Working in Royal Mail

junkmayle

Like Custardy said, the chances of you getting full time are very low. We are not killing your hope, just making sure you have no false ones. Royal Mail managers promise the earth and deliver zip. I had heard just before I left Royal Mail that people were now taken on on 1 hour contracts. Custardy may be able to confirm if they are doing that.

bakerlad1983

they were doing that in my office before i left, hiring them for an hour so they could call anyone in at anytime and not have to pay overtime rates to anyone. as for going full time, i was there 3 years part time and they kept saying that i would go full time, but then they made announcements that they will be making redundancies and only taking on staff on a max of 25 hours per week. They also dont like you working to your time as they then have to find cover to deliver the rest of the mail or do it themselves, then you will learn what royal mail are really like.. Sorry to sound so negative, but if you like outdoors and getting wet alot, then you may like it.

custardy

as said the full time contract in RM is long gone
the 1 hour contract is RM's dream for the future
we have part timers working full time hours in our office through overtime but that doesnt last
good luck to you,it maybe you land in a decent quiet office and its all good
i work in a monster office which is massivly busy with residential & business mail
its just grinds up new starts tbh

Beancounter

custardy wrote: »

as said the full time contract in RM is long gone
the 1 hour contract is RM's dream for the future

The 2 jobs I recently applied for were 40 hours per week although that does seem to be the exception rather than the rule.

Is there anywhere I can contact to see the status of my applications or is it just a case of if you hear nothing then assume the worst?

neil9313

I can see what some of the posters are saying however every office is different, just keep an open mind, and come back here for advice!

custardy

neil9313 wrote: »

I can see what some of the posters are saying however every office is different, just keep an open mind, and come back here for advice!

this is it,we have loads of new managers coming round on rotation
they cant wait to finish their rotation at our office as its just so busy and understaffed

neil9313

junkmayle wrote: »

As an ex postie, you will either sink or swim in your first week or two, and alot depends on your manager. Before last years strike, the job was good - not any more unless you have a walk of your own. Are you part time doing just deliveries? You will never get a walk of your own and you will be asked to do any walk in the office. I never had an interview, just a p!ss easy aptitude test at the local mail centre. If you possess a working brain cell, you will not be troubled by this test.

Not really true, some part timers do go on a round round from the start, a job share its called!

barnabee

Interview questions seem fairly standard for most jobs. On my interview I got asked things like:
1. Have you ever been in a position of trust by someone giving you something to look after?
2. Give an example of when you worked as part of a team.
3. Give an example of when you had to work on your own initiative.
4. How would you deal with an customer who is not happy with the service they have received?
5. How do you keep yourself fit?
6. Give an example of when you worked to a deadline.
7. Have you ever done a repetitive job before and what did you do to make it easier?

Ensure you have all of the original documents asked for. Don't forget to photocopy each one INCLUDING THE FRONT COVER OF YOUR PASSPORT. Loads of people attending the interview forgot that.

The people selected for interview I met were all notified by text and email. We all chose our own interview slot. The interview lasted about 45 mins to 1 hour. I had a decision after two weeks offering me a one hour a week contract on a permanent basis. I started this Monday gone with a one day induction course and my first day at the depot was yesterday. I went out straight away with a regular postman and shadowed him all day. Today I did the same round with another postman and will sort and deliver the round on my own this Saturday.

I left a well paid full time job to be a postman. After 5 years of working as a civilian for the Police being a postman is heaven. I do hope you are successful. Money is not everything and everyone I have met so far has been great.

kurjam

the local office near me took on part timers 25 hours a week back in 2004 , and they have made them full timers now the last was a couple of months ago.
i think it depends what office you are working from !!

jackiegibbo

Hi i am a postie in bournemouth
this is my 2nd time working for royal mail, last time i had to leave when my childcare needs didnt fit in...........couldnt get a babysitter at 530 in the morning!!!
Anyway i came back in jan on 25hr contract but i think theyve stopped doing them now.Ive gone back to the same delivery office and quite a few of the posties are still there from before.I go in at 9 just as the other posties are going out:p and today for example i didnt get out until 10,however on another day i could be out 10mins later.Ive seen a huge difference since i left 6yrs ago,moral seems very poor now,there seems to be more managers but they change frequently and the workload has definitely increased, the volume of packets is quite substantial and this week especially ive been delivering loads of wee brown boxes containig lightbulbs which take up quite a bit of space.Ive been on the same walk for 2 weeks now there are 594 households and lots of flats(the stairs can be a killer). But a couple of weeks ago i was a FLOATER:rolleyes: and did a different walk each day.Most of the posties do there walk by bike but some of them choose to use their own car with the managers approval i prefer my bike(lost loads of weight).I had a really horrible heavy day today 4 bags of mail and 2 paniers on my bike full of packets and i couldnt wait to finish............BUT i wouldnt want to do anything else