Mail Clerk and Messenger
Mail clerks and messengers play essential roles in the distribution of mail, documents, and packages within various organizations, including businesses, government agencies, and office buildings. Often referred to as mailroom workers, mail clerks are primarily responsible for sorting and delivering incoming and outgoing mail. They work in well-lit mailroom environments, performing tasks such as processing mail, verifying addresses, using postage machines, and maintaining sorting equipment. Messengers, also known as couriers, transport items between locations, often using various modes of transportation like bicycles, cars, or public transit, and must navigate diverse weather conditions.
Individuals interested in these professions typically thrive in dynamic settings, enjoy physical activity, and possess strong organizational skills. A high school diploma is generally the minimum educational requirement, but experience in clerical work can enhance job prospects. While the work environment can vary, mail clerks usually engage with colleagues, while messengers often work independently. Job outlook for these positions indicates a decline in employment opportunities, highlighting the importance of adaptability and integrity in handling sensitive materials. Overall, the roles of mail clerks and messengers are fundamental to the efficiency of organizational communication and logistics.
Mail Clerk and Messenger
Snapshot
Career Cluster(s): Business, Management & Administration
Interests: A work style that prefers movement and travel, interaction with people, distribution workflows, and organization.
Earnings (Yearly Median): $38,370 (Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service)
Employment & Outlook: Decline Expected
Overview
Sphere of Work. Mail clerks and messengers are responsible for sorting and distributing mail, documents, packages, and messages. Also called mailroom workers, mail sorters, and mail machine operators, mail clerks deliver mail and parcels within businesses, office buildings, corporations, and government agencies. Most mail clerks work in mailrooms in large businesses or office buildings. Messengers, also called couriers, carry mail, documents, packages, and messages between buildings and offices. Messengers may work on-call or on a fixed pick-up and delivery route.
Work Environment. Mail clerks work in well-lit and temperature-controlled mailrooms. Messengers move between inside and outside environments as they do their job. Messengers may travel by foot, bike, car, motorcycle, truck, or public transportation to complete local pick-ups and deliveries. They work in all types of weather, including extreme heat and cold. Mail clerks and messengers generally work standard forty-hour weeks, but overtime may be necessary during periods of increased business.
Occupation Interest. Individuals attracted to the mail clerk or messenger professions are physically capable and organized. Those who excel as mail clerks and messengers exhibit dependability, honesty, attention to detail, effective time management, and physical stamina. Prospective messengers should work well under pressure, as they may experience a high volume of time-sensitive delivery deadlines. Mail clerks and messengers should enjoy routines and have a clerical or office work background.
A Day in the Life—Duties and Responsibilities. Mail clerks may complete some or all of the following tasks during their workday: process incoming and outgoing mail; fill and seal envelopes; address outgoing mail and verify addresses as necessary; use a scale and postage meter machine to determine the correct postage for outgoing mail; and sort mail, parcels, and packages for distribution. They also place incoming and outgoing mail in clearly labeled mail sacks or containers, open envelopes and packages, stamp all incoming mail with the time and date received, deliver incoming mail and packages to offices and businesses, and collect outgoing mail from offices or businesses in an office building. Mail clerks are also responsible for servicing and maintaining sorting machines, reviewing postal rate charts to learn about mail rates and costs, and returning undeliverable mail and packages. Mail clerks must keep records of all incoming and outgoing mail, particularly registered mail, and report to mailroom supervisors.
Messengers transport and deliver parcels, documents, or messages during their workday. They travel by foot, bicycle, car, or public transportation to pick-up and drop-off points. Messengers pick up and deliver mail, packages, and messages at their various destinations, carefully loading the messenger bag, bin, truck, or other container or vehicle with delivery items and handling fragile or hazardous goods with extra caution. They must sort and direct items collected on a delivery route and obtain all required signatures for time-sensitive or insured packages or items. Messengers may use a two-way radio to contact managers and pick-up and delivery destinations. They are responsible for maintaining and servicing any vehicles used in their work and must keep careful records of their delivery transactions.
Express Clerks (222.367-022). Express clerks receive express parcels from customers, compute charges, route parcels according to destination, and release incoming parcels to consignees.
Parcel Post Clerks (222.387-038). Parcel post clerks wrap, inspect, weigh, and affix postage to outgoing mail parcels. They also record COD and insurance information.
Post Office Clerks (243.367-014). Post office clerks work the front counter of a post office. They weigh envelopes, sell stamps, complete forms, issue money orders, compute mailing costs, and handle registered mail.
Work Environment
Immediate Physical Environment. Mail clerks work in mailroom environments. The work of a mail clerk is physical and requires sorting mail, carrying sacks and bins of mail, and delivering mail on foot throughout a business or office building. Messengers work in indoor and outside environments. The work of a messenger is extremely physical and requires standing, walking, running, and carrying parcels all day. Mail clerks and messengers are at risk for job-related injuries such as back strain; bike messengers additionally risk traffic accidents during their work.
Human Environment. Depending on assignment and organization, a mail clerk’s human environment may be social or isolated. Mail clerks may interact with colleagues (such as other mailroom workers and file clerks), office workers, and supervisors. Messengers tend to work alone on their delivery routes but must be comfortable interacting with supervisors and pick-up and delivery contacts.
Technological Environment. To process incoming and outgoing mail, mail clerks use postage meter machines, postage rate tables and books, letter sorting machines, letter opening machines, envelope sealing machines, addressing machines, record books, and handcarts or trucks. To complete their deliveries, messengers use maps and schedules, bags or baskets, record books, email, smartphones, bikes, cars, motorcycles, trucks, and handcarts.
Education, Training, and Advancement
High School/Secondary. High school students interested in becoming a mail clerk or messenger should prepare by building good study habits and studying typing, English, business, computer science, and bookkeeping. Part-time clerical or delivery work with local businesses may benefit students interested in this occupation. Prospective messengers should apply for and obtain their personal driver’s license and practice navigation and map reading. Interested individuals may be able to obtain mail clerk or messenger work directly following high school.
Postsecondary. A high school diploma or its equivalent is the minimum educational requirement for mail clerks and messengers. Formal postsecondary training is not required. High school graduates interested in becoming mail clerks or messengers can gain work experience and potential advantage in their future job searches by securing administrative internships or part-time clerical employment with local businesses.
Other Requirements. Successful mail clerks and messengers know the profession’s requirements, responsibilities, and opportunities. Mail clerks and messengers must possess high integrity and professional ethics to access confidential information and time-sensitive mail or packages. Experienced messengers who wish to establish their own businesses should have strong business skills.
Related Occupations
− Postal Service Clerk
− Postmaster and Mail Superintendent
Bibliography
"Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022; 43-9051 Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service." Occupational Employment Statistics. Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor, 25 Apr. 2023, www.bls.gov/OES/current/oes439051.htm. Accessed 23 Aug. 2024.
"Data for Occupations Not Covered In Detail." Occupational Outlook Handbook. Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor, 6 Sept. 2023, www.bls.gov/ooh/about/data-for-occupations-not-covered-in-detail.htm. Accessed 23 Aug. 2024.