USPS Job Testing

The post office employs more than 690,000 workers nationally.

The United States Postal Service, or USPS employs more than 690,000 workers at more than 37,000 national postal branches. Annually, nearly 40,000 new workers are hired to fill in retired, deceased, transferred or other employees who no longer work with the postal service. Many more thousands of people apply for these positions. The USPS has a rigorous testing and selection process.

Qualification

The United States Postal Service has strict qualifications that must be met by an applicant before he is even allowed to take an exam for employment. Usual requirements include an age limit, citizenship, state drivers license, drug tests and certain physical requirements, such as the ability to lift more than 50 pounds consistently. Each job posting has specific requirements for its position and there are general qualifications that must be met.

Written Examination

There is a four-part written exam that every applicant being considered for a position with the USPS must take. The exam consists sections on address checking, completing forms, coding and memory as well as an inventory of personal experience. Each candidate must pass the written exam with score of at least 70 percent in order to be hired with the postal service.

Warning

There are many scams in newspapers and online sources claiming to be application centers for postal service jobs. In order to know if it is a scam or not, remember that the USPS will not require you to pay to take an exam, ever.

Time Frame

The 473 Battery Exam, which is the written exam required for most USPS positions must be completed within 129 minutes. Once you have completed your application process, if you are not hired, your exam scores are good for 6 years or until you are hired, whichever occurs first.

Employees

There are numerous employment opportunities within the USPS besides mail carrier and package handler jobs. There are opportunities for mechanics, management roles, computer technicians and many other positions. The average pay range for a full-time employee with the USPS is from $40,000 to $54,000 as of June 2010.

References

• Federal Jobs Net: Post Office Jobs
• CityJobsLinks.com: Postal Service Career Opportunities
• United States Postal Service: Frequently Asked Questions
• Postal Work: Post Office Exams and Practice 473 Tests