my story: please read need feedback to become p/t sup

[400 an hour]

Alright my first post, here goes. I started working at UPS October 16 2007. I am a part time loader who gets paid 11 bucks an hour. I work the twilight sort 5pm to 9:30pm.

Our hub does a consistent 30 grand a night, pretty decent has three belts. The bottom line is I'm the best loader in the building. I have been on the top of the missort sheet in the building for months (thats a good thing because whoever has the least amount of missorts is on the sheet its funny we have a competition know we have like a world series or something for pizza once a week its alright my belt always gets it haha), I load like 400 an hour day in and out, I have the best most solid walls a tractor trailor has ever seen, and work with urgency.

My full time sup boss constantly asks me to "come to the dark side" as a part time sup. I am well respected as a loader. I know pretty much the whole sort as far as what zip codes goes into what trucks in the outbound. If I were to become a sup it would probably be in the outbound not in the air cart, sort aisle or unload because I haven't worked in those areas and don't know the in's and out's over there.

I believe I have a good understanding of what a sup does in the outbound because all I have been doing lately is studying what they do. Its pretty much allocating resources (moving loaders from light trucks to heavier ones) making sure package flow is operational at all times in every one of your trucks, Asking "Why are we off?" EVERY time the belt goes down, Bitchin at people for doing 200 an hour or getting mis-sorts or coming in late. Um what else, oh yea breaking jams, setting people up, doing paperwork, go to the meetings before the start, doing more paperwork, communicating on the walkie-talkies about straight shots belt status etc, closing the trucks, cleaning up at the end of the night blah blah blah, you can tell I know what I'm talking about, whatever.

Anyway, I really respect this site. I have read tons of good advice from a lot of veteran UPS'ers tonight.

I noticed people on this site suggesting to others on whether to be a sup or not. its all about your situation on whether to go to management or not and I think my life and situation would thrive as a sup.

The bottom line: I'm 21 and live with my mom. Yea I give her money here and there but I only make 200 bux a week!! and I'm sick of it! I don't have a lot of bills and I wan't to get out of my house.

How much do p/t sups start at? What are the benefits like? DO you have to pay for them since your not in the union? If I got fired as a sup would I get my job back as a loader in the union with my seniority intact? I heard i'll be taking home like 350 a week to start at about 30 hours a week is that correct?

I go to school during the day. I only need like 50 more credits to get my Bachelors in Criminology. I think the part time sup would be the best route in my life. I really don't plan on being a driver because I want to get a job in my field when I graduate, I need a pay increase because 200 bux a week sucks and I want to get out of my house, or.......... help my mom out more i donno. I heard i'll be taking home like 350 a week to start at about 30 hours a week is that correct?

Anyway, I think I should be a p/t sup given my situation. I need feedback form you guys on what I should put in my letter of intent. Did any of you mgmt ppl like save yours on your computer and you can show me? Or at least some advice as to a format on how I should approach it.

Last point, this kid I load with already sent his letter in and I guess he went through the next step which is a 100 question test on the computer. Do you guys know whats on this test? It's pretty much general questions and math right? However, he said the math was difficult something about graphs and charts and not enough information being on them I don't know. Anyway's thanks for reading, I want to start my letter soon tho because this kid just got his in and I want to get in before him since I know I'm better than him.

- John aka "the crafty loader"

 

[UnconTROLLed]

Alright my first post, here goes. I started working at UPS October 16 2007. I am a part time loader who gets paid 11 bucks an hour. I work the twilight sort 5pm to 9:30pm.

Our hub does a consistent 30 grand a night, pretty decent has three belts. The bottom line is I'm the best loader in the building. I have been on the top of the missort sheet in the building for months, I load like 400 an hour day in and out, I have the best most solid walls a tractor trailor has ever seen, and work with urgency.

My full time sup boss constantly asks me to "come to the dark side" as a part time sup. I am well respected as a loader. I know pretty much the whole sort as far as what zip codes goes into what trucks in the outbound. If I were to become a sup it would probably be in the outbound not in the air cart, sort aisle or unload because I haven't worked in those areas and don't know the in's and out's over there.

