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U.S. Postal Exams
{{Expand|date=June 2010}}

Applicants for all [[United States Postal Service]] entry-level career positions and for some part-time/temporary jobs are required to take employment exams. There are different exams used to fill different types of jobs.

== Application Process ==
Thanks to recent sweeping revisions to the Postal hiring and testing program, applicants are no longer forced to wait for erratically scheduled test dates. Under the new system, those seeking Postal employment are able to apply for jobs and take exams virtually anytime. More specifically, the steps involved are (1) find an open job posting, (2) apply for that job, and (3) take the required exam within a limited number of days. All these processes are electronic under the new system. Applicants search for job postings online, apply online, and take most exams online. 

== Exams ==
=== Postal Exam 230/238/240 ===
Even though the Postal Service calls them exams, these are not truly tests in the traditional sense. They are actually identical questionnaires that ask about an applicant’s driving record and experience. These exams/questionnaires are used to fill the below professional driving jobs:

Exam 230 - Motor Vehicle Operator, Exam 238 - Motor Vehicle Operator / Tractor Trailer Operator, Exam 240 - Tractor Trailer Operator

=== Postal Exam 473-E ===
This new electronic mega test replaced old exams 460, 470, 473, and 473C. It is used to fill over 90% of all entry  -level career Postal jobs. In addition to the front counter clerk position, most jobs related to handling mail, sorting mail, and delivering mail are filled from this one exam. It is broken down into five sections as detailed below. Except for the first section, this exam requires applicants to perform obscure tasks at an exceptional rate of speed. Many applicants are able to enhance their performance on the exam via extensive practice with realistic electronic practice tests. 

'''Personal Characteristics and& Experience Inventory:'''
This self-administered section is taken first without supervision. There are 150 questions to be answered in 90 minutes. This section is used to build a profile of the applicant to determine his/her potential as an employee. Applicants who pass this section are scheduled to take the remaining sections at a designated facility under supervision.

'''Address Checking:'''
(contracted; show full)

== References ==
* [http://www.usps.com/employment/welcome.htm Employment welcome page at the USPS website]
<!-- Many other exams are described there -- expand this article if desired -->

[[Category:Postal system]]
[[Category:Standardized tests in the United States]]