Employers
About 75,700 postal clerks work for the United States Postal Service (USPS). The USPS has few openings and is projecting to decrease its workforce by 21 percent from 2018 to 2028. More opportunities will exist with commercial delivery companies such as FedEx and UPS.
Starting Out
All new U.S. Postal Service employees serve a one-year probationary period during which their job performance and general conduct are closely observed. New employees generally spend a considerable amount of time memorizing postal regulations and operational procedures so that they may become proficient, accurate workers as quickly as possible.
After they have met the general job requirements and received a job appointment, most postal employees begin their careers as substitutes. These substitutes, who are listed on a roster in order of examination scores or by veterans' preference, may be called in as replacements for regular workers or to supplement the workforce. Vacancies in the permanent staff are filled by promoting the substitutes to regular employment according to seniority. The number of vacancies that occur depends on the size of the post office and the number of employees needed, as well as on the economic growth and population increases in the postal area served.
Package delivery companies prefer to promote employees from within the company, so the best way to enter is to start with an entry-level job as a package sorter. To advance to the level of account executive at UPS, prospective employees should have some college experience or a bachelor's degree in any field of study.