How to hire a rural carrier associate

How to hire a rural carrier associate, step by step

Here's a step-by-step rural carrier associate hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a rural carrier associate job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new rural carrier associate
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a rural carrier associate do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The rural carrier associate hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A rural carrier associate's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, rural carrier associates from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of rural carrier associates.

   Type of Rural Carrier Associate	Description	Hourly rate
   Rural Carrier Associate	Postal service workers sell postal products and collect, sort, and deliver mail.	$10-38
   Delivery And Mail Sorter	The postal service is an essential part of a community, and running this service falls on the shoulders of delivery and mail sorters. The sorter's responsibility is to categorize incoming mail received by the postal service to specific destination groups and have it delivered... Show more	$6-38
   Carry Out Clerk	A carry out clerk is primarily responsible for processing requests and performing clerical support tasks. They usually prepare and process documents, gather and analyze data, handle inbound and outbound calls, organize files, coordinate with internal and external parties, and update databases and records... Show more	$8-31

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Delivery Sequence
   • RCA
   • Customer Service
   • Mail Security
   • Postal Service
   • Mail Delivery
   • USPS
   • Necessary Paperwork
   • Functional Liaison
   • ADL
   • Delivery Confirmations
   • Vital Signs
   • Address Changes
   • Mail Routes

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage problems, conduct RCA investigations and deliver completed documentation.
   • Map appropriate routes using GPS and standard maps.
   • Complete forms, coding memorization, address memorization.
   • Skil at memorization, orderliness, and time management
   • Provide customers with postal information on policies and procedures regarding USPS responsibilities.
   • Provide professional interaction and friendly enthusiasm with USPS customers to establish total customer satisfaction are implemented.

   More rural carrier associate duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the rural carrier associate job description is a good way to get more applicants. A rural carrier associate salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a rural carrier associate in North Carolina may be lower than in Oregon, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level rural carrier associate. Additionally, a rural carrier associate with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average rural carrier associate salary

   $41,259yearly

   $19.84 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level rural carrier associate salary

   $21,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average rural carrier associate salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Oregon	$65,919	$32
   2	California	$56,712	$27
   3	Massachusetts	$53,034	$26
   4	Nevada	$52,783	$25
   5	Virginia	$52,281	$25
   6	Maryland	$52,165	$25
   7	North Dakota	$51,477	$25
   8	New York	$50,932	$24
   9	Wisconsin	$50,197	$24
   10	Minnesota	$49,274	$24
   11	Ohio	$48,840	$23
   12	Missouri	$46,000	$22
   13	West Virginia	$45,444	$22
   14	Texas	$41,371	$20
   15	Illinois	$40,852	$20
   16	Georgia	$40,758	$20
   17	Tennessee	$39,512	$19
   18	Louisiana	$38,627	$19
   19	South Carolina	$38,388	$18
   20	North Carolina	$37,821	$18

   Average rural carrier associate salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Bristol-Myers Squibb	$119,923	$57.66
   2	Novartis	$119,548	$57.48
   3	General Electric	$82,037	$39.44
   4	Delaware Valley Community Health	$72,862	$35.03
   5	W Holding Company	$60,487	$29.08
   6	International Rescue Committee	$56,489	$27.16
   7	U.S. Bank	$53,846	$25.89	13
   8	Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC	$51,996	$25.00
   9	Trilogy Health Services	$42,658	$20.51
   10	NORTH	$41,337	$19.87
   11	Interface	$40,017	$19.24
   12	Eagle Crest Communities	$38,268	$18.40
   13	Ace Hardware	$37,087	$17.83	3
   14	Cotiviti	$36,466	$17.53
   15	US Post Office	$35,704	$17.17
   16	University of Virginia	$35,433	$17.04
   17	Robert Half	$32,924	$15.83	16
   18	Randstad North America, Inc.	$32,744	$15.74	2
   19	NEXTAFF	$31,219	$15.01
   20	North 40 Outfitters	$31,141	$14.97

