PT Supervisor Position - To take or not (On Topic)

[ThatOnePreloader]

Alright so let me just start this post off by saying I've heard it over and over again that the PT Supe is the worst position to have in a center - and for some of you that might be true. I however am in a situation contemplating wether or not I should attempt it or not. I'm a sophomore in college going for Business Administration right now and honestly the only reason I'm staying at UPS is because I can go to work, then class, and they help pay for my school. I DO NOT intend to drive, and it is unlikely I will continue a career with UPS following graduation.

Now on to the whole position ordeal; I'm currently a preloader, used to have 3 trucks and an average workload with no problems at all until some female (supervisor????) decided she hates me. About three weeks ago I was moved to a belt that is all by itself with 6 trucks - just me and about 1200 LARGE packages a day. Preloading on it's own already sort of sucks but it's tolerable, but with this workload it gets unbearable. I have seniority over some others on different belts and I was going to attempt to switch to one of those spots

EXCEPT

I was talking to my belt PT Supervisor, he's been there for maybe 9 years but only one as a PT Supervisor and he asked if I wanted to be one (he wants to load again, he really is just after the health insurance for him and his kids). It intrigued me because 1. I want to get out of that new hole of a belt, and 2. While PT Sup's aren't worth a damn at UPS, on a future resume it may boost my chances of acquiring certain jobs - especially since I'd only have serving food and loading packages on there otherwise. Also, the insurance isn't really a big deal to me since I'm still on my parent's plan which give basically the same great coverage I'd get with the teamsters health plan.

To sum it up, the PT supervisor position would help out my resume and I'd get an ever so slight raise, along with leaving my current position. However, I'd lose most, if not all protection of the union. The insurance is not an issue for me. I'd like to know what you guys think, I'm supposed to make a decision Monday. Please don't on me, I know most of you hate management to begin with (don't blame ya), I just feel like it's not such a bad decision in my current situation? Am I missing something?

 

[flatbread]

Change the topic name to include "(On Topic)" to prevent folks from making fun of you, etc.

As far as the future resume is concerned, that does make sense to me. My time at the job fair didn't go so well, and I think a large part of it was UPS tender being my primary job on there despite much non-UPS management experience prior to that.

 

[ThatOnePreloader]

Change the topic name to include "(On Topic)" to prevent folks from making fun of you, etc.

As far as the future resume is concerned, that does make sense to me. My time at the job fair didn't go so well, and I think a large part of it was UPS tender being my primary job on there despite much non-UPS management experience prior to that.

Thanks for the feedback! I feel that many outside companies don't realize how low grade the PT Supe position is, I feel it looks a lot better to outsiders rather than internal management and others at UPS.

 

[J92]

Alright so let me just start this post off by saying I've heard it over and over again that the PT Supe is the worst position to have in a center - and for some of you that might be true. I however am in a situation contemplating wether or not I should attempt it or not. I'm a sophomore in college going for Business Administration right now and honestly the only reason I'm staying at UPS is because I can go to work, then class, and they help pay for my school. I DO NOT intend to drive, and it is unlikely I will continue a career with UPS following graduation.

Now on to the whole position ordeal; I'm currently a preloader, used to have 3 trucks and an average workload with no problems at all until some female (supervisor????) decided she hates me. About three weeks ago I was moved to a belt that is all by itself with 6 trucks - just me and about 1200 LARGE packages a day. Preloading on it's own already sort of sucks but it's tolerable, but with this workload it gets unbearable. I have seniority over some others on different belts and I was going to attempt to switch to one of those spots

EXCEPT

I was talking to my belt PT Supervisor, he's been there for maybe 9 years but only one as a PT Supervisor and he asked if I wanted to be one (he wants to load again, he really is just after the health insurance for him and his kids). It intrigued me because 1. I want to get out of that new hole of a belt, and 2. While PT Sup's aren't worth a damn at UPS, on a future resume it may boost my chances of acquiring certain jobs - especially since I'd only have serving food and loading packages on there otherwise. Also, the insurance isn't really a big deal to me since I'm still on my parent's plan which give basically the same great coverage I'd get with the teamsters health plan.

To sum it up, the PT supervisor position would help out my resume and I'd get an ever so slight raise, along with leaving my current position. However, I'd lose most, if not all protection of the union. The insurance is not an issue for me. I'd like to know what you guys think, I'm supposed to make a decision Monday. Please don't on me, I know most of you hate management to begin with (don't blame ya), I just feel like it's not such a bad decision in my current situation? Am I missing something?

