Career Advice for a Courier

Working as a Courier, you will be responsible for sorting, collecting, and delivering parcels and packages, following strict deadlines.

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How to Become a Courier

Choosing your career path and learning how to become the person you aspire to be is not always straight forward; getting a job in your chosen industry will take dedication, focus and the right qualifications.

When you have chosen the career path you wish to follow, you will need to learn how to become a Courier

Should you wish to work as a Courier you will need to evaluate what courses are required, their cost and what qualifications you need. It is important that you also assess whether you have the right credentials from a personality point of view, what the demands of the job are and whether they complement the lifestyle that you desire.

Another factor to consider, should you wish to fulfil your career aspirations, is the number of jobs you will need to have to reach your ultimate job, and the length of time it will take to reach this goal.

Common Qualifications for a Courier

  • Driving licence.
  • GCSE in English and Maths.
  • NVQ or SVQ Level 2 or 3 in Driving Goods Vehicles.

Key Responsibilities for a Courier

  • Collecting packages from the central depot.
  • Planning and following optimised delivery routes.
  • Verifying addresses before making deliveries.
  • Obtaining signatures, and where required, payments, for parcels.
  • Ensuring packages remain undamaged during handling and transit.
  • Communicating with dispatch officers and adjusting routes as directed.
  • Maintaining an accurate paper or virtual record of package deliveries.

What to expect as a Courier

When you become a Courier, you will work from a vehicle and may work as an employed or self-employed individual. If you work on a self-employed basis, you may need your own delivery van and insurance. Successful Couriers are organised, familiar with GPS, patient, and excellent communicators.

Recommended Courier Jobs

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How to get Courier Jobs

Our advice on how to get a Courier job is to focus on preparation and personalisation.

Preparation

This occurs before you write a CV cover letter or complete a Courier application. If you have not held a Courier position before, it will help to research the industry and review what a typical career path might look like. If you have held a Courier role, focus your research on the company where you are seeking employment.

Valuable resources that will help you learn about the employer include the company’s career page, social media page, blog, job ad, and job description. Helpful information will consist of the company’s mission statement, values, and vision. You could also use an employer review site to gain insights on average salaries, what current employees say about the company culture, and what it is like to work for the organisation.

Personalisation

You are now in a position to use what you have learned in your Courier CV, cover letter, and application. You should personalise each Courier application, cover letter, and CV; prioritising job skills and relevant experience and providing examples that show you have similar values and goals.

This pre-application stage is a crucial step in how to become a Courier in the UK. It puts you in a superbly informed state, ready for forthcoming telephone, video, or in-person interviews.

Students: How to Become a Courier 

As with all professions, choose your study topics carefully. Review the qualifications needed to be a Courier and the subjects you will need to enrol in certification courses, higher education, or online courses. 

Aligning your study subjects

The more closely you align your study subjects with your career path, the more likely you will be to have projects and modules that you can refer to and show a prospective employer that you have practical or theoretical Courier experience.

How to get Courier Experience

What does it take to be a Courier? The best way to find out is to get work experience, which will be invaluable when applying for Courier jobs. You can learn how to be a successful Courier through internships, apprenticeships, or volunteering for a local business.

How to be a Courier Part-Time 

If you are wondering how to get into Courier part-time, there are several possibilities. You might find a new employer looking for a part-time Courier or find your existing employer is amenable. Often companies recognise the value of flexible hours and having more staff at work during busy times of the day. 

Courier freelance work

If you have impressive Courier qualifications and experience, you could take on the challenges of working freelance with control over your schedule.

Making a Career Change

How to start a career in this profession if you work in another industry may require studying for qualifications online and focusing on transferable skills when writing your CV and attending job interviews.