Key Points
- Making it to the USPS pre hire list does not mean you are hired.
- USPS can take months from time of applying to being hired.
- An orientation, drug test, and background check are common after making the USPS pre hire list.
USPS does one of the most thorough hiring processes of any company out there. Due to the nature of the job and the fact they are a federal agency, it is important they hire the right candidates. If you recently applied and have received notice that you are on the USPS pre hire list, you might have questions.
Below is everything we could find to help you understand what this list is and what it means for you.
What Is A USPS Pre Hire List?
The USPS pre hire list is part of the USPS hiring process. A candidate may move to this list after they have completed the postal exam. During this stage of the hiring process you would be considered a good candidate and will be invited in for interviews to determine if you will be a good fit for the job.
While this is a good sign of your future with USPS, it is not an offer of employment and there is a few more steps you will need to get through first.
Does The Pre Hire List Mean I Will Be Hired?
Unfortunately no. Being added to the pre hire list does not mean you will be hired, it just means you have enough qualifications for more consideration to be hired.
What Does The USPS Pre Hire Process Entail?
Before you can make it to the UPS pre hire list, there would be a few steps you would need to complete.
First an applicant will need to formally submit an application and then take postal exam 473. It is definitely recommended to do some test prep as many who have taken the test do say it is really hard. This exam is meant to determine a candidates level of basic skills and will weed out a lot of people who may not be a great fit for the job.
Once your application is received and the test is taken, USPS will determine if you have what it takes to make it to the pre hire process.
Typically within a few weeks after you receive your pre hire list notification you will hear from USPS and be asked to setup an interview.
Once you complete the interview, you might be offered the opportunity to attend a pre-employment orientation.
What Is USPS Pre-Employment Orientation?
If you are invited to attend this orientation, your chances are getting better that you will be offered a position! But first, it is important for you to understand the job and expectations. This orientation is a perfect way to see what working for USPS might be like.
During the orientation you will receive a full tour of of where you will be working and might even participate in the job for a bit to see what it feels like. It also allows the HR team to see if you have what it takes to do the job well.
So, not only can you use this time to see if the job is a good fit for you – the HR team can determine if you have all the skills you said you did to be successful.
Once the pre-hire orientation is done you might decide the job is not for you and let HR know you are no longer interested.
Alternatively, they may also at this time not move forward any further with your application if they feel you are not a good candidate for what they need.
This orientation is typically one of the last steps in the hiring process. Around this time a USPS drug test may be administered and they will typically run a background check to ensure you have no major red flags.
After all of this is done, you might have to wait a few weeks to receive an offer of employment or notice that they are not moving forward.
Some additional things that you might do during the orientation include:
- Tour where you will be working
- Receive an explanation of pay, benefits, training requirements, etc.
- Learn about the USPS corporate values
- Watch videos related to the job
- Overview of screening requirements
How Long Is The Pre-Hire Process?
The entire hiring process including the pre-hire list stage can take weeks or months to complete.
As you can imagine the competition is high for USPS jobs and it takes time to review all applicants. Not only are they reviewing applications, test scores, results of the orientation, but they will also check references as well.
If you need a job immediately, then applying for a USPS career will not be a good option. It is a job you might want to apply for while you currently have another job so you have income coming in.