BlissPoint Analytics

Occupation AtlasPostal Service Clerks

O*NET · 43-5051.00

Postal Service Clerks

Perform any combination of tasks in a United States Postal Service (USPS) post office, such as receive letters and parcels; sell postage and revenue stamps, postal cards, and stamped envelopes; fill out and sell money orders; place mail in pigeon holes of mail rack or in bags; and examine mail for correct postage. Includes postal service clerks employed by USPS contractors.

Also called Annuitant HCA · Annuitant HCA (Annuitant Holiday Clerk Assistant) · Bulk Clerk · Bulk Mail Clerk · Bulk Mail Technician · Business Mail Entry Clerk · CCA · City Carrier
35 more

City Carrier Assistant (CCA) · Clerk · Counter Clerk · Delivery Associate · Delivery Clerk · Distribution Clerk · Dock Clerk · Mail Agent · Mail Caller · Mail Clerk · Mail Handler · Mail Order Clerk · Mailing Clerk · Mailroom Associate · Mailroom Clerk · Money Order Clerk · Package Handler · Package Sorter · Package Switcher · Parcel Post Clerk · Part Time Flexible Clerk (PTF Clerk) · Post Office Clerk · Postal Clerk · Postal Service Clerk · Postal Service Window Clerk · Postal Support Employee · PTF Clerk · Rural Carrier · Rural Carrier Associate · Sales and Distribution Clerk · Sales and Service Associate (SSA) · Special Delivery Clerk · SSA · Stamp Clerk · Window Clerk

Job Zone 2 — Some Preparation NeededHolland code CRE35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed

Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma, some previous work-related skill or experience, and a few months to a year of training with experienced workers.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

CREConventional · Realistic · Enterprising — the three strongest interests, in order

  • C Conventional6.55
  • R Realistic3.21
  • E Enterprising2.71
  • S Social2.57
  • I Investigative1.00
  • A Artistic1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • Less than a High School Diploma8%
  • High School Diploma or the equivalent68%
  • Post-Secondary Certificate7%
  • Some College Courses18%
Related work experience
None (28%)
On-site or in-plant training
Up to and including 1 month (51%)
On-the-job training
Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month (33%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Active Listeningbasic3.43.1Level 4 looks like: Answer inquiries regarding credit references
  • Speakingbasic3.33.0Level 2 looks like: Greet tourists and explain tourist attractions
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Understand an email from management describing new personnel policies
  • Service Orientation3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Ask customers if they would like a cup of coffee
  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.03.3Level 4 looks like: Evaluate customer complaints and determine appropriate responses
  • Time Management3.02.6Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Monitoringbasic3.02.5Level 2 looks like: Proofread and correct a letter
  • Social Perceptiveness3.02.4Level 2 looks like: Notice that customers are angry because they have been waiting too long
  • Writingbasic2.93.0Level 2 looks like: Write down a guest's order at a restaurant
  • Judgment and Decision Making2.92.1Level 2 looks like: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
  • Complex Problem Solving2.82.5Level 2 looks like: Lay out tools to complete a job
  • Mathematicsbasic2.82.5Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
Show the other 23
  • Coordination2.82.3Level 2 looks like: Schedule appointments for a medical clinic
  • Persuasion2.62.5Level 2 looks like: Solicit donations for a charity
  • Active Learningbasic2.62.0Level 2 looks like: Think about the implications of a news article for job opportunities
  • Negotiation2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
  • Learning Strategiesbasic2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Learn a different method of completing a task from a coworker
  • Management of Personnel Resources2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
  • Instructing2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Instruct a new employee in the use of a timekeeping system
  • Quality Control Analysis2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Inspect a draft email for errors (e.g., grammar, punctuation)
  • Systems Analysis2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Operations Monitoring2.01.6Level 2 looks like: Monitor completion times while running a computer program
  • Systems Evaluation2.01.3Level 2 looks like: Determine why estimates for the time to complete a task are overly optimistic
  • Management of Financial Resources1.91.6Level 2 looks like: Use available funds to buy office supplies and record the amount of the purchase
  • Troubleshooting1.91.5Level 2 looks like: Identify the source of a leak by looking under a machine
  • Management of Material Resources1.91.3Level 2 looks like: Reserve a room for a management meeting
  • Operation and Control1.81.0Level 2 looks like: Navigate the settings on an office printer to print on both sides of the paper
  • Programming1.60.6
  • Operations Analysis1.50.5
  • Technology Design1.50.5
  • Equipment Maintenance1.0—
  • Equipment Selection1.0—
  • Installation1.0—
  • Repairing1.0—
  • Sciencebasic1.0—

