I first applied with the United States Postal Service [after my move to Atlanta] on June 13, 2017. I was invited to take the online assessment the same day. After I had successfully passed the assessment, I was then invited to take the 473 Postal exam shortly after. My testing date was scheduled for the 29th of June. I successfully passed the 473 exam with a score of 80.81.
After I passed the exam, I didn't hear anything back from the USPS. I applied for countless other positions almost every day (immediately after they were posted,) for, almost, three months straight. I checked my process step on the USPS site every single day to see if any of the positions I'd applied for had moved from the "Application Entry" status to something else. I was growing impatient because I wasn't having much luck with finding a job in the mean time while waiting to hear something back from the postal service since my unemployment was starting to run out.
From the time I'd moved to Atlanta from Dayton, I had filled out over two hundred applications for various positions with other companies. I had gone on a handful of interviews, that while they went well [or at least I thought they had] I never received any call backs. So after weeks of disappointment and anger, I'd finally decided that if I didn't get a job by the end of August 2017, I was going to move back to Dayton since I'd probably have better luck finding another job in my hometown. But God works in mysterious ways; I'd managed to land an interview with an Office Depot two weeks before my unemployment ran out, after my cousin and I were getting some invoices printed.
The store was completely understaffed and a five minute printing job turned in to 40 minutes. I had gone off to purchase some notebooks and while I was standing in the checkout queue, I'd spotted a "HIRING" sign on the front door. I had been standing in checkout for almost 15 minutes myself and decided to put in an application from my phone right in the store. Once I finally checked out, I met my cousin back over at the Copy and Print station and she suggested I apply here. When I told her I already did while I was in line, the young woman who worked in Copy & Print overheard and expressed how greatly the store needed help. She even gave me her manager's card.
I was called not even three days later after putting in my application for an interview and was hired on the spot. I started my first day on the 28th of August and while I like the job and the people I worked with, I couldn't help but wish I would hear back from the Postal Service since that's where my heart was set on working. I applied for another position for USPS on September 1st and even called the Human Resources representative, whose information was on the application. I had a very brief convo with the woman that lasted all of twenty seconds. I had given her my first and last name and the date and position to which I applied and asked her if there was anyone I needed to send a copy of my resume to. She very, smartly, told me no and that all I have to do now is wait to hear something back--which is what I've been doing since I passed the 473 exam back in JUNE!
Eight days later, I was on the bus headed to my job at Office Depot and decided to go back to the USPS website to apply for, yet another, position when I saw that the process step for the position I'd applied for on the 1st had moved from "Application Entry" to "Pre-Hire List!" To say I was excited is a complete understatement. I literally called and/or texted various members of my family who have been supporting my goals of working for the postal service and cried to them how things were FINALLY starting to move forward.
I had prayed almost every day to hear something back and the Lord came through for me once again, like he always does, and nothing but good things have been happening for me all at once since he gave me the job at Office Depot. I can't even tell you how many times my family told me that putting faith in God would have many doors opening for me and that I just needed to be patient because he was making sure that it was the right time for me, and when I finally let go of my worries and anxiety and started trusting the Lord to do his will, he's been blessing me non stop back-to-back it seems like.
I have big plans/goals for the next five years and I can't wait to see what else the Lord has planned for me once I start my career with the United States Postal Service!
H.x