My name is Linda Anderson and I’m a mail handler at the Merrifield, VA, Processing and Distribution Center. I unload and separate mail before it’s routed to distribution areas for processing.
I primarily use an automatic induction flat sorter machine. I load the machine, which reads the ZIP Code and sends the mail where it’s supposed to go. I handle thousands of mailpieces each day.
I’m a country girl, so I’m not afraid to do hard work.
Before I joined USPS in 1987, I held various jobs. I once worked for a company that made military weapons. I would fill Tomahawk missiles with propellant. It was tedious and dangerous. Before that, I worked in a lumberyard.
My aunt and uncle worked at the Warrenton, VA, Post Office. They encouraged me to apply for a job with USPS. When I saw my first postal paycheck, I said, “OK, this might be something I could stick with.”
I think what I do is important. The Postal Service has a duty to the community. I don’t see our customers, but I know they have faith in us to get their bill payments and packages delivered on time. I’m like the customer because I definitely want my mail to get where it’s going in a timely manner.
When I’m not working, I spend time with my grandson. I enjoy every moment of it. My daughter has another one on the way, so I’ll soon have two grandchildren. I’m looking forward to retirement. I’m 56 and a 12-year cancer survivor.
The Postal Service is a good place to have a career. There are a lot of opportunities here. If I weren’t working for USPS, I probably wouldn’t have everything I have now.