What Does a Mail Handler Do?
A mail handler sorts and distributes mail in the mailroom for a company. They must be able to work fast and accurately and distribute mail in a timely manner. Some mail handlers work for the post office, sorting incoming mail and preparing mail batches for mail carriers. They also load and unload trucks and organize the supply room.
Mail carriers use machinery to sort, cancel, and separate parcels. They may also operate forklifts and other equipment to move freight. They should be healthy and physically able to move bundles of mail. Mail handlers need to be reliable, quick-thinking, and have excellent attention to detail. Additionally, they should be able to work on their feet for long periods of time as well.
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National Average Salary
Mail handler salaries vary by experience, industry, organization size, and geography. To explore salary ranges by local market, please visit our sister site zengig.com.
The average U.S. salary for a Mail Handler is:
$42,200
Mail Handler Job Descriptions
Crafting the perfect job description may be the key to finding an exceptional mail handler. To help you with your recruiting search, our team has put together some examples from past openings.
Example 1
[Your Company Name] is looking to hire mail handlers to help sort and load our company’s mail. You will be responsible for scanning, stacking, palletizing, wrapping, and loading mail into trailers throughout your shift. Mail handlers ensure that all approved mail is correctly and completely handled according to schedules and internal controls using multiple software applications and floor organization skills. An ideal candidate follows instructions and activities coordinated by the mail expeditors and supervisors to ensure that the mail is properly handled and prepared for USPS, UPS, and FedEx approval and delivery.
Typical duties and responsibilities
- Unload trucks, move mail bags, and weigh incoming sacks
- Maintain mailroom supplies
- Pack promotional material
- Call courier services
- Load trucks services
- Operate sorting and other machinery to sort packages
- Operate forklifts and other vehicles to load mail onto trucks
- Work as a front counter clerk to sell stamps, boxes, and other items
- Organize mail according to address and location and distribute it to mail carriers
- Weighs packages and applies the correct postage for consumers
Education and experience
- High school diploma or its equivalent
- For the United States Postal Service, you must pass the postal service exam
Required skills and qualifications
- Good physical fitness
- The ability to lift up to 50 pounds
- Ability to stand or walk for long periods
- Good manual dexterity
- Detail-oriented
- Ability to perform tasks in chronological order and according to a set system
Preferred qualifications
- Familiar with basic computer software, such as Microsoft Excel
- Prior experience in a similar line of work
- Experience operating forklifts
Example 2
ABC Company seeks an energetic individual to fill an entry-level, 2nd shift role at a busy mailing company in Concord, NH! The position’s duties include handling, sorting, and packing mail in a timely and orderly fashion. Also, overtime is frequently available!
Responsibilities:
- Ability to sort automation USPS mail
- Perform hand assembly, sorting, separating, inserting, stuffing, banding, collating, decollating, labeling, sleeving, strapping, etc. as required
- Load and move trays/skids with appropriate body mechanics
- Palletize trayed mail in accordance with USPS regulations; verify tray/sack counts on all jobs
- Work independently and maintain production standards
- Assist team to complete jobs meeting quality standard
- Learn to set up and/or operate simple machinery and inserters under the guidance of an operator
- Transfer to other production areas to complete work as assigned
Desired background/skills:
- Basic math skills are required
- Punctuality and dependability
Example 3
Description
Receives, stores, and distributes freight within established guidelines by performing the following duties
Primary responsibilities
- Reads air waybill, bills of landing, or freight manifest to determine the items to be moved, gathered, or distributed
- Conveys freight from receiving areas to storage or to other designated areas with a forklift or transporter
- Sorts and places materials or items on racks, shelves, or in bins according to predetermined sequence such as consignee or destination
- Sorts and stores dangerous goods in the proper area
- Fill requisitions, work orders, or requests for materials, tools, or other stock items and distributes items to other locations
- Open bales, crates, and other containers for breakdown. Records counts of items received or distributed
- Weighs and counts items for distribution within the warehouse to ensure conformance to company standards and air waybill
- Performs cargo build-up and/or breakdowns, freight to and/or from skid, pallets, or ULDs
- Ensures that work areas are clean and hazard-free of loose nets, straps, etc.
- Must practice all company’s Safety Policies inclusive of, but not limited to: wearing PPE, equipment operation, safe lifting procedures, or obeying speed limits when driving company vehicles and equipment
- Other duties as assigned
- Must follow all Security procedures as required
Skills and qualifications
- Must have current driver’s license with no violations over the past 5 years
- Forklift certification is preferred, but not necessary
- Must be able to lift at least 70 pounds on a continuous basis
- Must be able to pass all pre-employment testing, including drug testing
Example 4
Responsibilities
- Reads work orders or follows instructions to ascertain materials or components
- Responsible for jogging product off counter stacker and stacking neatly on skid to assure good running in bindery or mailing department
- Separate signatures by hand based on customer specifications
- Counts, weighs, and records the number of units of materials moved or handled on a daily production sheet
- Complete skid flags and packaging slips to ensure accurate tracking
- Install strapping, bracing, or padding to prevent shifting or damage in transit, using hand tools
- Attaches identifying tags or labels to materials or marks information on cases, bales, or other containers
- Stacks or assembles materials into bundles and bands bundles together, using a banding machine and clincher. May occasionally operate automated equipment and/or industrial truck or electric hoist to assist in loading or moving materials and products
- Experience working in the printing industry on stitching, folding, cutting, die cutting, or gluing machinery is considered an asset
- Strong command of the English Language
- A team player with great interpersonal skills
- Other duties as assigned by management
Qualifications
- Strong attention to detail, accuracy, and quality of finished product
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with time-sensitive constraints
- Ensure exceptional quality of finished product
- Ability to lift up to 50 lbs. and perform repetitive tasks
- Must be dependable, reliable, and responsible in fulfilling obligations
- Must work well with others
- Must be flexible and open to change when needed
- Must be willing to work overtime as needed
- The ability to work 10 to 12-hour shifts
Education and experience
- High School Diploma or GED
- Minimum 1-year bindery experience
- Basic small packaging knowledge
Candidate Certifications to Look For
- Mail Design Professional (MDP). This certification course provides candidates with in-depth training on postal standards related to designing letters and flat mail, with a focus on the guidelines found in the Domestic Mail Manual. The MDP demonstrates that candidates have met the standards that help prevent small or large production errors that can cost a business thousands of dollars. The MDP certification is valid for two years.
