How to Become a Courier

Despite our world becoming more digitally reliant, the likes of packages, messages, documents and even food still regularly need that extra security only offered by a courier. Whether they’re being flown thousands of miles or simply biked to an office around the corner, these critical delivery jobs still require people capable of getting the job done – and that person could be you.

Are you a dependable sort that’s not too afraid of a bit of exercise, and meeting plenty of people along the way? Then read on, as couriering could certainly be your kind of thing and then take a look at our courier jobs.

Job Basics

Entry salary: Around £13,000pa

Experienced salary: £25,000+pa

Average hours: 35-40 (full-time); 5-25 (part-time)

What do Couriers Do?

• Pick up important items and get them where they need to be, on time
• Create and plan the best routes to take
• Travel between named destinations using one or more modes of transport
• Collecting or making payments and signatures on both ends of the delivery

What Qualities Should You Have?

It goes without saying that you’ll need a good sense of direction. While people increasingly rely on satellite navigation to get from A to B – whether it’s a dedicated system, or simply on their phone – there’s no guarantee the information will be accurate 100% of the time. What’s more, you might run out of battery, lose a signal, or even lose your gadget! As such, it’s important you can confidently demonstrate local knowledge.

It’s good to have good communication skills, and a friendly disposition goes a long way, too, and you shouldn’t be put off by the idea of being alone for long periods of time, as longer jobs on a regular basis may prove to be a lonely existence for many!

And while it may be a smaller point, it’s certainly true of jobs that can’t be done by car or van alone: a reasonable fitness level is recommended. Even if you’re driving a city from A to B, you still might have to navigate long driveways, poor road conditions that can only be negotiated on foot, and so on.

How do You Become Qualified?

It’s definitely worth getting a driver’s licence, even if you plan to do everything on your bike; otherwise, aside from work experience, you’ll probably be fine without any additional training. Still, there are courses available if you want to give yourself that extra edge – though most relate to driving and cycling skills.

We’ve got jobs for you!

Is a courier career something you think you want to drive towards? We’ve got plenty of opportunities to get you roadworthy in our job listings – check them out by downloading our iOS or Android app!