4. Writing a rural carrier associate job description

   A rural carrier associate job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a rural carrier associate job description:

   Rural carrier associate job description example

   At U.S. Bank, we're passionate about helping customers and the communities where we live and work. The fifth-largest bank in the United States, we're one of the country's most respected, innovative and successful financial institutions. U.S. Bank is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse workforce. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or veteran status, among other factors.
   Job Description
   
   The Fixed Income and Capital Markets business engages in a range of securities-related activities primarily within the Corporate and Commercial Banking Division's business platform and supporting functions. These activities include loan syndications, loan trading, private placements, derivatives, foreign exchange, debt origination, debt underwriting and sales and trading. The Control Room Compliance Officer is responsible for assisting the Control Room Manager in maintaining the USBI information barriers and employee trading compliance programs, including the management and control of confidential information, including Material, Nonpublic Information, arising as result of activities and transactions engaged in by Capital Markets and investment banking related businesses and in compliance with all applicable laws, rules, regulations and firm policies and procedures impacting these businesses.
   
   The ideal candidate for this position will have institutional compliance experience supporting employee trading, information barriers, and related activities in the context of a Control Room or related environment with exposure to the activities of these employees and businesses. As such, the candidate should have experience in the review and approval of personal trade requests, familiar with or have experience in administering the Watch and Restricted Lists, Deal Teams and potential conflicts that may arise in conjunction with Capital Markets and investment banking related businesses.
   
   With respect to these activities, the position will be responsible for:
   
   * Managing personal investment requests and all related data in accordance with USBI's Personal Investment Policy;
   * Facilitating the monthly review of personal trading for Supervisors and Senior Management;
   * Assisting in the maintenance and enhancement of Control Room policies and procedures;
   * Participating in the enhancement and facilitation of Control Room surveillance programs;
   * Maintaining the Watch and Restricted Lists, Deal Teams, and related activity;
   * Other duties and special projects as assigned.
   
   Basic Qualifications
   
   * Bachelor's Degree, or equivalent work experience
   * Three to five years of applicable experience
   
   Preferred Skills/Experience
   
   * Knowledge of Federal Securities Laws - CFTC, SEC, OCC, FED and FINRA
   * Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
   * Time/project management experience, with the ability to take a proactive approach
   * Excellent verbal, written communication, and analytical skills
   * Ability to work both independently and in a team environment
   * Technical aptitude and proficiency with Microsoft Office products
   * Ability to effectively manage data and reporting with precision.
   
   If there's anything we can do to accommodate a disability during any portion of the application or hiring process, please refer to our disability accommodations for applicants.
   
   Benefits:
   
   Take care of yourself and your family with U.S. Bank employee benefits. We know that healthy employees are happy employees, and we believe that work/life balance should be easy to achieve. That's why we share the cost of benefits and offer a variety of programs, resources and support you need to bring your full self to work and stay present and committed to the people who matter most - your family.
   
   Learn all about U.S. Bank employee benefits, including tuition reimbursement, retirement plans and more, by visiting careers.usbank.com.
   
   EEO is the Law
   
   Applicants can learn more about the company's status as an equal opportunity employer by viewing the federal EEO is the Law poster.
   
   E-Verify
   
   U.S. Bank participates in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security E-Verify program in all facilities located in the United States and certain U.S. territories. The E-Verify program is an Internet-based employment eligibility verification system operated by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Learn more about the E-Verify program.
   
   Due to legal requirements, U.S. Bank requires that the successful candidate hired for some positions be fully-vaccinated for COVID-19, absent being granted an accommodation due to a medical condition, pregnancy, or sincerely held religious belief or other legally required exemption. For these positions, as part of the conditional offer of employment, the successful candidate will be asked to provide proof of vaccination or approval for an accommodation or exemption upon hire.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find rural carrier associates for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your rural carrier associate job on Zippia to find and recruit rural carrier associate candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit rural carrier associates, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new rural carrier associate

   Once you have selected a candidate for the rural carrier associate position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new rural carrier associate. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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