Tasks

6 core · 13 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Weigh letters and parcels, compute mailing costs based on type, weight, and destination, and affix correct postage.4.6
  2. Check mail to ensure correct postage and that packages and letters are in proper condition for mailing.4.5
  3. Sort incoming and outgoing mail, according to type and destination, by hand or by operating electronic mail-sorting and scanning devices.4.4
  4. Obtain signatures from recipients of registered or special delivery mail.4.3
  5. Answer questions regarding mail regulations and procedures, postage rates, and post office boxes.4.3
  6. Transport mail from one work station to another.4.2
Show the other 13
  1. Sell and collect payment for products such as stamps, prepaid mail envelopes, and money orders.4.7
  2. Keep money drawers in order, and record and balance daily transactions.4.6
  3. Register, certify, and insure letters and parcels.4.5
  4. Complete forms regarding changes of address, or theft or loss of mail, or for special services such as registered or priority mail.4.4
  5. Provide assistance to the public in complying with federal regulations of Postal Service and other federal agencies.4.3
  6. Put undelivered parcels away, retrieve them when customers come to claim them, and complete any related documentation.4.3
  7. Respond to complaints regarding mail theft, delivery problems, and lost or damaged mail, filling out forms and making appropriate referrals for investigation.4.3
  8. Receive letters and parcels, and place mail into bags.4.3
  9. Rent post office boxes to customers.4.2
  10. Provide customers with assistance in filing claims for mail theft, or lost or damaged mail.4.1
  11. Cash money orders.3.8
  12. Feed mail into postage canceling devices or hand stamp mail to cancel postage.3.8
  13. Order retail items and other supplies for office use.3.7

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Customer and Personal Service4.04.1Level 4 looks like: Be responsible for 10 children at daycare
  • English Language3.43.5Level 4 looks like: Edit an article for a news website
  • Mathematics3.43.2Level 4 looks like: Analyze data to determine areas with the highest sales
  • Administrative3.03.6Level 4 looks like: Type 30 words per minute
  • Computers and Electronics3.03.6Level 4 looks like: Use a computer to format a document
  • Sales and Marketing3.03.0Level 4 looks like: Introduce clients to a new line of products
  • Transportation3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Drive a semi-truck through a busy city
  • Administration and Management2.93.0Level 4 looks like: Monitor progress of a project to ensure timely completion
Show all 33
  • Public Safety and Security2.92.5Level 1 looks like: Use a seatbelt
  • Production and Processing2.82.8
  • Education and Training2.72.8
  • Personnel and Human Resources2.42.0Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • Psychology2.41.8Level 1 looks like: Monitor several children on a playground
  • Economics and Accounting2.32.1Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • Communications and Media2.21.9Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Mechanical2.21.6Level 1 looks like: Replace the filters in a furnace
  • Telecommunications2.11.7Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Law and Government2.01.9Level 1 looks like: Describe the length of a U.S. presidential term
  • Sociology and Anthropology1.91.5Level 1 looks like: Identify two cultures in a story as being different
  • Engineering and Technology1.81.4Level 1 looks like: Install a door lock
  • Geography1.81.6Level 1 looks like: Know the capital of the United States
  • Design1.61.0Level 1 looks like: Draw a straight line 4 3/16 inches long
  • Therapy and Counseling1.61.2Level 1 looks like: Put ice on a sprained ankle
  • Philosophy and Theology1.51.4Level 1 looks like: Watch a TV show on family values
  • Physics1.51.0Level 1 looks like: Use a crowbar to pry open a box
  • Chemistry1.40.9Level 1 looks like: Use a common household bug spray
  • Foreign Language1.40.7Level 1 looks like: Say "please" and "thank you" in a foreign language
  • Medicine and Dentistry1.40.5Level 1 looks like: Use a band-aid
  • Building and Construction1.3—
  • Food Production1.2—
  • History and Archeology1.2—
  • Biology1.1—
  • Fine Arts1.1—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Oral Comprehension4.03.8Level 4 looks like: Understand a coach's oral instructions for a sport
  • Oral Expression3.94.0Level 4 looks like: Give instructions to a lost motorist
  • Near Vision3.53.6
  • Speech Clarity3.43.1Level 4 looks like: Make stadium-wide announcements during a sporting event
  • Speech Recognition3.43.1Level 4 looks like: Identify a former customer's voice over the phone
  • Written Comprehension3.43.3Level 4 looks like: Understand an apartment lease
  • Category Flexibility3.12.8Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Deductive Reasoning3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
Show all 52
  • Information Ordering3.12.9Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Manual Dexterity3.12.9
  • Trunk Strength3.12.9Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness3.02.8Level 2 looks like: Light a candle
  • Finger Dexterity3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Put coins in a parking meter
  • Inductive Reasoning3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Decide what to wear based on the weather report
  • Mathematical Reasoning3.02.1Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Number Facility3.02.9Level 3 looks like: Calculate a discounted price
  • Perceptual Speed3.02.8Level 2 looks like: Sort mail according to ZIP codes with no time pressure
  • Problem Sensitivity3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Recognize that an unplugged lamp won't work
  • Selective Attention3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Answer a business call with coworkers talking nearby
  • Far Vision2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Read a roadside billboard
  • Written Expression2.92.8
  • Extent Flexibility2.82.6Level 2 looks like: Reach to adjust the radio in a car
  • Speed of Closure2.82.1Level 3 looks like: Recognize a song after hearing only the first few notes
  • Static Strength2.82.6
  • Time Sharing2.82.8Level 3 looks like: Watch street signs while driving at 30 miles an hour
  • Flexibility of Closure2.62.5Level 2 looks like: Detect that your phone is ringing while at a concert
  • Auditory Attention2.52.3Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Multilimb Coordination2.52.1Level 2 looks like: Row a boat
  • Stamina2.51.8Level 1 looks like: Walk 1/4 mile
  • Control Precision2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Adjust a room light with a dimmer switch
  • Memorization2.32.0Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
  • Dynamic Strength2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Gross Body Coordination2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.11.8Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Visual Color Discrimination2.12.0Level 1 looks like: Separate laundry into colors and whites
  • Visualization2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Imagine how to place paper in a printer so that the letterhead comes out on top
  • Depth Perception2.01.8Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Fluency of Ideas2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Originality2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Gross Body Equilibrium1.91.1Level 2 looks like: Stand on a ladder
  • Speed of Limb Movement1.91.3Level 2 looks like: Saw through a thin piece of wood
  • Wrist-Finger Speed1.91.0Level 2 looks like: Use a screwdriver to twist in a screw
  • Explosive Strength1.60.8
  • Rate Control1.60.8Level 1 looks like: Ride a bicycle alongside a jogger
  • Reaction Time1.60.8
  • Glare Sensitivity1.3—
  • Response Orientation1.3—
  • Spatial Orientation1.1—
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.0—
  • Night Vision1.0—
  • Peripheral Vision1.0—
  • Sound Localization1.0—

