Working for the United States Postal Service comes with some pretty prestigious trappings, like the generous federal benefits package.
This is why the USPS hiring process can be so intense and prolonged. You might have found yourself stuck in the Offer Phase Ext portion of the process for some time.
So, what does Offer Phase Ext mean for USPS hiring? Is it good news or bad? Here’s what you need to know.
What Does Offer Phase Ext Mean For USPS?
Potential hires in the USPS Offer Phase Ext are in one of the very last steps of the hiring process. At this point, prospectives have actually accepted the offer of employment extended by USPS, have been fingerprinted and drug-tested, and are waiting for the results of the latter.
To learn more about how long this step can take, if it means you really got the job, and where Offer Phase Ext falls in the whole hiring process, keep reading for answers to these common FAQs!
How Long Does USPS Offer Phase Ext Last?
From the research I have done, while the Offer Phase Ext part of the USPS hiring process is near the end, it can also last some time.
I have seen some commenters on Reddit say that they have been “stuck” in this hiring purgatory for weeks.
One respondent on an Indeed thread mentioned they’d been in the Offer Phase Ext category for a month.
Basically, unless there is an urgent need, USPS is going to take its time moving through the hiring process.
If you have applied and gone through some of the steps and now find yourself in the Offer Phase Ext category, sit tight.
Prepare to wait at least a few weeks, up to a month, or even three months. Yes, it really can take that long, but that’s just how USPS has to do things.
The Postal Service overall is a thorough employer with an eye to their budget.
While they are federally adjacent, USPS is an independent agency of the executive branch of government.
This means that the President cannot appoint the U.S. Postmaster General (the head of the agency).
He or she can appoint the board that nominates and votes for the Postmaster, though.
This independence comes at a price, though – they do not accept taxpayer funding to keep the agency solvent.
Instead, all of their operating costs are generated by postage/service sales, like stamps, the different shipping classes, etc.
Hiring employees can be an expensive endeavor (the time investment alone is necessary to train!).
So USPS wants to ensure that they are hiring the best candidates and the ones most likely to stick around for a while; they want to get good ROI, like any business.
Thus, if the Postal Service’s hiring process, in general, takes longer than your Kroger or your Target, don’t fret.
According to people who have been in your shoes, when you reach Offer Phase Ext, you’re in the home stretch.
(As an important aside, some people report that they have been on the job for months, and their accounts still say Offer Phase Ext.
So don’t necessarily look to that change as an indication that you really got the job!)
Does USPS Offer Phase Ext Mean You Got the Job?
According to new hires and current employees of the Postal Service, Offer Phase Ext is the “home stretch.”
This means that you have successfully completed most of the hiring process. Congrats on that, because it was not easy!
You have consented to a background check, taken a drug test, and had your fingerprints done. At this point, you (and USPS) are waiting for the results of those screenings.
According to study-education.com, the next step after all this would be your orientation letter.
So basically, you are conditionally hired at this point, provided you pass your tests and screenings.
Sit tight – because even though you are a conditional employee, the wait time can last up to three months.
What Are the Process Steps For USPS Hiring?
You might be wondering where Offer Phase Ext falls into the larger scheme of the hiring process.
Here’s an overview:
- Complete the application and wait to see if your skills and experience match their needs.
- If you appear to be a match, you will be invited to take the Postal Exam 473. You have to obtain a score of at least 70 to qualify.
- If your scores passes, you may then be asked to attend a group or individual interview. In fact, you might be called to attend one and then the other.
Also, at this point, you are on the pre-hire list.
- Throughout this process, hiring personnel is basically putting together a file/report that can be reviewed. You will be asked for consent to perform a background test.
- If you still appear to be a good fit, at this point, USPS may extend a conditional offer of employment. You will then get called to do a drug test and get fingerprinted.
- At this point, you’re in the Offer Phase Ext category. You’ll wait and wait…and probably wait some more to hear back on all the results.
- If you pass all your tests and screenings, you may then expect an orientation letter. Congrats, because if you attend orientation and still feel you want the job, it’s likely yours!
Bear in mind that this is just a general overview of the process, and it could very well differ from Post Office to Post Office, depending on how they run things.
To learn more about USPS, you can also see our posts on the USPS pre-hire list, whether USPS is a federal job, and the USPS orientation.
