Post Office Jobs and How To Find One

The Postal Service streamlined their application and testing process several years ago and Post Office job announcements are now posted on-line. Applicants are tested for specific job vacancies and a part of the exam is completed online during the application process. We provide a USPS job Search Guide on this site to familiarize you with the USPS employment website. The Postal Service is no longer offering blanket mail carrier exams to build hiring registered for major metropolitan areas. They are now advertising job vacancies online as they occur and testing the applicants through the new 473, 474, 475, and 476 virtual assessment exams.

Postal recruitment notices are advertised online, and they may also be advertised in national publications, journals and periodicals. Use this site’s post office job listings, the Postal Service’s Website, and our Post Office Job eCareer Guide to get you started. If there are no vacancies listed on the sites mentioned above, contact individual mail facilities in your area to find out when they intend to recruit. Also explore related federal jobs that includes links to 141 federal recruiting Web sites. 

Post Office Job Vacancies, Hiring Process, and Temp Positions

• Introduction
• Hiring Process
• Jobs Requiring Exams – Mail handlers, mechanics, maintenance, laborers, clerical, technicians, etc.
  • 474 Postal Exam Test Questions (Practice Test)
• Occupations
  • Largest Occupations List – Includes links to related private sector jobs in your area
  • Major Occupations List – All fields with links to related private sector jobs in your area
• Job Outlook
• Advancement
• Post Office Jobs Web Site Guide – Job search instructions & links for the official USPS employment web site. Included direct link to the USPS employment page. 
• Casual (Temporary) Positions – No test required – hires nationwide each year starting in June
• Corporate Job Positions – Jobs that don’t require entrance exams
•   Security Clearance Jobs Center
• Federal Jobs – Explore federal government jobs in all sectors.
• EHS Jobs / Safety Jobs – Environmental Health & Safety Jobs – All Sources
• Health Care Jobs – Explore entry level jobs
• Pay Scales
• Federal Jobs (Explore related federal occupations)
  • 2022 Federal General Schedule Pay Scales
• Benefits (Vacation, insurance, healthcare, 401K retirement plan, and more)

Introduction

The more contacts you make, the greater your chances. Too often job seekers apply for the first job they find and then forget about the process until they receive a reply. Post office jobs are highly competitive. The more positions you apply for, the better your chances. There are also jobs that don’t require entrance exams.

A listing of Customer Service District Offices is included on this site for you to contact for information about hiring in your area. Professional or administrative positions that do not require written exams are also posted on the USPS web site .

Job Outlook

The postal service has recruited significant numbers over the past two years due to increased mail volume resulting from the COVID crisis, a higher reliance on home delivery, and the dramatic increase in voting by mail in many states.

Overall employment of postal service workers is projected to decline 6 percent from 2021 to 2031. Despite declining employment, about 38,100 openings for postal service workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.

The postal service has remained a reliable employment option, even under these challenging conditions, for those who know how to apply for job vacancies and prepare for postal exams. Additional opportunities will be created as those who are at or beyond retirement age opt to retire. Each day 10,000 baby boomers turn age 65 and this trend is projected to continue for another 15 years. Hiring will be driven by retirements and the need to maintain staffing throughout their extensive network that includes over 33,000 facilities.

Advancement

Postal Service workers often begin on a part-time, flexible basis and become regular or full time in order of seniority, as vacancies occur. Full-time workers may bid for preferred assignments, such as the day shift or a high-level nonsupervisory position. Carriers can look forward to obtaining preferred routes as their seniority increases. Postal Service workers can advance to supervisory positions on a competitive basis.

Also, explore and apply for federal government jobs to improve you chance of employment.

Positions Requiring Exams

Written Exams – Approximately 80% of all Postal jobs required the applicant to register for and take one or several of the virtual assessment exams. The remaining 20% are “Corporate Jobs” and they select applicants for interviews after reviewing and rating the detailed application that you must submit when you apply for these jobs. The majority of tested entry level jobs are for city carrier, rural carrier, mail processing clerk, mail handler, and sales, services, and distribution associates and these occupations require you to take the 474 Postal Exam. There are also exams for other occupations as noted on the following list. The other exams are:

• Exam 630 – Postal Police Officer Police Officer*
• Exam 710 – Clerical Abilities Exam for clerk, clerk-typist, and clerk stenographers*
• Exam 713 – CBT Ver 2.0 Typing Test (30 words per minute required)*
• Exam 714 – Computer Based Test for Data Entry*
• Exam 715 – 715 Ver 2.0 Data Entry
• Exam 744 – Accounting Technician
• Exam 807 – Defensive Driving Course
• Exam 916 – Custodial Maintenance and Laborer*
• Exam 931 – Maintenance specialists/technicians, welders, custodian, building equipment mechanic, carpenter, elevator mechanic, fireman, general mechanic, machinist, electrician, mason, painter, plumber, and stationary engineer.
• Exam 943 & 944 – Automotive Mechanic*
• Exam 955 – Mechanical and Electronics*
• 474 Postal Exam Test Questions
• Other Postal Exams

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