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Getting Information4.03.5Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.03.8Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public4.04.1Level 4 looks like: Sell shoes in a crowded shoe store
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates3.84.0Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards3.83.8Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
  • Handling and Moving Objects3.74.9Level 4 looks like: Arrange books in a library
  • Processing Information3.73.8Level 4 looks like: Calculate the adjustments for insurance claims
  • Working with Computers3.73.1Level 4 looks like: Write software for keeping track of parts in inventory
Show all 41
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization3.63.7Level 4 looks like: Present information to potential clients about available services
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships3.64.6Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge3.64.3Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
  • Documenting/Recording Information3.53.0Level 4 looks like: Document the results of a crime scene investigation
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others3.43.0Level 4 looks like: Interpret how foreign tax laws apply to U.S. exports
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems3.43.2Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work3.33.6Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Performing General Physical Activities3.33.2Level 4 looks like: Paint the outside of a house
  • Selling or Influencing Others3.33.5Level 4 looks like: Make a sales pitch to convince others to buy a product
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People3.22.9
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings3.23.3Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others3.13.2Level 4 looks like: Get two subordinates to agree about vacation schedules
  • Analyzing Data or Information3.02.4Level 1 looks like: Skim a short article to gather the main point
  • Training and Teaching Others3.02.9
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information2.92.7
  • Performing Administrative Activities2.92.5Level 1 looks like: Complete routine paperwork
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others2.82.2Level 1 looks like: Exchange information during a shift change
  • Developing and Building Teams2.82.1Level 1 looks like: Encourage two coworkers to stick with a tough assignment
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others2.83.0Level 4 looks like: Recommend a new software package to increase operational efficiency
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials2.72.4Level 1 looks like: Check that doors to building are locked
  • Coaching and Developing Others2.62.6
  • Controlling Machines and Processes2.62.3Level 1 looks like: Operate a cash register
  • Thinking Creatively2.62.2Level 1 looks like: Change the spacing on a printed report
  • Assisting and Caring for Others2.52.2Level 1 looks like: Help a coworker complete an assignment
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources2.41.8Level 1 looks like: Work as a server responsible for keeping track of utensils
  • Scheduling Work and Activities2.42.2Level 1 looks like: Make appointments for patients using a predetermined schedule
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies2.31.8Level 1 looks like: Plan the holiday schedule for an airline workforce
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates2.31.9Level 1 looks like: Work occasionally as a backup supervisor
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment2.21.9Level 1 looks like: Drive a car
  • Staffing Organizational Units2.01.0Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that has minimal staffing requirements
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment1.91.4Level 1 looks like: Use display settings to adjust a television picture
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment1.81.0Level 1 looks like: Make simple, external adjustments to a door hinge with ordinary hand tools
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment1.60.8Level 1 looks like: Specify the lighting for a work area

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Contact With Others4.6
  • Deal With External Customers or the Public in General4.4
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled4.4
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.3
  • Physical Proximity4.3
  • Spend Time Standing4.3
  • Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.1
  • Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People4.0
  • Importance of Repeating Same Tasks4.0
  • Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions4.0

Technology

7 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

Hot (1)

  • Microsoft Windows
Other tools (6)
  • Budgeting software
  • Delivery operations information system DOIS
  • Electronic Time Clock ETC
  • Inventory tracking software
  • NCR Advanced Store
  • Time and Attendance Collection System TACS

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Postal Service Mail Carriers
  2. Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service
  3. Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks
  4. Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators
  5. Postmasters and Mail Superintendents
  6. Couriers and Messengers
  7. Order Clerks
  8. Cargo and Freight Agents
  9. Stockers and Order Fillers
  10. Office Clerks, General

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.