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UPS Seeks 60,000 Seasonal Hires

Oct 22, 2007
This article is part of a series called News & Trends.

Part-time positions feature prominently on the UPS corporate careers site, and that’s good news as the Atlanta-based global delivery services company seeks to hire up to 60,000 seasonal workers.

To help meet UPS’s 40% volume increase between Thanksgiving and the end of December, these seasonal workers will help deliver as many as 22 million packages worldwide daily.

“It’s safe to say in all the major markets we’re looking for seasonal help,” says UPS spokesperson Laurie Mallis.

“When you think about that number, that’s essentially a few Fortune 500 companies right there and is a huge undertaking. We start trying to get the word out right about now,” says Mallis.

The company also aimed to hire the same amount of workers, about 60,000, for the 2006 holiday season. However, “we don’t give out the actual amount we actually hired for competitive reasons,” says Mallis.

In Central Florida, the company wants to hire about 1,600 seasonal employees this year to fill package sorter and driver roles.

“Our seasonal employees are instrumental in ensuring that UPS delivers the holidays on time for our customers,” says Jeff Gutowski, Central Florida workforce planning manager.

In metro Detroit, UPS has plans to hire about 210 seasonal workers, which is about the same number as last year. And in El Paso, Texas, UPS plans to hire about 110 drivers and package sorters, up from 88 people hired in 2006.

What Can Brown Do for Online Career Search?

Although the company’s corporate careers website is intended for long-term hires (full-time and part-time) as opposed to just seasonal hires, the website includes significant depth on what part-time positions are like at UPS.

As Mallis explains, about one in four seasonal workers ultimately sign on for an ongoing, part-time position with UPS.

And UPS seems to understand that, because all workers are encouraged to apply online, it’s a prime opportunity to show even seasonal candidates what to expect on the job, from the holiday rush and beyond.

Through a section devoted to strictly part-time inquiries, job seekers would learn that, across the country, a part-time package handler can expect to earn an hourly rate of $8.50 to $9.50 based on up to 20 hours per week and receive an “attractive” benefits package.

In addition, UPS takes the added step of outlining the tax breakdowns for these hourly positions by noting that “employees can expect to take home between $110.00 and $150.00 each week after deductions have been taken for taxes, etc.”

The site adds that a package handler job “is a physical, fast-paced position that involves continual lifting, lowering and sliding packages that typically weigh 25-35 lbs. and may weigh up to 70 lbs.”

On the other hand, a part-time supervisor position (directly supervising seven to 10 part-time package handlers) nets up to $1,600 per month on average, along with benefits. When someone is interested in such a position, the UPS website further breaks down that this is a management training position to “train, develop, and hold their workgroups responsible for safety, production, and attendance. This is a physical, fast-paced position that involves demonstrating how to safely lift, lower, and slide packages that typically weigh 25-35 lbs. and may weigh up to 70 lbs.”

UPS has over 400,000 workers in more than 200 countries.

This article is part of a series called News & Trends.
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