If your not thinking about continuing a career with UPS following graduation, then don't do it. Leveraging that position is like asking to be someone's slave for your future positions. As far as the belt goes, just keep doing it until you find a better opportunity elsewhere. The difference is compensation isn't much. Great your on your parents' healthcare but won't last forever so you need to keep your options open. Think long-term, not short-term. Leverage seniority to get the work done and let the supervisor know that you like her alot. Reverse psychology usually gets the supervisor off your back.

 

[ThatOnePreloader]

If your not thinking about continuing a career with UPS following graduation, then don't do it. Leveraging that position is like asking to be someone's slave for your future positions. As far as the belt goes, just keep doing it until you find a better opportunity elsewhere. The difference is compensation isn't much. Great your on your parents' healthcare but won't last forever so you need to keep your options open. Think long-term, not short-term. Leverage seniority to get the work done and let the supervisor know that you like her alot. Reverse psychology usually gets the supervisor off your back.

I don't intend on staying but 2 more years or so. Our center really isn't that big, maybe 20-25k pieces a night? if that? we only have 3 PT Supes. 3.5 belts (I'm on the half belt alone). It's not that I can't hang, it's that there's a bunch of newbies getting better spots than me so not sure if I should waive seniority around and move to a diff belt or do the PT Supervisor for resume expansion and "management" experience

 

[CentralSup]

Sounds like you already made your decision.

 

[ThatOnePreloader]

Sounds like you already made your decision.

Not completely, I know I sound biased since I'm already a loader; but I really am not sure what I'd like to do. Had I'd not stumbled on this forum awhile back I'd be all over the supe position but a lot of posts have had me on the fence, not sure if it's a sh***y position in general or people feel that way due to the fact they they intended to advance to FT, whereas I do not. Maybe people hate it because they're in bigger centers? The few PT supes we have don't seem to mind it all that much but hell what do I know, I've barely been here a year.

 

[scratch]

Management experience would look good on a resume if you have no desire to become a full-time driver.

 

[HEFFERNAN]

Honestly, if you're going to school for a business degree and don't intend to drive, DO IT.
You'll be forced to work a full time schedule during December which may affect your finals though.
Managing will look good on your resume.

 

[ThatOnePreloader]

Management experience would look good on a resume if you have no desire to become a full-time driver.

Honestly, if you're going to school for a business degree and don't intend to drive, DO IT.
You'll be forced to work a full time schedule during December which may affect your finals though.
Managing will look good on your resume.

Thank y'all both for the feedback. The real concern holding me back is that female supervisor that always seems like she wants me gone even though I've done nothing??? I even plegded $3 a week to United Way just to see if she'd hate me less. Didn't work. Point I'm getting at is without Union protection I'm afraid she'll try even harder to dump me off? I feel like she's and IE or load planner or something but I have no idea. She constantly watches me just to piss me off. Total B. A few other guys said she hated them too but it just faded?? I don't know, I try to be a nice guy and be liked by everyone - even though I know that's not possible. Getting fired for something stupid will really screw up my plans, with tuition assistance really getting me through school currently.

 

[HEFFERNAN]

Thank y'all both for the feedback. The real concern holding me back is that female supervisor that always seems like she wants me gone even though I've done nothing??? I even plegded $3 a week to United Way just to see if she'd hate me less. Didn't work. Point I'm getting at is without Union protection I'm afraid she'll try even harder to dump me off? I feel like she's and IE or load planner or something but I have no idea. She constantly watches me just to piss me off. Total B. A few other guys said she hated them too but it just faded?? I don't know, I try to be a nice guy and be liked by everyone - even though I know that's not possible. Getting fired for something stupid will really screw up my plans, with tuition assistance really getting me through school currently.

A) Once your on the other team, things tend to change

B) She doesn't have the power to hire or fire you. She may ride you for your management tactics or lack there of.

C) UPS management will take care of people who are on the college pathway. Going for a business degree makes you almost untouchable. UPS wants home grown talent.

D) The hardest thing about the job is controlling your area without touching a package. It's one of the hardest things to do.
That is the stuff that will mold you into a better professional. That is the only thing you can control.