I believe I have a good understanding of what a sup does in the outbound because all I have been doing lately is studying what they do. Its pretty much allocating resources (moving loaders from light trucks to heavier ones) making sure package flow is operational at all times in every one of your trucks, Asking "Why are we off?" EVERY time the belt goes down, Bitchin at people for doing 200 an hour or getting mis-sorts or coming in late. Um what else, oh yea breaking jams, setting people up, doing paperwork, go to the meetings before the start, doing more paperwork, communicating on the walkie-talkies about straight shots belt status etc, closing the trucks, cleaning up at the end of the night blah blah blah, you can tell I know what I'm talking about, whatever.

Anyway, I really respect this site. I have read tons of good advice from a lot of veteran UPS'ers tonight.

I noticed people on this site suggesting to others on whether to be a sup or not. its all about your situation on whether to go to management or not and I think my life and situation would thrive as a sup.

The bottom line: I'm 21 and live with my mom. Yea I give her money here and there but I only make 200 bux a week!! and I'm sick of it! I don't have a lot of bills and I wan't to get out of my house.

How much do p/t sups start at? What are the benefits like? DO you have to pay for them since your not in the union? If I got fired as a sup would I get my job back as a loader in the union with my seniority intact? I heard i'll be taking home like 350 a week to start at about 30 hours a week is that correct?

I go to school during the day. I only need like 50 more credits to get my Bachelors in Criminology. I think the part time sup would be the best route in my life. I really don't plan on being a driver because I want to get a job in my field when I graduate, I need a pay increase because 200 bux a week sucks and I want to get out of my house, or.......... help my mom out more i donno. I heard i'll be taking home like 350 a week to start at about 30 hours a week is that correct?

Anyway, I think I should be a p/t sup given my situation. I need feedback form you guys on what I should put in my letter of intent. Did any of you mgmt ppl like save yours on your computer and you can show me? Or at least some advice as to a format on how I should approach it.

Last point, this kid I load with already sent his letter in and I guess he went through the next step which is a 100 question test on the computer. Do you guys know whats on this test? It's pretty much general questions and math right? However, he said the math was difficult something about graphs and charts and not enough information being on them I don't know. Anyway's thanks for reading, I want to start my letter soon tho because this kid just got his in and I want to get in before him since I know I'm better than him.

- John aka "the crafty loader"

That sure is a small hub!

If the economy was O.K. I'd say take the plunge. I don't know, though. You may want to stay put.

 

[400 an hour]

I mean yea its small but were decent we pushed like a max of 45 grand out this peak season (bad economy) compared to 60 grand last year

I live in CT the big hub is in Hartford they do like a consistent 100 grand a night.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

I mean yea its small but were decent we pushed like a max of 45 grand out this peak season (bad economy) compared to 60 grand last year

I live in CT the big hub is in Hartford they do like a consistent 100 grand a night.

Yeah it was a bad peak season that is for sure! If you want to even call it that!

I live in MA, work in CHEMA. Our max this year was 260k on the twilight. The midnight we avg 115-130k peak. this was my first peak in this building. It was nuts, so I couldnt imagine 300k+ that we usually have in an improved economic situation.

I have also worked in Norwood, MA and Watertown, MA. those two buildings would probably have volume similar to the building you are working in.

They avg'd 25-35k a sort and 55-75k peak. Those facilities seem to be more prone to difficulties handling the peak volume, IMO. They are older and not well designed to say the least.

Anyway, good luck with whatever you do. just remember, if you are promoted to P/T sup, you no longer have the protection of seniority you have now, and you stand a much higher likelyhood of a layoff. That is just IMO and can't really give you any evidence either way. Maybe you should look outside of UPS until you finish school and can get your career going?

 

[400 an hour]

yea chema is a truck in our hub a pain in the ass one to say the least.

 

[evilleace]

You sound like you already have your mind made up as to what you want to do, if UPS is your career choice I would stick with driving if you plan on looking elsewhere with your degree then I would go for the pt sup route. Just remember crap rolls downhill pt sups are at the bottom of that hill, also you do have to pay for bennies and the salary you talked about sounds about right from what I have been told. You are also paid based on I think 27.5 hrs. a week. It is a really a personal choice based on your goals and postion in life but I don't see to many pt sups going ftraight to ft managment without driving first so if you want a management career at UPS you might want to stick with being an hourly employee. Good Luck with your decision.

 

[Pollocknbrown]

haha chema does 110K on the nite sort? damn haha we were doing like only 80K on the nite side in BUFNY, granted "syracuse's volume was down" so they took a ton of our twi and nite trucks and the twi took some of ours to make up for the trucks they lose to SYRNY. Altho i dont know if we couldnt handle 6 figs on the nite side...PDs 6 and 7 is a slaughter fest all nite due to SYRNY.

