Newbie is panicking

[payetwhu]

Sounds like the same thing that happened to me when I started. Training ain't that great tbh

[2pints]

Sounds like a trial by fire Are they really short staffed? Bang out of order putting you on a walk on your own with no training especially when you are new!! Been here 2 years and just signed for a duty,got dumped on it last week with no help whatsoever and its a van duty working alone,i had a nightare 1st day but like others have said every day gets a little better.

[Hitcher]

Today was the second day of me doing a walk by myself. It went terrible and was just about to bust into tears. I started at 11am, did an estate and that went well. Then I headed towards a high street, started with even (214-476) and it took me sooo long to reach the end and start on the odds((479-121) (finished at 5pm). Confusing bits were business shop and flats with the same number but flats had A,B,C... I was told today that from day one (last Tuesday) I was taught wrong. Not organising the parcels but instead having to search all parcels till I got to the one I needed. Rushing in the sorting office which of course leads to wastage of time on the route. I have had 3 different persons telling me different things.
I work well under pressure and I know I can do this job but right now I feel really low and having doubts.
I thought that a bit more time were given to newbies.
Where am I going wrong.

Thanks

who does a walk by themselves now anyway ??????????????????????????????

Sounds like a HCT duty.

[arnold cheshire]

Today was the second day of me doing a walk by myself. It went terrible and was just about to bust into tears. I started at 11am, did an estate and that went well. Then I headed towards a high street, started with even (214-476) and it took me sooo long to reach the end and start on the odds((479-121) (finished at 5pm). Confusing bits were business shop and flats with the same number but flats had A,B,C... I was told today that from day one (last Tuesday) I was taught wrong. Not organising the parcels but instead having to search all parcels till I got to the one I needed. Rushing in the sorting office which of course leads to wastage of time on the route. I have had 3 different persons telling me different things.
I work well under pressure and I know I can do this job but right now I feel really low and having doubts.
I thought that a bit more time were given to newbies.
Where am I going wrong.

Thanks

who does a walk by themselves now anyway ??????????????????????????????

Sounds like a HCT duty.

yes we dont have them in our office

[joeyuk]

As others have said, dont worry its the same for everyone. It sounds like my 1st couple of weeks, was left on my own from day 3 after only doiung the round once with someone. It took over 4 hours to do a very easy duty. Did it again 3 months later and took me under 2 hours. Just takes awhile to get used to tieing up right and what works for you.

[bustedflush]

You are obviously a reserve so will get given the crap rounds nobody wants - sounds like that was one! You should really be paired and get used to different people and rounds before being put on your own. The stress and frustration of being lost, standing there scratching your head wondering where a letterbox is etc. all the time being conscious of the clock ticking is the shittiest feeling you can get at RM. I too went through it a few years back and know how bad it feels, especially when you know you have be at the school at a certain time.

I hope you got overtime 2 hrs. from your DIM for it. If not don't be afraid to ask, or get your rep to make sure of it. Also don't be afraid to tell them you NEED to finish on time to your contracted hours. They can't hold it against you, and it may even encourage them to give you a 'gentler' job(s) before your experience and speed increases. Tomorrow tell them before you go that you can't/won't go complete the round before 3 and then it's their job to ensure you are assisted in doing so or have some work removed.

It's a ****ing joke how RM treat their new posties and the stress they put them through with no time or provision for adequate training.

[salomon]

I got 2 days trainjng on my first round last year, kept that for 6 weeks then had to train someone else on it and I was put on a round with no training. In the run up to Xmas I never once finished in time to pick my children up from school! Thankfully I could make arrangements, but even now I get rung up at 7am and asked to cover a different round. Flexibility is one way! You won't be in a van until you've done the rm 4hr driving test, it was 4 months before I drove. Good luck, ask the other posties for help they were very helpful to me. Also see if you can get a bit of your round covered so you can have a chance at getting up to speed.

[CharlesSpooner]

It's part time (10-3. Part time because I drop and pick my daughter off school. Can't go earlier to work in the mornings because of that. I help finish off the sorting and by the time am off to the walk it's 11ish. I originally applied for postperson with driving and I never really expected to be doing walk. Thought I was going to be having driving role from day one.

The driving bit in the job description is so that should your duty require it you'll be able to drive - most duties involves driving out to the delivery and then walking round delivering. The van is used more like a big trolley to move from one part of your delivery to another and to deliver any large parcels - by and large most of the work is still walking round. There are very few remaining duties, percentage wise, that are done exclusively from a van.

