How to Get a Job at UPS

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: June 8, 2021 References

UPS, which stands for United Parcel Service, is a package delivery company. The company, which has locations in more than 300 countries, employs full-time, part-time, and seasonal employees. Most employees begin their UPS careers as part-time package handlers or drivers. UPS is known for actively promoting its employees from within. There are numerous ways to seek out UPS jobs, so arm yourself with knowledge on how to get a job at UPS.

Method 1

Method 1 of 6:

Working in Driving or Handling

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Learn about the available jobs. The United Parcel Service has a variety of career paths from which you can choose. There are two basic career paths for a UPS employee who wants to work primarily in the field of physical labor: package handlers/helpers and drivers/mechanics.
- Package handlers generally work part-time making sure sorting through packages and making sure they get to the proper addresses and that no damages are accrued on the journey. Shifts are somewhat short, about 4 to 5 hours each, and are dispersed throughout the day. Package handlers are often college students and parents looking to make extra money.
- UPS drivers are responsible for driving UPS trucks and delivering packages. This is a physical, fast-paced job where you'll be subject to regular physical exams and driving tests. Positions range from part to full time.
2
Get in shape physically. Being in physical shape is important for certain positions, such as package handling and driving. You'll have to handle packages between 25 and 70 pounds as both a handler and a driver.
- If you're not already physically active, work on exercising on a regular basis. The job of a handler is physically demanding. Even if you want to drive, keep in mind UPS often promotes from within. It may be easier to start off as a handler and work you way up to a drive position. Start working out on a regular basis to work on your muscles and stamina.
- Weight lifting should be a part of your workout regimen as UPS handlers have to be able to lift heavy packages. You should start slow with weight training. Two 20 to 30 minute sessions a week, at first, will result in you seeing results. From there, you can work your way up to longer sessions and bigger weights.^{[1]
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- Make sure you learn the proper technique before beginning weight training. Talk to a doctor or trainer about your goals with weight training. Allow him or her to talk to you about form and safety. You do not want to hurt yourself weight training.^{[2]
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- Always take a day to rest between weight training sessions. This gives your muscles time to recover from stress.^{[3]
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3
Consider your education. There are no specific education requirements for UPS drivers and handlers. In fact, many handlers are college students looking for part time work. However, if you're aiming to eventually move up and become a driver consider getting a bachelor's or associate's degree in a field like automotive engineering. You can also look into vocational programs in car mechanics. This can make you a more employable candidate as you'll have basic working knowledge of vehicles you can use as a driver/mechanic.
4
Gain necessary certifications and keep your driving record clean. If you want to drive for UPS, work on maintaining an excellent driving record. You might also need certifications from the Department of Transportation, depending on your career path.
- All UPS drivers have to pass a physical exam to assure they can keep up with the physical demands of the job. Work to assure you're in shape prior to the exam.
- Certain positions require special certifications in addition to a driver's license. You may need a commercial driver's license. You might also need a certifications from the Department of Motor Vehicles if your job requires delivering certain materials, such as a Hazmat certification. If a job requires such certifications, it should say so in the job description.
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Move up. The UPS corporation often hires from within. This means you can move up from position to position. If you work hard as a handler, you may be promoted to a driver. Down the road, and if you get the proper education, you could potentially move from a driver position to a management or administrative position.

Method 2

Method 2 of 6:

Working in Customer Service

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Learn about the position. Those working in customer solution and sales work on selling UPS products and helping customers who have issues with their orders. This department is broken down further in separate sections, depending on whether you want to work primarily with buying and selling products or with customer service. This position requires you to be people-friendly, outgoing, and able to solve problems quickly and creatively.
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Get a relevant education. Customer service positions typically only require a high school education.^{[4]
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- Courses in business, communications, English, and computer technology can be helpful for a customer service position. Consider gaining a bachelor's or associate's degree in one of these fields. You could also take a few classes at a local community college and put this on your resume under a heading like "relevant coursework."^{[5]
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- Keep in mind UPS is a large company and careers are diverse. Requirements for positions vary so always read job descriptions carefully. Some jobs may only require a high school educations while others may want a bachelor's or associate's degree.
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Gain experience. Experience is vital if you want a job. If you're looking to work in customer service for UPS, work on gaining experience in the field.
- For a customer service position, any job where you work with people looks good on a resume. Take a part time sales position during high school. Work at a call center between semesters during college. Anything that involves dealing with customers head on will look good on your resume. Such positions are often entry level, so you may be able to snag one with little prior experience.
- Keep in mind UPS often hires from within. You may want to consider working as a driver/handler and applying for customer service jobs as they come up.

