We are still in October and already a lot of people are out there buying and shipping gifts for the holidays. Why? Because we're still dealing with supply chain issues just about everywhere. And also, there's that ongoing need for more workers to actually get your packages delivered.
Amy Gibbs with the United States Postal Service sat down with NBC Connecticut's Dan Corcoran to talk about how to keep ahead of that holiday shipping rush, and job opportunities as we move into the agency's business season.
Dan: "Let's talk about the next couple of months, the busiest time of the year for your office. So what's your advice? For people who are watching? Do we need to be getting and sending stuff already?"
Gibbs: "Yes, you can start early, we highly encourage that. Our hard deadlines obviously aren't until December. So you have a little bit of a window. But we do encourage early, early, early, early. December 17 is for First Class Mail and December 18 is for Priority. But as you know, the first two weeks right before Christmas are when we get slammed. So the earlier you shop and ship, better for all of us."
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Dan: "So we do have some more time to do it right this moment. Now, we did mention the supply chain delays. How was that filtering down to USPS or things moving through the mail system slower right now than typically would be?"
Gibbs: "Right now we're just doing the best we can with what we have. I haven't seen any major delays around Connecticut, which is great. We're on a great track. We've been preparing for this. Since June, really we started our holiday strategy planning super early. We've added annexes, we've added personal sorting machines, we've added human resources, we're still adding human resources - we're hiring. So beyond what we can control, which is the weather and like you said supply chain issues. We're ready, we are ready on our end."
Dan: "As we get into the holiday season, the Postal Service is going to need some additional staff to get the job done, including, like you said here in Connecticut. So where are you looking to hire? What's the time frame? And how can people learn more about applying for those jobs?
Local
Gibbs: "Well, nationwide, we're hiring over 40,000 people. So we're adding a lot to our workforce. The good news is around Connecticut, we have plenty of jobs available. We have a hiring fair, this Saturday, Oct. 30, at the Hartford Post Office at 141 Weston St., in Hartford, where you can learn all about the different opportunities. Great opportunities. It could be seasonal, but it could lead to an exciting career. You just never know."
Starting pay for the Connecticut jobs ranges from $16.87-$18.69 per hour. For more information about jobs at USPS, click here.
The job fair will also offer customers a chance to apply for a passport with no appointment necessary. For details on requirements and the application, click here.