As far as handy hints go then I'd say preparation is key. If you rush the prep it'll take twice as long outside to get everything straight.

Get everything in order in your bags/trolley and get your packets in some semblance of order as well. I often tuck a notice left card into my bundle where I've got a parcel as a reminder. I also put smaller or slim parcels directly into the bundle. It's easier to find your next bundle then go digging around for a little parcel thats worked it's way into the bottom of your bag or trolley.

Flat numbers and shops can be a little baffling but you'll find it much easier after even a day or two - once you know where a certain flat entrance or what number a shop is then that's it. Stuff like that you don't need to work out twice. Problem solved! And even if you get shifted round different duties you develop a knack of sussing out the layout of flats, shops, businesses etc.

You'll get quicker, you'll find it easier and when you make the inevitable mistakes then don't worry. An honest mistake is just that - I still make them after 20+ years.

[datasaint]

With a 10-3 start time you'll most likely be doing cut-offs from around the office. Far from ideal for a new starter.

It's just a question of perseverance, you'll slowly learn the areas and then the job will get easier. Best thing to do at the start is not to rush, don't deliver something if you aren't sure where it is endorse the mail as 'delivery point unkown', don't walk back massive distances if you discover a mis-sort, and ask questions from other posties.

[delfranklin1969]

We've all been there and there are always friendly posties who will help out newbies. You will have horrendous days where you lose the will to live but stick it out. You do get more and more used to it as time goes on. The public don't realize what goes on in our job, they think we just breeze round with a bit of mail and a smile on our face!!!

One bit of advice I would give is try not to worry about those around you. It can be really frustrating tying up when most if not all have long gone out the building. These people have probably been doing the same round day in day out for years and are almost like pre programmed robots! Just concentrate on what your doing and you will find you get quicker as time progresses. Unfortunately when you are new you are pushed around from pillar to post, I got training on my first two rural rounds which was not a bad intro the job then I was stuck on what was at the time the worst round in the office (I did get two days training!). It was when I was put on this round I had some of the worst days in my three and a half years at RM!

We had some new people start last year and one lady who has turned out to be a very efficient postie was given one days training (by me lol!) on a round which for a newbie should have had at least two in reality three. It was the second round she learnt and before that she had done a nice gentle rural round for three weeks. This was a town round but one in an estate with very confusing numbering and where streets actually are. She came close to tears and quitting and I said to her when she turned up for work the next day that if you can get through a day like that you will be fine. I've seen others quit the moment they have a bad day and we all have them (sometimes still do but when you are experienced they are not nearly so bad!).

But yeah as others have stated, RM training these days can be pretty shoddy.

[jimmynailsalive]

When I started the biggest help was bringing my walk area up on google maps and having a wee walk through.

Another help is to name all your loops if they are not already done as some people seem to just have bag 1 to 8 etc so re-write the card ie Bag 1 Smith Road 1-120 etc, I'm on a shared walk and used coloured card for my tags which went well for over 3 months until someone pinched our bags last week and obviously ripped them out.

Then load your van in the same order every day, split your parcels into 3 or 4 areas, just lob the last loops to back right with first couple at front of van on top of the mail bags.

A sheet of A4 paper will be sufficient to list your loops and highlight reminder points under each bit where you go wrong so you don't repeat the next day, just accept you'll make a few mistakes but if you follow some of the above each day, it will soon improve and you'll be on here in no time complaining about the lapsing you're getting!

Best of luck.

[korky]

But yeah as others have stated, RM training these days can be pretty shoddy.

they give training?
lad here got suspended because he didn't know the duty & never been told the new procedure of emptying the mail box!
needless to say, he got a free holiday

[delfranklin1969]

But yeah as others have stated, RM training these days can be pretty shoddy.

they give training?
lad here got suspended because he didn't know the duty & never been told the new procedure of emptying the mail box!
needless to say, he got a free holiday

Blimey that's harsh but doesn't surprise me!!!!

[korky]

true!
not all of our d/o collects mail, no training, foreign duty, feck off ya suspended!
what a lovely company it is we work for!

[Barbel]

I remember it well the first time I was sent out on my own with a trolley and in an area I didn't know or was shown. It's exactly how you describe, having to search around for parcels, wanting to cry and jack it in. Just hang on in there and don't give up, it really does get better and you'll be glad you stuck at it. Good luck!