Method 3

Method 3 of 6:

Working in the IT or Logistics

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Read up on the positions. When it comes to making the UPS corporation run smoothly, there are two main pathways: the IT department and logistics and operations. If you want a job that involves working behind the scenes, consider these paths.
- The information technology department of UPS works on continually renovating the technological aspects of the UPS corporation to assure things run smoothly. This position is great for someone with a background in computing, mechanics, or engineering.
- Logistics and operations make sure all aspects of UPS run together smoothly. This field is essentially responsible with connecting the dots between all other aspects of the UPS corporation. Requirements and experience vary greatly as a wide array of different professionals and with varying levels of interest are needed for logistics and operations jobs.
2
Get an education. Jobs in IT or logistics vary greatly in their requirements. There are a variety of educational pathways you can take to land one of the positions. Unlike driving/handling positions and customer service positions, these jobs usually require some level of higher education.
- Education requirements for information technology jobs depend on which field you want to specialize in. If you're interested in streamlining how UPS trucks operate, a degree in automotive engineering might help. If you're more interested in jobs in computing, a computer science degree might be a worthwhile investment.
- A logistics and operations job may require an associate's or bachelor's degree depending on the position. As your job involves streamlining UPS services, a degree in something like chain management or process engineering can help you see how the inside structure of businesses operate. There may also be certifications to obtain, depending state, in things like business management. These might be a good supplement to an education and help you stand out on the job market.
- In short, as UPS jobs are so diverse pursue your personal interests and passions and see how they fit with the UPS corporation.
3
Seek experience. You should start looking for experience early on in high school and college. This can help you stand out to UPS employees when you apply for a position at the company.
- If you want to work in information technology, having a tech background is key. Work in computer repairs for a few years. Take a few classes in technology or computer science. Work at a local mechanics to learn about car repair.
- Experience working behind the scenes in businesses can help with a logistics and operations job. Try to get a part time job at a local business that allows you to work behind the scenes to help the business run smoothly.
- Look for internships in the fields that interest you during college and high school. This can help set you apart from the competition when applying for a job. Ask your college career counselor to point you in the direction of good internship opportunities.

Method 4

Method 4 of 6:

Working in Business Management

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Read about the position. A business management position means you'll be in control of managing various aspects of local and national UPS stores and headquarters. You'll be responsible for compiling schedules, managing the budget, handling conflict, and other aspects involved with helping the UPS business run smoothly.
2
Get the right education. Business management positions usually requirement, at minimum, a bachelor's degree. Depending on your career goals, a master's may also be useful.
- Your best option is probably a degree in business management, but a minor in something like accounting, finance, or economics can also help. Some people who work in business management have more technical degrees in fields like computer science or information technology.
- Many people who work in business management obtain a Master's of Business Administration. Browse the UPS website and look at jobs that you are interested in and see if the generally require a master's degree. Consider going for your master's if it appears that would be helpful for your UPS career path.
3
Consider certification. There are no specific certification requirements for a career in business management. However, certain specific career paths may require certification. Look into what certificates you might need considering your personal career goals. The best way to get a sense of what kind of certifications you might need is to browse the UPS website. Look at jobs that interest you and see what certifications are required. If one particular kind of certification is generally required for the types of management jobs you're seeking, look into obtaining that certification.
4
Gain experience. In order to gain a management experience, experience is vital. Work on building your resume as early as college to snag a great position in the UPS company.
- Leadership is valued in the UPS community, particularly for management and corporate positions. Seek out leadership opportunities when you can. Coach a little league team. Become the president of a student run club. Get involved with a local political party and seek out a position of power.
- In order to snag a management position, you'll need to develop certain skills. Sales, marketing, human resources, and IT skills are vital for a management position to seek out relevant work during high school and college. Seek out jobs in sales and customer service. Work as a receptionist for a local business over the summers. Spend a semester working at your school's computer center.
- An internship can help set you apart from the competition when seeking a position in business management. Start looking for internships your junior or senior year of high school. Talk to a career counselor about where you can find internship opportunities in your community.