 

[PT Car Washer]

Thank y'all both for the feedback. The real concern holding me back is that female supervisor that always seems like she wants me gone even though I've done nothing??? I even plegded $3 a week to United Way just to see if she'd hate me less. Didn't work. Point I'm getting at is without Union protection I'm afraid she'll try even harder to dump me off? I feel like she's and IE or load planner or something but I have no idea. She constantly watches me just to piss me off. Total B. A few other guys said she hated them too but it just faded?? I don't know, I try to be a nice guy and be liked by everyone - even though I know that's not possible. Getting fired for something stupid will really screw up my plans, with tuition assistance really getting me through school currently.

If you are her side of the fence her opinion of you may change. Us against them thing. From what I understand it is not that easy to fire a PT sup, but they sure can make your life miserable.

 

[ThatOnePreloader]

A) Once your on the other team, things tend to change

B) She doesn't have the power to hire or fire you. She may ride you for your management tactics or lack there of.

C) UPS management will take care of people who are on the college pathway. Going for a business degree makes you almost untouchable. UPS wants home grown talent.

D) The hardest thing about the job is controlling your area without touching a package. It's one of the hardest things to do.
That is the stuff that will mold you into a better professional. That is the only thing you can control.

A) That's one of the downfalls of all this, I really liked all the loaders but it seems like nearly EVERYONE hates on the PT Supes due to their "uselessness", I hate being viewed as that but if it benefits me then oh well

B) I thought so, but it does seem like she has influence on our head supervisor, she convinced him to move me to the awful aforementioned belt

C) A Steward told me that when I talked to him about joining the Union once, not sure if anyone besides a few of my close coworkers know I'm on EAP though - I had to find out about that myself after all

D) Yeah that falls under that uselessness thing, my PT Supe always wants to help (he's a great loader) but one of the loaders on the belt over gets him on a grievance every time - dude's getting a check for like over 100 "lost hours" over the past few weeks

 

[ThatOnePreloader]

If you are her side of the fence her opinion of you may change. Us against them thing. From what I understand it is not that easy to fire a PT sup, but they sure can make your life miserable.

That's one thing that hasn't been clear to me yet - what exactly is the worst that can happen as a PT Supervisor? Getting chewed out for something a loader did? A lot of former PT Supes make it seem like hell on here, but, at least my center I don't usually see them getting treated nearly as bad as some of the people make it out to be. I'm just curious as to why it's such a hated position by both sides of the fence.

 

[Wally]

Sups put in more hours and they won't care if you need to get to class.

 

[ThatOnePreloader]

Sups put in more hours and they won't care if you need to get to class.

I know, our PT sups seem to have flexibility with upper management though. Regardless the latest our PT's ever leave is 10am and my earliest class is 11. I can even miss if need be; the hours really aren't a huge deal other than I know the hour guarantee is 5.5 w PT Sups rather than 3.5 w loaders.

 

[Wally]

I know, our PT sups seem to have flexibility with upper management though. Regardless the latest our PT's ever leave is 10am and my earliest class is 11. I can even miss if need be; the hours really aren't a huge deal other than I know the hour guarantee is 5.5 w PT Sups rather than 3.5 w loaders.

More during peak.

 

[ThatOnePreloader]

More during peak.

Also aware, but usually they don't leave too much later than we do - at least that's how it was last year. Exams + Peak will be hell. It will be like that weather I load or supervise though.

 

[CentralSup]

I know, our PT sups seem to have flexibility with upper management though. Regardless the latest our PT's ever leave is 10am and my earliest class is 11. I can even miss if need be; the hours really aren't a huge deal other than I know the hour guarantee is 5.5 w PT Sups rather than 3.5 w loaders.

As a PT Sup you are not guaranteed 5.5 hours a day, you're guaranteed 27.5 hours a week; which averages out to 5.5 hours a day. You can work 6 hours one day and your center manager may have you only work 4 hours the next. Depends on how much heat your center is getting for PT Sups working more than 5.5 hours.

 

[ThatOnePreloader]

As a PT Sup you are not guaranteed 5.5 hours a day, you're guaranteed 27.5 hours a week; which averages out to 5.5 hours a day. You can work 6 hours one day and your center manager may have you only work 4 hours the next. Depends on how much heat your center is getting for PT Sups working more than 5.5 hours.

Ahh gotcha. We're usually consistent at ours. Start time is usually around 4-4:30 and we never really leave before 9 or after 9:30. As a loader I usually get about 5:15 on the clock so usually pull in about 26+ hours. They were really strict on hours a few weeks ago but it's beginning to loosen up again.