventually dealt with. I think there are currently 6 scenario questions but they will ask only 2 of them. They evolve around customer service and coping with unexpected problems and teamwork.
There will be no questions based on imaginary scenarios any more like "what would you do if..."
The interviewing manager/s will mark your answer on a scale. Later on they will also ask you some common sense questions and they will ask what you would check on a van before driving it.

[aspiring postlady]

hey guys

thank you soooo much for your wise words and experience at RM. After researching and looking around on this forum i have come to a conclusion to withdraw my application. I don't want to be faced with unrealistic targets i have this problem in my current workplace and it does bring you down when you feel as though your under-performing.

I would have loved the opportunity to eat more and not gain weight though

I guess i have to continue my daily long walks - not to worry all is good and thank you each and every one of you for taking the time out to reply back. Your very kind.

[aspiring postlady]

Good luck to everyone whos in this role your very brave. Stay strong for yourself and family. No wonder posties are always in such a rush these days - everyone is bombarded with ridiculous targets.

[Lounge Lizard]

Hi guys

I hope you are all well. I know there are many topics and threads open for new starters but i feel by opening a new thread i will receive more feedback and advice? (am hoping)

1) I have an interview next week for a postwoman with driving position just wondering how i can prepare for this?

2) It is a part-time role. Currently i work full-time and get paid £1400 a month after tax. Just wondering are there many opportunities to change to full-time as this is my intention to have a full-time job. Also what is the pay like? How much do you think i will get paid on my part time hours? The times i will be working is stated below;

Hours of work:
Part time, 25 hours per week (9.00am - 2.00pm Monday to Saturday with 1 day off)
Attendance may vary approximately 1 hour either side.

3) what challenges do you face? what are the good bits and bad bits about the job? please be honest as i am thinking of leaving my current role for this role as i want an outdoor active job to improve my physical well-being. Are thier any targets and if so are they easy to meet?

4) are there any opportunities to progress? if so, which role would be offered?

5) Do you have to work in rainy snowy weather conditions? Are you prone to getting more ill by doing this?

Many thanks,

That's all the questions i have for now. Thanks in advance! :-)

(1) You're fit, honest, reliable, trustworthy, hard working and a good driver.
(2) Overtime, to make up to full time hours or beyond, isn't as readily available as it once was, but there should be plenty up to Christmas.
(3) Other than the usual struggles of learning a new job the main challenges are likely to be wear and tear on your joints in years to come.
(4) There will be vacancies for managers, but don't expect to want to do that.
(5) Yes, all weather conditions, but probably no more prone to illness than many other jobs.
Good luck.