Couriers and Messengers Occupation Details

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Couriers and Messengers

The main tasks and work activities of Couriers and Messengers are to operate vehicles or material-moving equipment, load materials or equipment, unload materials or equipment, relay information between personnel. In general, for the Couriers and Messengers, active Listening, time Management, speaking, writing and other 4 skills are required.

Couriers and Messengers Job Description
Education	These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Related Experience	Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Job Training	Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Example	These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, and tellers.

The following chart shows the education/training levels for Couriers and Messengers jobs. 74.33% of Couriers and Messengers have High School Diploma (or the equivalent) and 9.32% of Couriers and Messengers have Post-Secondary Certificate.

Less than a High School Diploma

3.28%

High School Diploma (or the equivalent)

74.33%

Post-Secondary Certificate

9.32%

Some College Courses

0.00%

Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)

13.07%

Bachelor's Degree and Above

0.00%

Tasks and Work Activities of Couriers and Messengers

Walk, ride bicycles, drive vehicles, or use public conveyances to reach destinations to deliver messages or materials.
Load vehicles with listed goods, ensuring goods are loaded correctly and taking precautions with hazardous goods.
Unload and sort items collected along delivery routes.
Receive messages or materials to be delivered, and information on recipients, such as names, addresses, telephone numbers, and delivery instructions, communicated via telephone, two-way radio, or in person.
Plan and follow the most efficient routes for delivering goods.
Deliver messages and items, such as newspapers, documents, and packages, between establishment departments and to other establishments and private homes.
Sort items to be delivered according to the delivery route.
Obtain signatures and payments, or arrange for recipients to make payments.
Record information, such as items received and delivered and recipients' responses to messages.
Check with home offices after completed deliveries to confirm deliveries and collections and to receive instructions for other deliveries.
Perform routine maintenance on delivery vehicles, such as monitoring fluid levels and replenishing fuel.
Use telephone to deliver verbal messages.
Open, sort, and distribute incoming mail.
Perform general office or clerical work, such as filing materials, operating duplicating machines, or running errands.
Collect, seal, and stamp outgoing mail, using postage meters and envelope sealers.
Unload goods from large trucks, and load them onto smaller delivery vehicles.
Deliver and pick up medical records, lab specimens, and medications to and from hospitals and other medical facilities.

Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Documenting/Recording InformationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentRunning, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Handling and Moving ObjectsUsing hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsDeveloping constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and EventsIdentifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Performing General Physical ActivitiesPerforming physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
Monitor Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsMonitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsUsing relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Operate vehicles or material-moving equipment.
Load materials or equipment.
Unload materials or equipment.
Relay information between personnel.
Analyze shipping information to make routing decisions.
Deliver items.
Sort mail.
Obtain written authorization to perform activities.
Record shipping information.
Confer with coworkers to coordinate work activities.
Provide notifications to customers or patrons.
Distribute incoming mail.
File documents or records.
Operate office equipment.
Prepare outgoing mail.

Skills and Abilities for Couriers and Messengers

Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
WritingCommunicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Service OrientationActively looking for ways to help people.
Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Far VisionThe ability to see details at a distance.
Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Multilimb CoordinationThe ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
Finger DexterityThe ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
Manual DexterityThe ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Control PrecisionThe ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
Arm-Hand SteadinessThe ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
Perceptual SpeedThe ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
Depth PerceptionThe ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Deposit bagse.g. Bank deposit bags
Bicyclese.g. Bicycles
Scannerse.g. Computer data input scanners
Photocopierse.g. Copy machines
Light trucks or sport utility vehiclese.g. Delivery trucks
Paper shredding machines or accessoriese.g. Document shredders
Mail sealing machinese.g. Envelope sealers
Global positioning system GPS receivere.g. Global positioning system GPS devices
Radio frequency identification devicese.g. Handheld radio frequency RF scanners
Hard hatse.g. Hard hats
Hazardous waste containere.g. Hazardous material packaging
Forkliftse.g. High-reach forklifts
Scissor lift or lift tablee.g. Hydraulic lift tables
Laser fax machinee.g. Laser facsimile machines
Cash or ticket boxese.g. Lockboxes
Addressing machinese.g. Mail addressing machines
Two way radiose.g. Mobile radios
Mopedse.g. Mopeds
Motorcyclese.g. Motorcycles
Pallet truckse.g. Pallet jacks

Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
TransportationKnowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Couriers and Messengers Occupation Detailed Description

Tasks and Work Activities of Couriers and Messengers

Skills and Abilities for Couriers and Messengers