But ya the pay you have figured out is about right probably, two guys i know went into to supervision over the summer this past yr and we all started the same month, and they started at about 1600/month, paid in 2 checks.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I re-read your post and did not see that you were taking advantage of tuition reimbursement. The decision is yours to make but if you are simply using UPS as a stepping stone until you graduate then I would stay where you are. 50 credits puts you graduating in Spring 2010 if you kick it in or Fall 2010 if you need a bit more time. It sounds as though school is your primary focus, which is where it should be, and I think you may find that the commitment of a P/T sup may take away from your studies. If you are looking for extra money perhaps you can pick up a job on the side but if Mom is letting you live there basically for nothing and you are bring home $200/week w/no bills you should be fine.

 

[pickup]

First of all , I don't have a clue as to what you should do, but if your math skills are as half as good as your writing skills, I don't think the math test would be as half as bad as you think it might be. What could it entail other than division, multiplication, subtraction, and addition? Oh, sure, maybe the questions aren't straight math like "12 X 11 = ? " but more like word problems that you end up translating into numerical operations to get the answer. If you are more than halfway to getting your Bachelor's degree, I am sure you have been forced to taking more math courses than you will ever need to pass that test. As for the reasons for and against this move, I think the other posters stated some very good reasons against this move, primarily that you are more prone to a layoff due to this economy if you make this move. I know it may suck if your friend takes this job and he makes more money than you , money that could have been yours, but how much more money will he be making if he gets laid off and you stay on due to your seniority?

 

[Buffy]

What do you want to do after you get the degree? If you think you have a future at UPS, you would want to remain an hourly and bid on a driving job as soon as you finish school. As a PT sup, you have no rights to go drive. If you are thinking a management career at UPS, you need the degree and you need to drive. If you are looking for a different career when you graduate, the PT sup job is great experience and helps you on a resume. But you also need to ask yourself if management is right for you. The best performers are not always the best supervisors. You need to be a good trainer and able to juggle the many tasks required each night. The people you are responsible for will not perform at the level you do and if this will be frustrating to you, why take it on.

 

[gded]

All of your feedback was really good. It sometimes depends the luck of the drawl. I've seen pt sups go right up the ladder. I've seen drivers go to sup and go right up the ladder. On the other hand I've seen drivers go into sup positions and go NOWHERE. than they say i wish i stayed driving. All sups and drivers have differant agendas. My advice to u is stay IN school. Look into the reimbursement program from ups for your tuition. Get as much education as posible while your still young. It sounds like your a bright kid with a good future. I wish 21 yr olds were more like u. The 21 yr olds in my ctr think they know everything, but know nothing. Stay in school, and love your family

 

[Fnix]

probably in the back of your mind is that you could get out of your current "living" situation; and i can understand that (all too well). but you can still do that as a hourly.

also consider the dismal state of the "economy" in this country (practically in a depression, not recession) you are very fortunate to have the job you do have at the moment. count your blessings.

but look at the positive; you HAVE been able to fit into the corporate culture and have an excellent work record with UPS. that carries a lot of weight. and you have the freedom to make other choices in the future and take the path you want.
but just ride it out for now; our county is in for a total overhaul and it will not happen in just 1 year.

 

[HEFFERNAN]

Going into PT management is easy and will make you less tired for school because you will not be doing the manual labor you are accustomed to. With you being a valuable employee, your belt or building will take a hit when you leave and you'll have to train new employees how to do what you do.

Going into management will also look great on your resume when you apply to schools for a master's degree or another job opportunity in your field. Growing leadership qualities in yourself can prepare you for taking that next step in your life. Also, you can still get college reimbursement.

It sounds like you are not going to be a UPS lifer anyways, so the experience you get doing this will help. You will get a pay increase, but only be paid once a month (I think they changed that, check on it). You will probably work 45 minutes before you usually do, and 45 minutes after close. You will be asked to commit to at least a year as a supervisor as well, but the only thing they can do to you is not give you great feedback.

You are in college, so don't even worry about the test. There's some math but also a lot of situational questions where you show what you would do.

I made a lot of friends doing it, and it was worth my 3 years. You make what you put into it. Just make sure you go the union hall and freeze your membership. It will keep from you having to pay back dues if you decide to go FT driving, which is what I did.

