Taking on a Career as a Courier Driver

Are you excited by the idea of working as a courier driver? Think you've got what it takes to succeed in this fast-paced and potentially lucrative career? Take this simple self-assessment test to find out.

Questions to Ask Yourself

Can you tolerate long and sometimes unpredictable hours?

Odd working hours are almost inevitably the norm when working as a courier driver. Things like traffic jams and delays at a customer’s location can’t always be predicted, and often you may need to work overtime. On the other hand, you'll have so much more freedom than office bound colleagues.

Is driving something you enjoy?

This is extremely important, of course, because if you don’t really like recreational driving, then spending even more time on the road in a professional capacity may be an issue! If you genuinely love it, however, this will be a dream job.

Are you a ‘people person’?

Contrary to what some people may imagine, couriers actually have quite a lot of interaction with customers in the context of meeting people for collections, deliveries and paperwork. Sometimes diplomatic skills will be tested, but there'll never be a dull moment!

Do you drive conservatively and carefully?

You may find it difficult to secure or keep a job as a courier driver if you have a track record of bad driving, or if you are, by nature, someone that enjoys ‘burning up the road’. Impeccable driving skills, in the conventional sense, are usually a mandatory pre-requisite for a successful career as a courier.

Do you always keep your professional promises?

If you’ve promised a customer delivery or collection today, you can’t then change your mind and decide to go home early and do the job tomorrow instead in this industry. A 100% commitment to honour your obligations is required.

Are you flexible in your approach to work?

Couriers need to respond quickly and react with flexibility to changing circumstances. Refusing to do something to achieve success in an individual job, or not varying from what was originally asked because it’s not your job to do so, may cause difficulties. Remember above all else: 'the customer is always right.'

Can you think on your feet to get the job done?

An example here might be navigating an alternative route if your preferred one is blocked by roadworks or an accident etc. You'll need to be a quick thinker and often make decisions on the run.

Would you call yourself reasonably fit and mobile?

Although superhuman fitness isn’t required, working as a courier driver can involve a fair bit of walking and lifting in a day. You'll need a reasonable level of fitness – and you'll need to maintain that.

Will you take care of your appearance and behaviour in order to project a professional corporate image?

Many employers will insist that you do so as they don’t want their brand image to be compromised by untidy or dirty personal appearance or aggressive or diffident behaviours.

Are you capable of getting up early on a regular basis?

This may sound a facile question, but many people don’t like getting up early and you will probably need to do so (and fairly regularly).

Summary

While they may sounds relatively light-hearted, all these questions are serious. If you answered any of the above questions with a firm ‘NO’, you might wish to question whether working as a courier driver is for you. But if you got a clean bill of 'yeses' you're well on your way to a rewarding career in the delivery industry.