Heavily considering UPS

[Nildog]

Hi. I just signed up for Brown Cafe minutes ago, as I am considering a job at UPS, and I am looking to ask some questions and get answers from people who have done the work personally. I apologize in advance if this question gets asked a bazillion times, but here goes.

I am looking to get a job as a Package Handler. From what I understand, you must start part time. I understand that this varies by location, but what kind of time table is there for being promoted to at least full time package handler?

My 2nd and last question is: Is UPS worth it? I'm so close to the point of applying there, as I've wanted to work there for many years. Reading some other sites like Indeed makes me have some second thoughts... So I guess what I'm really asking is: is it a good career, or am I just crazy for thinking that it will be?

Thanks for reading! Sorry if my stuff is hard to read, but I would really appreciate input!
Thanks!

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

Most places don't have full time package handlers. If you want to go full time and make the big bucks, you gotta drive.

 

[Rutherford B Hays]

Hi. I just signed up for Brown Cafe minutes ago, as I am considering a job at UPS, and I am looking to ask some questions and get answers from people who have done the work personally. I apologize in advance if this question gets asked a bazillion times, but here goes.

I am looking to get a job as a Package Handler. From what I understand, you must start part time. I understand that this varies by location, but what kind of time table is there for being promoted to at least full time package handler?

My 2nd and last question is: Is UPS worth it? I'm so close to the point of applying there, as I've wanted to work there for many years. Reading some other sites like Indeed makes me have some second thoughts... So I guess what I'm really asking is: is it a good career, or am I just crazy for thinking that it will be?

Thanks for reading! Sorry if my stuff is hard to read, but I would really appreciate input!
Thanks!

It would take less time to go full time driving than it would to get a full time inside job at UPS.
What did you read on Indeed that makes you think you wouldn't want to work at UPS

 

[scooby0048]

Hi. I just signed up for Brown Cafe minutes ago, as I am considering a job at UPS, and I am looking to ask some questions and get answers from people who have done the work personally. I apologize in advance if this question gets asked a bazillion times, but here goes.

I am looking to get a job as a Package Handler. From what I understand, you must start part time. I understand that this varies by location, but what kind of time table is there for being promoted to at least full time package handler?

My 2nd and last question is: Is UPS worth it? I'm so close to the point of applying there, as I've wanted to work there for many years. Reading some other sites like Indeed makes me have some second thoughts... So I guess what I'm really asking is: is it a good career, or am I just crazy for thinking that it will be?

Thanks for reading! Sorry if my stuff is hard to read, but I would really appreciate input!
Thanks!

You're welcome! Great questions!

 

[Nildog]

What my experience on Indeed boiled down to was people saying that they've been there for upwards of 10+ years who still didn't have full time work.

 

[Bob11B]

What my experience on Indeed boiled down to was people saying that they've been there for upwards of 10+ years who still didn't have full time work.

What state are you in? It only took me a little over a year to go full time driving. It is extremely tough work, so you need a work ethic.

Yes, it is a great career....you will start out part time and the pay sucks but you get benefits after 9 months. Once you go driving you’ll make about 60k a year and be around 100k a year after 4 years...hope that helps.

This job isn’t for the weak or those who want to get rich quick. If you have patience and work ethic and want a career instead of a job then get your foot in the door.

 

[Trash Panda]

Depending on location, age and life obligations what makes you consider package handling? People are getting their foot in the door by walking in with experience in driving.

Don't limit yourself honestly. I had two years driving a truck ‘regional’ before i went into holiday peak last year. It paid off because HR got the email from feeder manager saying they could bring on a permanent driver when all i was planning on doing was going back for summer peak. Kind of glad the other seasonals didn't care to return. Lol

Im a little skeptical based off the information i was given but its worth a shot.

Btw working feeder seasonal was almost as good pay wise as being out all week on the road with a better work life balance. Ive enjoyed working nights ever since.

 

[Nildog]

I'm in Ohio.

 

[allahuakbar]

No one will be making over 100k by the next contract. But it’s a great job especially driving.

 

[LarryBird]

It used to take 10 years as a cover driver to go full-time, but the guys who've recently gotten FT driving jobs in my area have only waited like 3 to 4 years as a "part-timer", which is coincidentally the amount of time it now takes to go through wage progression to top rate.

Even as a part time cover driver, in most centers these days, it's a $50 to $60k job where you're gonna be working 3 days a week between Jan thru May and Sept+Oct and 5 days per week in the summer and during peak.

If you are not afraid to work hard, can take a career that demands you work like a near robot, and are willing to sacrifice time at home with family and friends due to workdays that are on average 9am to 730pm you'll be fine. If this sounds like something you can live with - get your foot in the door and start the clock running toward FT and top rate asap.

There's a whole slew of package drivers set to retire in the next couple years. It's a great time to get in.

 

[PT Car Washer]

It used to take 10 years as a cover driver to go full-time, but the guys who've recently gotten FT driving jobs in my area have only waited like 3 to 4 years as a "part-timer", which is coincidentally the amount of time it now takes to go through wage progression to top rate.

Even as a part time cover driver, in most centers these days, it's a $50 to $60k job where you're gonna be working 3 days a week between Jan thru May and Sept+Oct and 5 days per week in the summer and during peak.

