Tuesday, March 5, 2024
USPS will hold virtual fairs for supervisory jobs
The events will show how to find and apply for open positions
The Postal Service will hold four virtual job fairs for supervisory positions this year, starting in March.
Topics to be covered include:
• Supervisory roles and responsibilities, potential career paths and how to find and apply for positions;
• How to effectively respond to knowledge, skills and abilities questions to demonstrate your qualifications;
• Job interview tips, including an overview of best practices;
• Networking strategies, including tips on expanding your professional network; and
• How to use USPS resources to reach your goals. A live demonstration will be included.
The fairs are open to both career and noncareer employees and will be held on Sundays on March 24, May 19, July 14 and Sept. 15. Each fair will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. Eastern.
Sign language interpreters and closed captioning will be available, and after each fair, participants will be able to access a recording of it and the slides shown.
To participate in a fair, employees must complete an online registration form on MyHR, part of LiteBlue.
All participants must be current Postal Service employees and attend while off the clock. Participation is voluntary.
On the Job
Accentuating the positive
This delivery support specialist nurtures careers
My name is Kevin Terry and I’m a delivery support specialist — arguably the best position in the Postal Service — for Louisiana District. I coach, mentor and develop front-line supervisors and other employees.
I love helping others with their careers because, as a former rural carrier associate, I know how important it is to have a path to advancement. When I became a career employee, I immediately began applying for customer services supervisor positions because I wanted to make positive changes for my peers and help improve our organization.
What motivates people? How do we modify behavior? My own approach is to stay positive.
I start my day by looking over reports to see if there are any process issues. Since data doesn’t tell the whole story, I also visit units to observe and conduct Gemba assessments, a technique in which managers move through a workroom to discuss process improvements with employees.
A lot of the time in the field, we have this attitude of numbers first, people second. The most important thing is caring. You have to care about your people. I want to see people succeed.
Mentoring is the single most important ingredient in success, in my view.
My experience as an infantry squad leader in the Marine Corps had a big influence on how I approach my job. We need to grab hearts and minds — it’s about continuous improvement and engagement.
At the local level, we must establish mutual trust, actively listen to the front line and empower employees to make good decisions.
I am part of a postal family — both my mom, Jeanie, and my wife, Jen, are retired rural carriers in Mooringsport, where I began my career.
My dad, Wayne, was a mechanic who kept all three of our cars running so we could make deliveries. Without him, none of us would have had a job — and the town of Mooringsport wouldn’t have had mail.
I am truly blessed to have the support of my family. I now live in Shreveport with Jen and our daughter, Kalie, who I’m so proud of — she has a 4.7 grade point average at the No. 1 high school in Louisiana!
“On the Job,” a column on individual employees and their contributions to the Postal Service, appears regularly in Link.
Is that message malicious?
Your texts and phone calls could be from threatening sources
The CyberSafe at USPS team wants employees and contractors to know that smishing and vishing are rising threats to the Postal Service.
Smishing refers to text messages sent by online criminals to con recipients into downloading malicious software or divulging passwords and financial account information.
Vishing is a term that combines the words “voice” and “phishing” and involves callers who use spoofed phone numbers to make it appear as if the calls originate from legitimate sources.
Postal Service employees have fallen victim to these scams, in addition to quishing, which uses fraudulent QR codes.
USPS is encouraging employees and contractors to:
• Beware of phone calls or text messages that ask for personal or business information — or demand you take immediate action.
• Avoid clicking on suspicious links in unexpected or unsolicited text messages.
• Be cautious of text messages from unknown sources or numbers that don’t look like real phone numbers.
• Not reply or respond to suspicious phone calls or text messages.
• Filter unknown senders, which will block notifications from unsaved phone numbers, decreasing the likelihood of falling for a smishing scam.
IPhone users can filter unknown numbers by going to “Settings,” then “Messages” and then toggle on the “Filter Unknown Senders” option.
Android users can go to “Settings,” tap on “Block Numbers” and then toggle the “Block Unknown Callers” button.
The CyberSafe at USPS Blue and LiteBlue pages have additional information.
March 12, 2024
Datebook
‘Herbs and Other Natural Foods’
Postal Service employees may participate in an upcoming webinar on the health effects of herbs and how to incorporate them into your daily life.
The session, “Herbs and Other Natural Foods,” will be held Tuesday, March 12, from 2 to 3 p.m. Eastern.
Representatives from Kaiser Permanente, a provider of health plans for federal employees, will lead the discussion.
Participants must register before the event on the webinar website.
Participation is voluntary. Nonexempt employees must be off the clock or on authorized breaks.
Employees with questions can email the Benefits and Wellness team.
Environmental compliance training due
USPS employees who conduct vehicle or building maintenance activities, handle hazardous or regulated waste, or have responsibilities for bulk storage tanks containing oil may be required to complete environmental compliance training.
Installation heads should use the online Environmental Training Matrix document to determine the applicable requirements and identify employees who must complete each course.
Most environmental courses are accessible in the MyHR portal, although certain training materials might not be available online.
For more information, installation heads should go to the Environmental Affairs Training Blue page or consult their designated environmental specialist.
View past printouts
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What's included
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USPS will hold virtual fairs for supervisory jobs
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On the Job
Accentuating the positive
This delivery support specialist nurtures careers
-
Is that message malicious?
Your texts and phone calls could be from threatening sources
-
March12Datebook
‘Herbs and Other Natural Foods’
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Brief
Environmental compliance training due