Messengers deliver messages, reports, documents, packages, and other items within a business establishment, to offices and departments in other locations, or to private homes. They are sometimes called outside deliverers.

JOB DUTIES

Messengers may:

Keep records of articles received and delivered

Sort information to be delivered according to the delivery route

Assist in general office or clerical work

Run errands and do other work-related tasks as required

Perform routine maintenance on the company vehicle driven, such as checking fluid levels and replenishing the fuel

The materials used may include:

OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES

Messengers may be designated according to the item delivered, such as telegraph messenger or telephone-directory deliverer. Other Messengers may specialize in several areas:

MESSENGERS deliver messages, reports, documents, packages, and

other items within a business establishment, to offices and departments

in other locations, or to private homes.

239.677-010 COPY MESSENGERS carry copy, proofs, and illustrations to and from advertisers and other outside agencies and from desk to desk within

an office. They might read competitors' publications, clipping various items to submit to the editor.

239.687-010 ROUTE AIDES deliver messages to and from conveyor belts, terminals, tube locations, and other transmitting points within a telegraph

office. They might also prepare microfilm copies of telegrams.

239.567-010 RUNNERS deliver stock certificates or bonds within their own firm and to outside stock brokerage offices.

230.647-010 SINGING MESSENGERS perform song and dance routines to deliver messages and entertain specific people as requested by customers of a message delivery service.

230.663-010 OUTSIDE DELIVERER

In addition to learning about these specialties, you may also find it helpful to explore the following MOIScripts:

WORKING CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

Messengers work both inside and outside, alone or with other employees under direction of a supervisor. Indoors, they usually work in clean, well lighted areas that may be small and congested or noisy because of office equipment. They are exposed to all types of weather when working outside.

Messengers usually work a 5-day, 40-hour week. Some may be required to work overtime or weekends in businesses with seasonal activity or tight schedules or deadlines.

Messengers often travel extensively, but most employers furnish transportation. Messengers might find that sometimes traveling out-of-town is necessary. Messengers might be reimbursed for some or all of their operating costs.

Messengers may have to furnish their own uniforms or other work-related apparel.

Messengers may join unions representing employees at their place of work. Union members must pay dues.

You Should Prefer:

• Activities dealing with things and objects

• Activities involving business contact with people

• Activities of a routine, definite, and organized nature

You Should Be Able To:

• Work under supervision and be dependable

• Follow specific instructions

• Get along well with others

• Perform a variety of duties that may change often

• Keep simple records accurately

• Keep messages and other information confidential

• Learn names, addresses, and room numbers quickly

Physically You Must Be Able To:

• Communicate with others

• Use your arms and hands to reach for, handle, and manipulate objects

• Stand or walk most of the time

• Lift and carry materials weighing 20 pounds and occasionally more

• Coordinate the movement of hands/feet according to visual signals,

• See well (naturally or with correction)

Math Problem You Should Be Able to Solve:

If the maximum weight that you are allowed to deliver is 75 pounds, and you are told to deliver a package weighing 80 kilograms, are you allowed to deliver this package?

Reading Example You Should Be Able to Read and Comprehend:

A consumer is anyone who buys goods or services for personal use. At one time or another, everyone is a consumer.

Writing Example You Should Be Able to Produce:

You should be able to write a report, to your supervisor, explaining any package or message that might have gotten misplaced.

Thinking Skill You Should Be Able to Demonstrate:

You should be able to decide the most productive route to deliver the outgoing packages.

Messengers may need to have a valid driver's license. A chauffeur's license may be necessary for some positions. Messengers who handle money or other valuables may be required to meet certain standards in order to be bonded.

EDUCATION AND PREPARATION OPPORTUNITIES

NOTE: On-the-Job Training provided by the employer, a High School Diploma or equivalent may qualify a person for occupation.

The following education and preparation opportunities are helpful in preparing for occupations in the MOIScript:

***SCHOOL SUBJECTS***

0700 CAREERS , 0900 COMMUNICATIONS , 2800 PUBLIC SPEAKING

***VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS***

There are no Vocational Education Programs related to this MOIScript

***POSTSECONDARY PROGRAMS***

There are no Postsecondary Programs related to this MOIScript

Search for a College and/or Instructional Program  

***APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES***

There are no Apprenticeships related to this MOIScript

***MILITARY TRAINING PROGRAMS***

There are no Military Programs related to this MOIScript  

E-Learning Courses and Programs

OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIENCE AND METHODS OF ENTRY

Summer or part-time work during rush seasons may be available at retail stores, public utility companies, financial institutions, government agencies, and industrial or commercial firms.

