Package Handler - Career Opportunities Question

[JayTalk]

Hi everyone, I just have a quick question regarding Package Handler positions
and the possibility of advancement at FedEx Ground.

A good friend of mine wants to know if he can make a career out of being at FedEx Ground, since he recently applied to attend a Sort Observation to be a Package Handler. He's basically wondering if one can start out as a Part Time Package Handler, and work his way through the ranks to becoming an Operations Manager at FedEx, and also possibly transfer around the country to make FedEx his life-long career. He already has his Bachelor's too if that helps.

Please help! Thanks everyone!

 

[bacha29]

Everyone would want to see your friend do well and of course if he were to take his degree and add a buck fifty nine it you get him a cup of coffee at the 7-11 and improve his chances of finishing at the top of his class at the Fedex Reeducation and Mind Control Academy. Seriously he has in mind the same path to success that millions of others do and the problem is that there are simply too many seeking to go in that direction. He would start out as a part time package handler and if he were to combine his degree assuming it's in a field that is in demand and is willing to relocate every couple of years he might begin to achieve something note worthy by age 35. He should keep in ind that Fedex is not a federally commissioned operation as the name leads some to believe.Instead it's just a publicly traded holding company Furthermore it's about as big as it's going to get given that it's tied to growth in the world economy which is slowing down and therefore the pace of advancement will be slow.

 

[It will be fine]

Hi everyone, I just have a quick question regarding Package Handler positions
and the possibility of advancement at FedEx Ground.

A good friend of mine wants to know if he can make a career out of being at FedEx Ground, since he recently applied to attend a Sort Observation to be a Package Handler. He's basically wondering if one can start out as a Part Time Package Handler, and work his way through the ranks to becoming an Operations Manager at FedEx, and also possibly transfer around the country to make FedEx his life-long career. He already has his Bachelor's too if that helps.

Please help! Thanks everyone!

I think around 90% of management at Fedex ground started as a package handler. A degree and willingness to move around the country can move you up fast. If he can play politics well, he can be running his own station in 7-10 years, district another 4-5 after that and on to Pittsburg from there.
I considered the management route, but I have no respect for authority and don't suck up well enough. You really need to be able to disregard common sense and any empathy for the people working under you to do well in Fedex management.
It's not a bad place to start to get experience, but he should always be looking for a different company to move to.

 

[JayTalk]

So basically the answer, is somewhat career and depends if he wants to actually transfer around the country to acquire advancement?

He knows that the Package Handler is a Part Time and physical role, but all he wants to know if the career opportunity for growth exists as he is working as a Package Handler and leads to something after that, the guy has struggled badly to find a decent job since he graduated, obviously I feel bad for him, since he majored in something very useless (Sociology).

Thanks guys for the help with this.

 

[Cactus]

So basically the answer, is somewhat career and depends if he wants to actually transfer around the country to acquire advancement?

He knows that the Package Handler is a Part Time and physical role, but all he wants to know if the career opportunity for growth exists as he is working as a Package Handler and leads to something after that, the guy has struggled badly to find a decent job since he graduated, obviously I feel bad for him, since he majored in something very useless (Sociology).

Thanks guys for the help with this.

I agree with that.

Can't open up a sociology factory.

 

[STFXG]

So basically the answer, is somewhat career and depends if he wants to actually transfer around the country to acquire advancement?

He knows that the Package Handler is a Part Time and physical role, but all he wants to know if the career opportunity for growth exists as he is working as a Package Handler and leads to something after that, the guy has struggled badly to find a decent job since he graduated, obviously I feel bad for him, since he majored in something very useless (Sociology).

Thanks guys for the help with this.

Yes he can. Management positions require 8 years working experience or a 4 year degree. Since he already has a degree, as long as he gets along with his management team, he will move up. Promotions seem to happen every 2-4 years. Willing to transfer to other stations will help him progress quicker. Some smaller stations they can't find people to run them.

 

[bacha29]

On second thought, what your friend might consider doing is to to try to apply his existing credits toward a degree that is in demand or go down the street to the Armed Forces Recruiting Center and see if it can get him a commission. Worth a try because his goal of being able to sit behind a desk and expect someone else to do all of the heavy lifting is not realistic given that millions of young adults want to to the same thing.

 

[JayTalk]

Thanks everyone I told him everything discussed here, he's actually excited for this role at FedEx.

 

[Cactus]

Thanks everyone I told him everything discussed here, he's actually excited for this role at FedEx.

Don't be surprised when his enthusiasm soon disappears.

 

[bacha29]

Spot on Cactus. Irrational exuberance will be his downfall. Like we have seen before from aspiring Fedex managers, they learn the hard way that people are only going to take so much off of them and when they cross that line their career aspirations crash and burn.

 

[JayTalk]

Don't be surprised when his enthusiasm soon disappears.

I'll definitely follow up in 6 months. Love this forum so far, great posts from everyone.

 

[BootsOnTarmac]

A degree in Sociology should not be frowned upon at all when seeking a management position in any company. I suggest your friend also put in some business management courses leading to another degree while working as a handler. Maybe someone here can answer: " Does FedEx Ground offer tuition reimbursement like Express does?". It is true that FedEx acquires management from within, but it is an interview process. Your friends education and work experience will be considered and may put him well above a veteran employee.

 

[Cactus]

Maybe someone here can answer: " Does FedEx Ground offer tuition reimbursement like Express does?"

Very unlikely.

 

[STFXG]

Very unlikely.

They do... Or at least they did. It used to be $1 for every hour worked. Not sure if that's changed or not.

 

[It will be fine]

They do... Or at least they did. It used to be $1 for every hour worked. Not sure if that's changed or not.

I'm pretty sure that's still there. I know they will pay some if not all for their managers to get advanced degrees too.

 

[BrownBoy1989]

I think around 90% of management at Fedex ground started as a package handler. A degree and willingness to move around the country can move you up fast. If he can play politics well, he can be running his own station in 7-10 years, district another 4-5 after that and on to Pittsburg from there.
I considered the management route, but I have no respect for authority and don't suck up well enough. You really need to be able to disregard common sense and any empathy for the people working under you to do well in Fedex management.
It's not a bad place to start to get experience, but he should always be looking for a different company to move to.

I am good at playing "the bitch" I think I am going to keep my head down and strictly go by union recommendations and work toward my retirement and pension then move to Isabella, Puetro Rico lol xD