Ventajas
I love this PT job! • The hours are perfect (I have the morning shift, typically 4am-9am, Mon-Fri, weekends off); • The crew is hard-working, reliable, and willing to help out when the load is too heavy (don’t be afraid to ask!); • The priority of management is the safety of their workers… ALWAYS! (a lot of companies pay lip service to this tenet, but it’s definitely dogma here at UPS); • The work is simplistic, but labor intensive (it’s an excellent 4- to 5-hour daily workout, so put down that P90x DVD and turn off Hulu’s Daily Burn – this is all you need); • You’re given proper training to do the job, then left alone to do it (no micro-management); • Fast-paced, but not overwhelming; • You get one 10-minute break, but supervisors are willing to relieve you for an additional bathroom/water break (don’t abuse this, though); • Flexible hours, if you need to leave early occasionally for primary job-related/personal reasons; • It’s a great welcome-to-adulting job for current students and fresh-out-of-school grads; • It’s also a perfect 2nd income job for been-adulting-for-decades people (like me); • And it’s an excellent PT job for anyone looking for just 18-25 hours/week (hours are fairly reliable, even during non-peak season). Really, I can’t say enough great things about this job + company. Add to that the benefits available to ALL PT employees (see below list) and I can’t think of a better place to be! Benefits available to PT employees: • Weekly paychecks • After 400 hours, PT employees are eligible for company-PAID healthcare (medical, dental, vision, Rx, + hospitalization) + pension plan • PT employees are immediately eligible for 401(k) plan • PT employees are immediately eligible for tuition reimbursement (up to $5,250 per year) • After 1-year seniority, PT employees are eligible for 1 week PAID vacation • After 1-year seniority, PT employees are eligible for 5 sick days + 3 additional PAID days • After 1-year seniority, PT employees are eligible for 9 PAID holidays • After 6 months, PT employees are eligible for the stock purchase program (definitely recommend) • Annual raises • Discounts w/ partners: Verizon, Ford, GMC, etc. • Union membership: some might consider this a negative because of high initiation fee (paid over 20 weeks) + monthly dues, but I don’t • Promote-from-within culture + upward mobility (for those seeking advancement opportunities)
Desventajas
• Starting pay is $11.00/hour (minimum wage in MA). Competitors advertise higher starting wages, but after speaking with several current and former employees, I chose to not pursue employment with them. (I had an offer from one, but declined based on reports of company culture.) • Injuries. They’re going to happen. (People + companies ship the darnedest things!) But your adherence to safety rules can mean the difference between a minor injury or a major one: choose wisely. • Not climate controlled. Trucks back into an open loading dock, so the weather outside greatly influences the climate inside. But think of it this way: It’s an excellent conditioning opportunity for you! And hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! <-- This should be your new motto. • If you’re looking for an intellectually stimulating position, this job isn’t it. However, it does get your foot in the door to advance into roles that will provide that type of opportunity. • You learn to never ship high-tech items, such as TVs, monitors, and computers. Just don’t do it. No, seriously, people. Don’t. Do. It.