UPS Package Handler
07-15-2009, 02:05 AM
#11
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2005
Position: MD80
Posts: 1,111
i'm a ph over at cinci hub for 2 1/2 years now and I hate it lol...The main reason I do it is so I can have references in the future when I apply for UPS Air. I will say that I've made more then enough connections and getting used to the brown culture really is a good idea if you wanna work their in the future. The downside is that for new hires the pay is horrible and benefits don't kick in until 18 months after hire date. Another crappy part is that the full timers could care less about part timers and always vote in their own favor on a new contract at the expense of the guys who do the hard labor. (God I hope a driver dosen't read this cause i'd prolly be flamed to heck lol)
I honestly can't stress how horrible the job can be at times...especially for the loaders but it really is a great place to work and the benefits are worth more then my yearly gross lol...
If I was you and your bent on working their, I would work your ass off for a few months and jump over to supervision.
ps they used to have a deal where you could sign a contract with the company that would allow you to quit and then come back and fly for them once you get your hours in...though i'm 99% sure that they discontinued that program.
I honestly can't stress how horrible the job can be at times...especially for the loaders but it really is a great place to work and the benefits are worth more then my yearly gross lol...
If I was you and your bent on working their, I would work your ass off for a few months and jump over to supervision.
ps they used to have a deal where you could sign a contract with the company that would allow you to quit and then come back and fly for them once you get your hours in...though i'm 99% sure that they discontinued that program.
07-20-2009, 04:51 AM
#12
On Reserve
Joined APC: Jan 2008
Position: Boeing Tanker
Posts: 10
I know where you are coming from because I've been working toward the same thing. I started at UPS in 1991 as a package handler, moved to PT supervision, graduated in IT and moved to the technology department. I have been flying in the military for 8 years and tried to apply for a flying position the last time the window was open. The first problem I ran into was that the online system recognized my SS number as an existing employee and wouldn't let me apply. The system says "You are currently a UPS employee and should contact your manager for opportunities within the company..."
Here's another problem... The air group and ground group are on two different sides of the planet and don't talk to each other. My manager is a smart guy and really wanted to help me out, along with several other managers that I have known over the years, but had no idea how to make it happen. No one could get my resume to the right person to land me an interview. In fact, my manager forwarded my resume and three letters of recommendation to the air group manager directly and asked him what I needed to do to apply. He basically said that unless a candidate has the following hours they will probably not be considered:
Competitive Qualifications:
Total Time 4883
Total PIC 2879
Jet PIC 1497
M/E Turbo PIC 1977
(this info came directly from air HR in 2007) I had almost 3000 hours of C-130time, 1500 PIC, and almost 16 years at UPS when my resume was sent.
Pilots aren't hiring pilots at UPS any more. HR managers are hiring the pilots and the computer does all the work to find the qualified individual. So, if you work for UPS and have the above time you probably have a 100% chance of getting hired at some point. I'm going to hit the next job fair that UPS attends and try to get some face time with a hiring manager. I will have nearly 20 years with the company by the time we start hiring but will never have those minimums with only flying the KC-135 in the Guard (I recently switched to tankers).
The other problem I had was that my UPS pilot friends couldn't even write a letter of rec since I couldn't apply through the online system. The two are tied together like smoke and mirrors.
So take it from someone who practically bleeds brown… times have changed since the days of UPSers getting hired with 50 hours PIC!! There are way too many extremely qualified pilots in the pool for any airline to have to hire someone with average/low time.
Good luck and keep flyin'!
Here's another problem... The air group and ground group are on two different sides of the planet and don't talk to each other. My manager is a smart guy and really wanted to help me out, along with several other managers that I have known over the years, but had no idea how to make it happen. No one could get my resume to the right person to land me an interview. In fact, my manager forwarded my resume and three letters of recommendation to the air group manager directly and asked him what I needed to do to apply. He basically said that unless a candidate has the following hours they will probably not be considered:
Competitive Qualifications:
Total Time 4883
Total PIC 2879
Jet PIC 1497
M/E Turbo PIC 1977
(this info came directly from air HR in 2007) I had almost 3000 hours of C-130time, 1500 PIC, and almost 16 years at UPS when my resume was sent.
Pilots aren't hiring pilots at UPS any more. HR managers are hiring the pilots and the computer does all the work to find the qualified individual. So, if you work for UPS and have the above time you probably have a 100% chance of getting hired at some point. I'm going to hit the next job fair that UPS attends and try to get some face time with a hiring manager. I will have nearly 20 years with the company by the time we start hiring but will never have those minimums with only flying the KC-135 in the Guard (I recently switched to tankers).
The other problem I had was that my UPS pilot friends couldn't even write a letter of rec since I couldn't apply through the online system. The two are tied together like smoke and mirrors.
So take it from someone who practically bleeds brown… times have changed since the days of UPSers getting hired with 50 hours PIC!! There are way too many extremely qualified pilots in the pool for any airline to have to hire someone with average/low time.
Good luck and keep flyin'!
07-20-2009, 06:13 AM
#13
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2005
Position: 767 captain
Posts: 2,701
very honest appraisal UPSer. I'm sorry that you have gotten caught in the UPS red tape, but since you've been here a while you should be familiar with it. You have to wonder if they would prefer you to get another thousand hours in a 150 just to make their computer's limits.
07-20-2009, 07:09 AM
#14
On Reserve
Joined APC: Jan 2008
Position: Boeing Tanker
Posts: 10
very honest appraisal UPSer. I'm sorry that you have gotten caught in the UPS red tape, but since you've been here a while you should be familiar with it. You have to wonder if they would prefer you to get another thousand hours in a 150 just to make their computer's limits.
I thought the same thing... The biggest one is the PIC Jet time since most of my time was in a 130. I just crossed over to 135's but it will take me a while to get 1600 hours in the plane, though it's all PIC.
I'll just keep flying my butt off and I'll hit up the first hiring conference once the flood gates open again.
07-20-2009, 07:23 AM
#15
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2005
Position: 767 captain
Posts: 2,701
FWIW, I think that they loosened up on the jet requirements the last time around. It's gonna be a while until we hire again though. My understanding is that they set the times that they want and enter them into a computer. The selection is blind to eliminate favoritism and discrimination claims. It is a shame that this would leave internals in a bind.
07-20-2009, 07:57 AM
#16
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2006
Position: MD-11 Captain
Posts: 4,304
07-20-2009, 08:10 AM
#18
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2006
Position: Brown 747-400
Posts: 524
07-20-2009, 08:22 AM
#19
On Reserve
Joined APC: Jan 2008
Position: Boeing Tanker
Posts: 10
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