Postie

Tasks & duties

Posties may do some or all of the following:

• sort mail according to addresses
• deliver mail and parcels to homes or businesses
• return wrongly addressed mail to the sender
• redirect mail for people who have changed address
• hold mail for customers who are away
• maintain an accurate record of information about the delivery rounds
• refer customers' queries about their mail to customer services
• identify and avoid hazards that could cause harm to themselves or their colleagues

Skills & knowledge

Posties need to have:

• knowledge of the streets, addresses and mailboxes in their delivery area
• a good memory
• good reading and writing skills
• the ability to sort quickly and accurately
• the ability to follow instructions
• good time management skills
• knowledge of health and safety rules, such as proper lifting

Posties may need to be able to ride a bicycle or a motorcycle.

Entry requirements

Posties need to pass tests for reading and sorting. If you want to work in a cycling branch, you'll need to pass a cycle test. Motorcyle posties must first work as regular posties and then attend a motorcycle training course.

Secondary education

There are no specific educational requirements to become a postie, but School Certificate or NCEA Level 1 English is useful.

Training on the job

Posties gain their skills on the job, usually with supervision from experienced members of staff. Posties at NZ Post follow a structured training plan for between two and six weeks, which includes attending Postie Training School.

Useful experience

Useful experience for posties includes working as a mail sorter, a courier or a newspaper deliverer.

For more information, please refer to Career Services.