17 Key Attributes Postmasters And Mail Superintendents Need To Succeed In Their Career

by Michael Davis

Sunday, January 3, 2016

Postmasters and mail superintendents plan, direct, or coordinate operational, administrative, management, and supportive services of a U.S. post office; or coordinate activities of workers engaged in postal and related work in assigned post office.

The core tasks that postmasters and mail superintendents are likely to carry out include:

Organize and supervise activities such as the processing of incoming and outgoing mail.
Direct and coordinate operational, management, and supportive services of one or a number of postal facilities.
Resolve customer complaints.
Hire and train employees, and evaluate their performance.
Prepare employee work schedules.
Negotiate labor disputes.

In order to successfully forge ahead with their careers, analysts in a survey carried out by U.S. Department of Labor (via O*NET) have marked out the following as important attributes that postmasters and mail superintendents would need. These attributes have been selected from characteristics and requirements strongly associated with the occupation. They are

Abilities: Enduring attributes of the individual that influence performance
Interests: Preferences for work environments. Occupational Interest Profiles (OIPs) are compatible with Holland's (1985, 1997) model of personality types and work environments. Six interest categories are used to describe the work environment of occupations: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. An OIP consists of six numerical scores indicating how descriptive and characteristic each work environment (or interest area) is for an occupation
Knowledge: Organized sets of principles and facts applying in general domains
Skills: These include basic skills, which are developed capacities that facilitate learning or the more rapid acquisition of knowledge. Plus cross-functional skills, which are developed capacities that facilitate performance of activities that occur across jobs
Style: Personal characteristics that can affect how well someone performs a job

We have listed out attributes which were scored 80% or more in terms of importance by the analysts.

Having a strong preference for enterprising work environments. Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Attribute Type: Interests Score: 100%

Maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 90.6%

Being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 90.6%

A willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 89%

Being honest and ethical.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 88.4%

Accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 88%

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Attribute Type: Knowledge Score: 84.4%

Being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 82.8%

Being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 82%

A willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 81.8%

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Attribute Type: Knowledge Score: 81.8%

Having a strong preference for conventional work environments. Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Attribute Type: Interests Score: 81%

Establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 80.8%

Being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 80.8%

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Attribute Type: Knowledge Score: 80.6%

Persistence in the face of obstacles.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 80.4%

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Attribute Type: Skills Score: 80%