 

[atatbl]

Do it for increased college benefits then. Regardless of what SOME union members are telling you, you WILL NOT be paying in for your benefits as a single, 21yo PT sup. Ask your sup for the health care package info, it itsn't very secretive or anything. If you can't get it, then PM me. I am sure I can find it from a PT sup. Again, your college benefits will increase. And since you are PT, even if you leave next year you will not have to pay it back.

What really makes me think you should take the risk is that PT sup layoffs are NOT being spoken about now. It's a calculated risk, but if you put the time into finding local answers, you can do your own cost/benefit analysis. I bet it comes up favorable for you to go sup.

I do not normally recommend to people on here to go sup, but you are almost finished with a Crim degree. If it was anything else (besides computer science or math) I would say it could be risky. However, with Crim in your pocket, security will be likely to pick you up before you decide to quit. That's my 2 cents.

Edit: I forgot, if you don't want to go FT sup @ UPS, then you come out of this with a huge gain also. Either way, you win. The only thing I can see hurting would be PT sup layoffs..... I'm sure it's hard for you to trust some "random" guy over the internet...... but that said.... PT sup being layed-off in a hub as you described is not likely right now.

Second edit: You will be payed weekly as a PT sup. Careful of what you read here..... ****not picking on anyone****

 

[Cementups]

I re-read your post and did not see that you were taking advantage of tuition reimbursement. The decision is yours to make but if you are simply using UPS as a stepping stone until you graduate then I would stay where you are. 50 credits puts you graduating in Spring 2010 if you kick it in or Fall 2010 if you need a bit more time. It sounds as though school is your primary focus, which is where it should be, and I think you may find that the commitment of a P/T sup may take away from your studies. If you are looking for extra money perhaps you can pick up a job on the side but if Mom is letting you live there basically for nothing and you are bring home $200/week w/no bills you should be fine.

I'm going to hate myself in the morning for this, but I agree with Upstate. jk Upstate

And take it from a guy who lived at home till he was 28, if you get along with your mom and she doesn't mind you being there, stay as long as you can. I'm sure she appreciates you being there and doesn't mind a couple of extra bucks once in a while to help pay for the water adn electric that you use.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I'm going to hate myself in the morning for this, but I agree with Upstate. jk Upstate

And take it from a guy who lived at home till he was 28, if you get along with your mom and she doesn't mind you being there, stay as long as you can. I'm sure she appreciates you being there and doesn't mind a couple of extra bucks once in a while to help pay for the water adn electric that you use.

28? What the hell were Mom's apron strings made of--steel?

 

[Cementups]

My dad passed away when I was 19. She really liked having me there for the security of having a man in the housemore than anything. I chipped in a couple of dollars as well as paid for mowing and did the shoveling. trust me though, if my dad had still been alive I would NEVER had lived there that long. my mom and I get along pretty well so it worked out for both of us. and while my buddies were all struggling to pay rent I was able to b uy new cars and go out regularly

 

[trplnkl]

My dad passed away when I was 19. She really liked having me there for the security of having a man in the housemore than anything. I chipped in a couple of dollars as well as paid for mowing and did the shoveling. trust me though, if my dad had still been alive I would NEVER had lived there that long. my mom and I get along pretty well so it worked out for both of us. and while my buddies were all struggling to pay rent I was able to b uy new cars and go out regularly

Cement I would say that puts you in the "good son" category.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

My dad passed away when I was 19. She really liked having me there for the security of having a man in the housemore than anything. I chipped in a couple of dollars as well as paid for mowing and did the shoveling. trust me though, if my dad had still been alive I would NEVER had lived there that long. my mom and I get along pretty well so it worked out for both of us. and while my buddies were all struggling to pay rent I was able to b uy new cars and go out regularly

Cement--it's sounds like you stepped up when your Mom needed it most. I am sure she was and is still quite proud of you for having done so.

Please excuse me while I pull my foot out of my mouth.

 

[New Englander]

My dad passed away when I was 19. She really liked having me there for the security of having a man in the housemore than anything. I chipped in a couple of dollars as well as paid for mowing and did the shoveling. trust me though, if my dad had still been alive I would NEVER had lived there that long. my mom and I get along pretty well so it worked out for both of us. and while my buddies were all struggling to pay rent I was able to b uy new cars and go out regularly

While you may have had nice cars......

They didn't have the uneasy feeling of telling people they were hitting on that they "Still lived at home with mom."