Postal delivery worker
Sort letters and small packages before delivering them to homes and businesses.
Also known as: postwoman, postman
About the job
What it's like
You would sort letters and small packages before delivering them to homes and businesses. Many of the items you would be dealing with could be important, and people would rely on you to get them to the right place safely.
You would normally be based in a district delivery office, and have a round or 'walk' covering several hundred addresses. You could also work in a larger mail processing centre, dealing with incoming and outgoing mail for delivery across the country and overseas.
Many of the people on your route might get to know you quite well. Some of them may refer to you as the 'postie'.
You would:
Sort mail by hand
Operate automated mail handling equipment, known as integrated mail processors (IMPs)
Deliver mail on foot, using a bicycle or by van
Collect customer signatures for registered post and recorded deliveries
Pick up mail from post boxes, post offices and businesses within the district
Seal with wrongly addressed or returned mail
Move mail to and from processing centres, delivery offices, railway stations and airports
As a postal delivery worker in a rural area, you may have extra duties, such as delivering milk and other goods.
You’d need good reading, writing and maths skills and an awareness of health and safety.
Hours
You would work up to 40 hours a week full-time, including Saturday mornings. You may have the option to work part-time hours or overtime, particularly at Christmas.
Environment
You could walk for up to 6 hours per day on your deliveries. Your mail pouch could weigh up to 16kg at the start of your round and you may need to distribute several pouches per day. Depending on your location, you'll sometimes be provided with a mail trolley or bicycle. You would be expected to work in all weather conditions. Your employer would provide you with a uniform and footwear.
Travel
You may have to drive a van.
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Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Top specialised skills
These are the top specialised skills that have been found in job vacancies across Scotland. From March 2024 to March 2025.
- social work
- organizational development
- care management
- job evaluation
- service standards
- child welfare
- performance appraisal
- tiktok
- clinical supervision
- case management
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- taking responsibility
- time management
- taking initiative
- sorting
- attention to detail
- cooperating
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
You don't need to study any specific subjects to do this job. It's more important that you have relevant skills and experience.
There are no formal qualifications required to enter this role.
Qualifications and experience that show customer service, physical fitness and local geographical knowledge.
You would normally need your own transport to get to and from work, as public transport may not cover all of your shift times.
As part of the recruitment process you will need to pass aptitude tests including tests of your understanding of written English.
You must be physically fit to do this job, as delivery rounds (‘walks’) can take up to three and half hours and mail bags can weigh up to 16kg.
A driving licence is required for a delivery driver role with no more than 6 penalty points.
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