Hello. I'm set to start Orientation this Tuesday as an RCA in California. I found this forum through countless hours of researching this job online to see if it will be a good fit for me. I have to say, I'm really having trouble remaining hopeful after reading so much negative content on this site and so many others also. Let me tell you a little about me...
I am a female in my mid 30's. I have a Husband of almost 1 year. We have a daughter who is 1 and a half and I have a 14 year old son from a previous relationship. My husband is a full time student and up until this job opportunity, I was unemployed for about 2 years taking care of my daughter. My husband will be staying at home with our kids on days that I am working for USPS as his school is about 90% online. He occasionally has to go on campus for things like final exams, etc.
Now, I have been reading every possible thread on this forum that I thought might pertain to my new job as RCA. I have found so much useful information that I am sure will help me tremendously once I start training. I've read through the "New RCA WITH questions" post and nearly every other topic posted by someone "New", and quite frankly, I am pretty much losing all hope for this job working out. I see comments about trying to have a family while doing this job and they are worrisome. As mentioned, I have a family and a very young daughter who is very attached to me still. I'm not sure I want to be away from her more than 9 hours a day.
When I was hired, I was told this was a very part time job. I was told the office where I will be working had just retired a few careers and replaced them with young guys who aren't going anywhere any time soon. (Sorry if this isn't proper terminology) It's located in a pretty small farming town with a few RCA'S already working there. The guy who hired me seemed pretty nice and he seemed to answer my questions honestly. I would be happy working 1-2 days a week and the occasional full time week if needed. I don't mind being called in for days they need my help so long as it works for my husbands school schedule. My issue is with the posts that say they are an RCA working 10+ hours a day, with no days off, never seeing their family, and treated like crap by the management. I mean, if I start this job and find it to really be as bad as you all say, I won't have any issues looking elsewhere, but if its really like that, why do you all stay? Seriously, are the benefits really worth all the struggles it sounds like you all face every day? I'm asking in all seriousness. I guess I'm just confused as to why anyone would willingly stay in a job that is technically not a "career" and continually be treated with such disrespect. I feel for you all and hope to God that my experience will be different but you guys and gals make it sound like hope is a lost cause at the USPS.
Ok JFT, here is my 2 cents for what its worth. I am one of those RCA's (5 years in) who has already completed one career and began another. I have always wanted to "drive" for a living. So after my retirement, I joined the USPS. Here is where my take may be a little different, I was in my previous career, the last 5 years inundated with new college graduates headed to my chosen field with their bright smiling hopefulness, encouraging, up beat morale, selfless attitudes, and unjaded view of the world I had been in for 25 years. The last few years, I began to feel as though, through the influx of technology, computers, interactive this, new wave that, and through the "no longer hands on " touch that had made me good at my career, that maybe, just maybe it was a natural evolution, out with the old, and in with the new.
Now, with 5 years in at the USPS, here is my take. I love this site, love that there is REAL information, real raw experienced based wisdom, logic, commonality, ranting, facts, appreciation for each other, ugliness, wisdom, hope from some, love for the craft, PRIDE in what we do(I feel that daily), partnership with each other, and my gosh the incredible work ethic to accomplish the job of RCA!!! However, I, now as a new RCA have to take a break from this site from time to time, because I do have, a bright smiling hopefulness, encouraging up beat moral , selfless attitude, and unjaded view of my new world!!! I get it I really do, the job of Mail Carrier Career or RCA has changed, I GET it. I have lived it in another career. BUT I want to keep my new, positive outlook so I use this site for information, to try to head off any mistakes I can born from experience and to connect with very update info, but I have met great people in different offices, lot of good, good people, met many fine people on my route, been appreciated , and thanked for doing a good job, been greeted at Walmart as a respected person, been told by my boss we did good, been frustrated, exhausted, confused, hopeless, lost, broken down on the side of the road, wet, cold, called in onto a route because someone broke down, wrecked, had a family member die, ran out of gas, had a child sick at school, all good reasons to leave the route, but we as a team have never failed to accomplish our given task. So, JFT, jump out there and give it a shot, its rewards can be very good, and if not , its not for everyone, but give it a long, long try at least 3 or 4 months, because it is not for the faint at heart. Best of luck to you and your family, my best advice, experience it and form your own opinion, then you can never wonder what if?
