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Start your career by getting an entry level job working in a mailroom at a post office, corporate office, etc. 

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The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service

Prepare incoming and outgoing mail for distribution. Time-stamp, open, read, sort, and route incoming mail; and address, seal, stamp, fold, stuff, and affix postage to outgoing mail or packages. Duties may also include keeping necessary records and completed forms.

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Conventional

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Realistic

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Enterprising

Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

Social

Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

Artistic

Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

Investigative

Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Office and Administrative Support Occupations

Other Office and Administrative Support Workers

Wrap packages or bundles by hand, or by using tying machines.

Verify that items are addressed correctly, marked with the proper postage, and in suitable condition for processing.

Remove containers of sorted mail or parcels and transfer them to designated areas according to established procedures.

Sort and route incoming mail, and collect outgoing mail, using carts as necessary.

Affix postage to packages or letters by hand, or stamp materials, using postage meters.

Determine manner in which mail is to be sent, and prepare it for delivery to mailing facilities.

Accept and check containers of mail or parcels from large volume mailers, couriers, and contractors.

Seal or open envelopes, by hand or by using machines.

Weigh packages or letters to determine postage needed, using weighing scales and rate charts.

Inspect mail machine output for defects and determine how to eliminate causes of any defects.

Email software

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Access

Recordkeeping software

Microsoft Excel

Financial accounting software

Adobe Acrobat

Microsoft Office software

Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Word

Web browser software

Electronic mailing machines

Mail handling machines

Mail processing machines

Postage marking machines

Postage meters

Mail scales

Mail sorting equipment

Microfilm viewing equipment

Mail carts

Copy machines

Lamination machines

Computer data input scanners

Automatic envelope opening machines

Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.

Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).

Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?

Every day

How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?

How often is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?

Once a week or more but not every day

How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

Constant contact with others

Contact with others most of the time

How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?

Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams

Once a month or more but not every week

How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

Extremely important

Very important

How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?

A lot of freedom

Some freedom

How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?

Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team

Important

How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?

Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls

Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service

Overview

Career

What Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service Do

Other Job Titles Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service

Overview

Career

What Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service Do

Other Job Titles Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service

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