474 for Mail Carriers

Virtual Entry Assessment

MC (474) – Mail Carrier Jobs

Mail Carrier

City Carrier

City Carrier Assistant

Rural Carrier Associate

Published March 2022

Not Your Typical Answers

As explained in the previous steps, the key to performing well in the Virtual Entry Assessment is to present yourself as the USPS’s image of the ideal candidate for the job.

Keep in mind, they have created a profile with all attributes and behaviors of a person they feel will be successful in the role and will remain with the company long-term. Your mission is to fit perfectly into that profile.

So how do you fit perfectly into the USPS profile? You must first become familiar with the job you are applying for. Ask yourself the following questions:

• What is the functional purpose of the job?
• What are the duties and responsibilities of the job?
• What are the expectations of the job?

Once you have a clear idea of what the job entails, think back on your past work experience and identify skills that you possess that would cause you to be successful in the new USPS role. This is the perspective you should use when providing responses to the assessment questions.

You cannot perform well in an assessment by choosing answers which simply make you appear to be a good employee. The only thing that will accomplish is showing the USPS that you are a good worker, but not necessarily a good fit for the role in question.

To perform well on the assessment and receive a high score, you must become familiar with the job, its demands, and how USPS wants someone to perform in the role. Your goal is to achieve 90 or better on the assessment to ensure you have one of the top three scores and will be invited to an interview.

The following pages will explain what is included in the 474 Virtual Entry Assessment, sample questions, and tips and techniques on how to present yourself as the ideal Mail Carrier in the eyes of the United States Postal Service. Be sure to read this entire module BEFORE applying or a Mail Processing job.

Remember, once you submit an application and receive the Assessment Notification, you will only have three days to complete the 474 VEA. You want to make sure that you are prepared and ready to master the assessment when the invitation arrives so you are not scrambling to get prepared before the three day time period has expired.