The most common method of becoming a Messenger is by applying directly to employers. Many businesses now specialize in delivery, messenger, and courier services. Applicants seeking employment with some government agencies must take civil service examinations. Assistance in finding a job may be obtained from school placement offices or local offices of Michigan Works!. Newspaper want ads often list open positions. In addition, you should access and search the Internet's on-line employment services sites such as:

Michigan Talent Bank (http://www.michworks.org/mtb/user/MTB_EMPL.EntryMainPage)

America's Job Bank (http://www.ajb.dni.us)

Classifieds Employment (http://www.classifieds2000.com)

Yahoo! Careers (http://careers.yahoo.com/)

Michigan Department of Career Development (http://www.michigan.gov/mdcd)

Michigan Works! (http://www.michiganworks.org)

            You should also enter an electronic resume on these on-line services.

EARNINGS AND ADVANCEMENT

Earnings of Messengers vary according to experience, the employer, the level of responsibility, and union affiliation. Unionized wages are higher than non unionized wages, and manufacturing firms and public utilities generally pay higher wages than non manufacturing and retail businesses pay.

Nationally (2001), Messengers had median annual salaries of $26,156.   The median yearly earnings of  "all" workers in the U.S. were $31,044 in 2001.  Messengers employed by the federal government in 2002 earned between $14,757 and $18,456 per year. The salaries of these federal government workers may be higher in some urban areas.

Messengers in Michigan had average annual salaries of $20,900 in early 2002.  Most earned between $16,200 and $23,300 per year.

Messengers employed by the city of Detroit earned between $14,528 and $23,000 in early 2002. Salaries of Messengers employed by businesses in Southeastern Michigan averaged $24,000 annually.

Full-time Messengers may receive sick leave; life, health, and accident insurance; retirement plans; and paid vacations and holidays. These benefits are usually paid for, at least in part, by employers. Some employers may offer stock purchase or savings plans for salaried employees.

Messengers who learn the company's business while working may advance to higher, even supervisory, positions. Promotion from Copy Messenger to copy reader may be possible at some publishing firms where training programs are offered. Messengers who can type and operate office machines usually have greater opportunities to advance.

EMPLOYMENT AND OUTLOOK

Nationally, approximately 131,800 Messengers were employed in 2000. The employment of Messengers is expected to decline through the year 2010. About 5.0% of them were self-employed. The industry distribution for Messengers looked like this:

Most openings will become available as experienced Messengers retire or leave their jobs for other reasons.

Approximately 2,750 Messengers are employed in Michigan. About 89% worked in urban areas. Messengers were primarily employed by medical facilities, business service firms, financial institutions, insurance firms, publishing companies, retail and wholesale businesses, and government agencies.

Employment of Messengers in Michigan is expected to decline through the year 2008. An average of 60 annual openings is expected, with all due to replacement of those who retire or leave the labor force for other reasons. Additional openings will occur as workers transfer to other jobs or occupations.

Although business activity should expand, employment of Messengers is not expected to increase in proportion because of improved communication systems and other technological developments. Some of those factors are facsimile machines, which reduce the amount of hand-carried materials; teleconferencing machines; electronic mail; and small personal and business computers that can communicate with each other. This will limit demand for Messengers. The number of message delivery services that provide entertainment is growing, however, as more people use these services for special occasions. Most of the employment growth will occur in this area.

MICHIGAN'S AREA EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK TO 2008  

EMPLOYMENT                                     NUMBER                       PERCENT                  PROJECTED YEARLY

REGION                                                 EMPLOYED                  GROWTH                   JOB OPENINGS

  Ann Arbor Area                                     110                                 9.0                                  4

  Battle Creek Area                                   75                                 -6.8                                  2

  Benton Harbor Area                                65                                  0.0                                  1

  Central Michigan                                     30                                  0.0                                  1

  Detroit MSA                                           1,400                             1.1                                  35

  East Central Michigan                              20                                 -5.3                                  0

  Flint Area                                                60                                  13.3                                 2

  Grand Rapids Area                                 160                                 4.4                                  5

  Jackson Area                                          25                                   0.0                                 1

  Kalamazoo Area                                    115                                  6.1                                 4

  Lansing MSA                                        195                                  3.1                                 6

  Muskegon Area                                      25                                  -4.0                                1

  Northeast Lower Peninsula                     25                                 -16.0                                1

  Northwest Lower Peninsula                    70                                    4.3                                2

  Saginaw MSA                                       145                                  1.4                                 3

  Thumb Area                                           35                                   5.6                                 1

  Upper Peninsula                                     55                                   0.0                                 1

  West Central Michigan                           15                                  -5.9                                 0  

MSA designates a Metropolitan Statistical Area

SOURCES OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Printed Occupational information is available upon written request from the sources below.

Copyright © 2003 Michigan Department of Career Development