How to make a career of this!?

[Goonie79]

I am a driver helper as of now and will most likely become a preloader. I am very interested in making a career of ups in hopes of becoming a driver at some point. Now I wondering how someone can make this work and support themselves. It is obvious that you are most likely are going to have to have second job, but I still can't see a scenario where someone can create a lively hood when your pay drops down to eight bucks an hour and working collectively 20 hour days . Can any one out there tell me of their history of the company and how they made it work!

[#1angelfan]

yes most of us part-timers have secong jobs. i guess it matters if you really want to make a career out of ups. you will do whatever it takes to make it work. the pay sucks for awhile but it will get better and the benefits are great. so it is up to you.good luck.

[dino]

You work 3.5 hours each night and then you go to your full time job and then come home and eat supper and go to bed. And you repeat that cycle for years.

[Fnix]

Originally Posted by dino

You work 3.5 hours each night and then you go to your full time job and then come home and eat supper and go to bed. And you repeat that cycle for years.

for me it was work 4.5 hours @ 4am then go home for 3 hours and get what sleep I could then work another job from 12 am to 6 pm. I worked alone in an office and after the manager went home I'd shut the place down get out of camera site and sleep. I was so damn tired. After 3 months I got caught and was terminated.

[DS]

Move to Calgary and start full time $15 an hr as a pkg driver

[PassYouBy]

I left a job after working there 13 years. (Good job, but not what I really wanted). I "had" my own lawn care service, but then I couldn't keep up with that and cover driving. So now I cover drive and work on ATV's, Lawnmowers and Motorcycles at the house in my "Free Time"

I was fortunate enough to move up quickly, so I haven't had to struggle too long.

[Cementups]

I was fortunate to be 18 and living at home when I startd at UPS. I was also going to school. After my first year I worked alot of doubles and would work 40+ per week as a part timer. Half the year I would work 11p.m. to 8a.m. Some of hte rest of the year I would work preload and then come in in the afternoon and work the preload day sort, which does not exist anymore. As soon as I turn 21 I started driving and been driving for almost 12 years now.

[UpstateNYUPSer]

I was hired off the street as a cover driver (May 89) but kept my job working 12-4am stocking shelves at a grocery store and then on-call for an auto parts store delivering on those days when I wasn't driving. I was hired at a time of growth and was a casual for 11 months but was fortunate in that my wife (now ex) was a nurse so we had her pay and benefits to fall back on. 19 yrs later, I have put 2 kids through college and am now making sure that I will be secure when I retire.

My advice to you in your pursuit of a career at UPS is to make yourself available at all times and to give 110% at all times. The money may not be what you may like or need at this point but give it time. I currently make $28.20/hr and expect to make $6,000 to $6,500/month in retirement, not including my 401k, Social Security or other retirement plans.