- Certified Direct Mail Professional (CDMP). The CDMP course is intended for mailing industry professionals who want to develop and strengthen the core skills to maintain a successful direct mail business within this highly competitive environment. The course topics include predictive modeling, return-on-investment, and direct mail campaign testing strategies. The CDMP is a lifetime certification course.
- Executive Mail Center Manager (EMCM). The EMCM certification course is a comprehensive training program created for candidates who wish to develop mail center management skills. The course emphasizes proficiency in mail center management and builds the skills needed to manage mail centers more effectively, boost productivity, and reduce costs. The EMCM is a lifetime certification course.
How to Hire a Mail Handler
When hiring a mail handler, first consider the following:
- Recruiting: Do you have the knowledge, tools, and resources to attract and screen candidates?
- Complexity: Do you need a senior professional, or will mid or junior-level skills and experience suffice?
- Duration: Is this a one-time project or an ongoing need?
- Management: Do you have the time and expertise to direct the work effectively?
- Urgency: How soon does the work need to be completed?
- Headcount: Do you have the budget and approval for an internal employee, or should you consider alternate options?
Answering these questions will help determine the best course of action for your current hiring need. Fortunately, great options exist for every scenario. These are our recommendations:
1. Use 4 Corner Resources (or another professional recruiting firm)
The heavy lifting is done for you when working with a top-tier staffing company like 4 Corner Resources. We source, screen, recruit, and deliver only the most qualified candidate(s), saving you significant time and effort throughout the hiring process while you remain focused on your core business. Understanding your needs and ensuring the right candidate for the position is the key to our success.
This is the best route to take when:
- You need to fill the position quickly
- You want access to a vast talent pool of high-quality, prescreened candidates
- Your position is suited for temporary hiring services, contract staffing, or contract-to-hire recruiting, and you intend to direct the work activity.
- You are hiring an employee as a direct placement but aren’t able to recruit effectively or efficiently with your internal staff.
- You aren’t familiar with current salary rates, market trends, and available skill sets
2. Advertise your opening on a top job board
Your best option may be to advertise your opening on a proven job board. There are many widely used job sites out there that draw visits from qualified candidates. If you have someone internally who can dedicate the time and energy to sort through applications and screen individuals effectively, this can be a great choice.
We recommend using a job board when:
- Your internal recruiting team has the knowledge and experience to assess candidate qualifications
- You are hiring a direct employee and have time to manage the entire recruiting effort
- You have a process for receiving, screening, and tracking all resumes and applications
- You are prepared to respond to all applicants
We recommend using CareerBuilder for mail handler openings:
CareerBuilder
CareerBuilder has been a trusted source for hiring since 1995. Reach 80+ million unique, diverse U.S. job seekers annually by posting your jobs through their talent acquisition channels. Through CareerBuilder, you can engage candidates and drive them into your sourcing pipeline. We recommend using CareerBuilder for hiring when you have the internal resources and processes to review, screen, and reply to all applicants.
3. Leverage your internal resources
You can utilize your own website, social media, and employees to assist in your search for top candidates.
A company website posting should be the first step in notifying prospective candidates that you are hiring. Social media can also be a powerful tool for spreading the word about your new opening. As far as exposure is concerned, this option can be as good as some job boards when you have a large enough following across various platforms, like LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter.
Current employees are every organization’s greatest asset. Encourage your internal team to promote job openings to their network by offering cash and other incentives.
We recommend these options when:
- Your brand has great name recognition
- You can consistently monitor and respond to candidate activity through your website and social media accounts
- You have a process in place to quickly and broadly communicate job openings and requirements
- You have an effective employee referral program in place
If you aren’t sure which path is best, schedule a discovery call today with our seasoned recruiting professionals. The 4 Corner team is on standby to help you find the best option for your unique hiring need.
Sample Interview Questions
- What do you do to keep physically active and fit?
- Do you have experience operating a forklift?
- How much experience do you have in customer service?
- Can you describe a time when you dealt with an unhappy customer?
- Discuss a time when you worked with a team to overcome a challenge at work.
- Can you tell me about a time you came up with a creative solution to a problem?
- Why is it important to provide excellent customer service as a postal worker?
- How do you prioritize your assigned tasks?
- Explain an effective method you use to sort and organize packages for mail carriers.
- How do you manage your time when sorting mail?
- What is your workload organization process like?
