What You'll Do

  • Obtain signed receipts for registered, certified, and insured mail, collect associated charges, and complete any necessary paperwork.
  • Sort mail for delivery, arranging it in delivery sequence.
  • Deliver mail to residences and business establishments along specified routes by walking or driving, using a combination of satchels, carts, cars, and small trucks.
  • Return to the post office with mail collected from homes, businesses, and public mailboxes.
  • Turn in money and receipts collected along mail routes.
  • Sign for cash-on-delivery and registered mail before leaving the post office.
  • Record address changes and redirect mail for those addresses.
  • Hold mail for customers who are away from delivery locations.
  • Bundle mail in preparation for delivery or transportation to relay boxes.
  • Leave notices telling patrons where to collect mail that could not be delivered.

Essential Skills

Active Listening 3.0/5
Speaking 3.0/5
Critical Thinking 3.0/5
Social Perceptiveness 3.0/5
Time Management 2.88/5
Coordination 2.75/5
Reading Comprehension 2.62/5
Monitoring 2.62/5
Service Orientation 2.62/5
Judgment and Decision Making 2.62/5
Complex Problem Solving 2.25/5
Operations Monitoring 2.25/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to understand the kind of profile this role rewards. It helps you judge whether this career looks like a stronger match than your current role, a nearby move worth exploring, or a broader path to compare more seriously.

Top passions

  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.
  • Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.
  • Leader: Taking charge and moving ideas forward motivates you.

Common styles

Dependability, Attention to Detail, Integrity, Perseverance, Cooperation

Want a personal read on fit? Take the free assessment and compare this career to your current role, nearby alternatives, and broader stronger-fit options.

Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Information Ordering 3.12/5
Near Vision 3.12/5
Oral Comprehension 3.0/5
Written Comprehension 3.0/5
Problem Sensitivity 3.0/5
Category Flexibility 3.0/5
Arm-Hand Steadiness 3.0/5
Trunk Strength 3.0/5

Technologies & Tools

Address Management System AMS Automated Data Collection System ADCS Delivery operations information system DOIS Delivery Routing System DRS Electronic Time Clock ETC End of Run Report EOR Microsoft Office software Microsoft Windows Microsoft Word Time and Attendance Collection System TACS Word processing software

Work Environment & Strengths

Common Strengths for This Career

  • Dependability (High importance: 4.77/5)
  • Attention to Detail (High importance: 4.44/5)
  • Integrity (High importance: 4.37/5)
  • Perseverance (High importance: 4.05/5)
  • Cooperation (High importance: 4.02/5)

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How to Become One

Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful but is usually not required. Training is often provided on the job.

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Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Carrier Carrier Associate Carrier Driver City Carrier City Carrier Assistant (CCA) City Letter Carrier City Mail Carrier Clerk Carrier Collector Delivery and Mail Sorter Delivery Route Carrier Letter Carrier Mail Carrier Mail Carrier Technician Mail Clerk Mail Deliverer Mail Delivery Driver Mail Messenger Mail Rider Mailman Parcel Post Carrier Postal Carrier Postal Mail Carrier Postman Registered Route Associate Route Carrier Rural Carrier Rural Carrier Associate (RCA) Rural Carrier Associate Professional (RCA Professional) Rural Letter Carrier Rural Mail Carrier Rural Route Carrier Rural Route Mail Carrier Special Delivery Mail Carrier Special Delivery Messenger USPS Letter Carrier (United States Postal Service Letter Carrier) USPS Mail Carrier (United States Postal Service Mail Carrier)

Career Fit FAQs

Is this career a good fit for me

This page shows the role itself. To see personal fit, use the assessment to compare your interests, motivations, and strengths against this career and against the role you are in now.

Can this help if I want to stay in my field

Yes. Many people use career pages like this to compare nearby roles in the same field and see whether they need a full switch or a better-fit version of the work they already know.

What should I compare first

Start with the daily tasks, the preparation level, and the work-style signals on this page. Then use the assessment to see whether this role looks like a stronger fit than your current role or just a different title.