Method 5

Method 5 of 6:

Working a Corporate Position

1
Learn about the available opportunities. Corporate positions at UPS vary greatly. Corporate jobs are also more demanding and require more education and experience. They include things like management and CEO positions. They require general leadership experience. Some positions may have specific educational and experience-related requirements. These jobs are generally more long term and come with a chance of advancement.
2
Get a relevant education. Corporate positions almost always require at least a bachelor's degree. If you want to work in UPS at the corporate level, you must first obtain the necessary education.
- Educational requirements for corporate positions vary. However, a bachelor's degree in business or a related field can certainly help. Some corporate positions may require a master's degree in a specific field.
- There are also many marketing and administrative positions that may require a degree in that particular field. Browse the UPS website, where you can look at jobs by category, to get a sense of educational requirements for a variety of UPS jobs.
- You may need a master's degree for some corporate positions. However, many people work for a few years between their bachelor's and master's to gain some experience in the field.
3
Gain experience. As corporate jobs are more competitive, a high level of experience in business is necessary to obtain these positions. Start working on gaining experience as early as possible.
- Leadership is important to the UPS corporation. Work on building your leadership position. Look for entry level management positions at UPS. Intern at small businesses or bigger corporations. Take on a leadership role in a local club, church, or political party.
- Work in high school. Even a job doing something basic, like answering phones or filing papers, can kick start a business career. Employers will see you have some knowledge of business operations and may be more willing to hire you.
- Seek out internships in college. If you want a corporate position, internship experience is vital. Talk to your college career counselor about finding an internship sometime during your junior or senior year of college. In fact, many business programs may require an internship for graduation.
- Gain entry level work shortly after college. Be on the lookout for entry level business positions. Ideally, you would want an entry level position at UPS. However, if that does not pan out you can work at another company for a few years and try again. You may stand a better chance getting hired with some experience on your resume.
- Networking matters when it comes to corporate positions. Stay in touch with those you've met along your path. When job hunting, reach out to past internship supervisors, bosses, colleagues, and anyone else you've encountered professionally. Ask for leads on job openings.
4
Seek additional certifications if necessary. Depending on the position you're seeking, as well as your state, you may need special certifications. Pay attention to job requirements on UPS job boards. If you see a particular certification is frequently required or recommended for the position, work on obtaining that certification. This will help you land a good corporate position.

Method 6

Method 6 of 6:

Applying and Interviewing

1
Write a solid resume. Once you've pursued adequate education and experience, you can begin writing your resume. A good resume can help set you apart from the competition when pursuing a job at UPS.
- Be consistent about formatting choices. For example, if you use bullet points to list your experience for one job do not list your experience in sentences for your next position.^{[6]
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- Include only relevant experience. If you're applying for a marketing position, for example, potential employees are not going to care that you stocked shelves over the summer to make ends meet. However, your marketing internship your junior year of college can help set you apart.^{[7]
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- Phase your experience in the most impressive terms possible. For example, say you're applying for a sales position and include your experience at Radio Shack in your resume. Do not say "Helped customers choose electronic devices." Instead, say, "Consulted with customers on their specific at-home needs to help them select the best products for their personal needs." You can find lists of resume buzzwords online that can help you phrase your experience in impressive terms.
- A solid design can help set your resume apart, especially if you're applying for a job in a more creative field. You can find lists of fun, creative resume templates online to help inspire you.^{[8]
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2
Search the UPS site. The UPS website is user friendly and can easily be searched for job positions. You can search by location, field, position, keyword, and more. If you're looking for a job with UPS specifically, their website is the best place to start However, you may occasionally end up stumbling across a UPS job on another website.
3
Apply for the position. Through UPS's website, you are required to complete a profile that includes your personal information such as address, email address, telephone number, and Social Security number (SSN). Applications vary depending on the position. Some may require you include references. Include a reference you have worked with professionally rather than a friend or a family member.
4
Attend the interview. If you are contacted for an interview, there are specific regulations UPS follows when conducting interviews and hiring employees. Usually, around 10 to 15 people interview for a job at a time. The specific questions you can expect depend on the position you're applying for.
- If you're applying for a job that requires manual labor, you'll probably be asked about the physical demands of the job. An interviewer will ask you if you're able to lift up to 70 pounds and whether you've played sports in the past. Drivers will be asked questions about their ability to follow direction and interpret maps.^{[9]
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- Questions for jobs like management and corporate positions focus on broader qualities. You'll be asked how you've dealt with past conflicts and how you plan to manage and motivate employees.^{[10]
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- The UPS website has videos of mock interviews. These can be helpful to view in preparation for your UPS interview.^{[11]
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5
Be on the lookout for seasonal work. Due to demands on holiday delivery, UPS often hires workers for seasonable employment. Be on the lookout for such jobs. They could lead to full time positions down the road and bolster your resume when applying for more permanent UPS work.^{[12]
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Community Q&A

Question

Does UPS have restrictions on hiring family members?

Community Answer

No, it does not. UPS only considers the applicant's abilities and potential when determining who to hire.