If you are not afraid to work hard, can take a career that demands you work like a near robot, and are willing to sacrifice time at home with family and friends due to workdays that are on average 9am to 730pm you'll be fine. If this sounds like something you can live with - get your foot in the door and start the clock running toward FT and top rate asap.

There's a whole slew of package drivers set to retire in the next couple years. It's a great time to get in.

At my building they exhausted all the PT guys who thought they wanted to go driving a couple years ago. All the new guys in training are off the street and very few make it. The job sucks and very few want to work that hard for four years until they make top rate. As far as making $100k a year driving a truck, that is a lot of hours every week and most get burned out or injured long before that. $80k to $90k is more realistic.

 

[LarryBird]

At my building they exhausted all the PT guys who thought they wanted to go driving a couple years ago. All the new guys in training are off the street and very few make it. The job sucks and very few want to work that hard for four years until they make top rate. As far as making $100k a year driving a truck, that is a lot of hours every week and most get burned out or injured long before that. $80k to $90k is more realistic.

Yeah, I hear you. But I've actually made less the past 2 years than I did in 2016, and obviously we've made more per hour in 2017 and 2018, so UPS seems to be coming to the realization that we cannot work at these stop count levels for 50+ hours per week all year long without getting burned out and there being a noticeable increase in accidents and injuries in our building. I'm not sure what took upper management so long to recognize this [see: record profit], as I know I was asking these questions about the correlation at safety meetings and with my center manager long before this, and I'm just a dumb hourly.

I don't know how it is everywhere but in my district the "UPS flavor of the month" for while now, long past the usual important today gone tomorrow, has been nobody dispatched over 9.5 if at all possible and everybody making 9.5 each day. Apparently it's very important to our new-ish DM because of safety. So UPS is hopefully finally on board with keeping us from destroying ourselves in more than word alone these days.

I've been right around that 90k figure you mentioned in 2017 and last year, after making 95k in 2016, which was entirely too many hours - I was punching out at 10:30-11pm all through peak and it was ridiculous.

 

[rod]

No one will be making over 100k by the next contract. But it’s a great job especially driving.

Feeder drivers will. They are some ass dragging individuals.

 

[LarryBird]

At my building they exhausted all the PT guys who thought they wanted to go driving a couple years ago. All the new guys in training are off the street and very few make it. The job sucks and very few want to work that hard for four years until they make top rate. As far as making $100k a year driving a truck, that is a lot of hours every week and most get burned out or injured long before that. $80k to $90k is more realistic.

We've been in the EXACT same spot, hiring off the street, and the guys not making it through progression. It seems to be a lot of it is jealousy, or what they consider to be an issue of fairness. The ots guys don't seem to think it's fair that they're doing the same job and workload as the FT drivers for like half the dough. But them.

We all went through the same thing, even if the progression used to be a little shorter. They've also now got the added advantage of not having to wait anywhere near as long to reach FT, and the fact that they didn't have to work the sort like an animal while doing another FT job on top for years waiting for a cover spot to open up like the majority of guys my age and older did. So it's a trade off. Longer progression, shorter road to FT.

The smart ones will make it, and the snowflakes will quit and spite themselves in the name of 'fairness'. Then they'll kick themselves in the ass a decade from now when they have a job and not a near 6 figure career.

 

[Nildog]

We've been in the EXACT same spot, hiring off the street, and the guys not making it through progression. It seems to be a lot of it is jealousy, or what they consider to be an issue of fairness. The ots guys don't seem to think it's fair that they're doing the same job and workload as the FT drivers for like half the dough. But them.

We all went through the same thing, even if the progression used to be a little shorter. They've also now got the added advantage of not having to wait anywhere near as long to reach FT, and the fact that they didn't have to work the sort like an animal while doing another FT job on top for years waiting for a cover spot to open up like the majority of guys my age and older did. So it's a trade off. Longer progression, shorter road to FT.

The smart ones will make it, and the snowflakes will quit and spite themselves in the name of 'fairness'. Then they'll kick themselves in the ass a decade from now when they have a job and not a near 6 figure career.

A lot of people I've seen on Youtube or Indeed or whatever complaining about UPS and telling people why not to work there basically just either didn't like the work (they definitely should have known the kind of work they would be doing), or they got impatient and rage quit. Im not letting the impatient people tell me that UPS is a terrible company. I'm really trying to go into this with a hard work mindset and the patience to reach full time. I'm ready to be one of the smart ones, not sitting there thinking what could have been if I hadn't quit due to impatience.

 

[Indecisi0n]

Feeder drivers will. They are some ass dragging individuals.

You mean very safe drivers .

 

[Popcorn1]

Truly enjoying waiting(sarcastic)Does UPS need people like they claim or not! 2 weeks later... starting to think they don’t hire! HR said one week they would let us know. UPS just likes to interview and Show us a tour that’s all!

 

[Trash Panda]

Depends where and what you applied for. You think the wait is bad getting in but it wont get any better hanging on to the bottom of the seasonal board.

 

[Popcorn1]

Applied pt package handler smaller hub and not seasonal. Application is active... from now to eternity it seems.

 

[Old Man Jingles]

What my experience on Indeed boiled down to was people saying that they've been there for upwards of 10+ years who still didn't have full time work.

That’s true but it might be shorter as a lot of people have been dying on the job.