Exclusive Prep That Matches the New Exam Format
Each practice test has full answers & explanations:
- Work Scenarios: 2 practice tests
- Check for Errors: 5 practice tests + 4 extra drills
- Move the Mail: 3 practice tests
- What Drives You: 1 practice test + guide
- Tell Us Your story: 1 practice test + guide
- Describe Your Approach: 1 practice test, 9 extra drills, 2 guides
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Arbel, Postal Exam expert at JobTestPrep.
Have a question? Contact me at: ask_arbel@jobtestprep.com
What Is the Virtual Entry Assessment MH 475?
The Virtual Entry Assessment MH 475 is an exam that anyone who wishes to become a USPS Mail Handler has to pass. It is one of the four new USPS assessments used since April 2019, following the retirement of the old 473 USPS Postal Exam. As of October 2021, two new sections were added to the assessment.
You have only 72 hours to complete the test from the moment you received the invitation email.
What Does the Postal Exam 475 Consist of?
The Postal Exam 475, also named the Mail Handler Test, consists of six sections.
Two of the sections are brand new and were added only in late 2021. JobTestPrep is the only site that offers accurate practice for these additional new sections.
Here’s a breakdown of the assessment:
|
Section Name |
Number of Questions |
|
Work Scenarios |
18 |
| Check for Errors | 3 |
| Move the Mail | 18 |
| What Drives You | 25 |
| Tell Us Your Story | 40 |
| Describe Your Approach | 139 |
Let’s expand on each of the test sections a little bit:
- Work Situations – In this section, you'll get a feel for the types of situations regularly encountered by Mail Handlers and choose how you would respond to them.
- Check for Errors – In this part, you'll get to verify information in a manner similar to what is done on the job.
- Move the Mail: Measures your ability to notice details to sort packages and letters correctly.
- What Drives You: A motivation test that is designed to reveal what fulfills you in your workplace. Each question is meant to assess the level you relate to two different sources of motivation.
- Tell Us Your Story – In this section, which is a Biodata questionnaire, you'll answer questions about your background and work experiences.
- Describe Your Approach – A personality test designed to assess your unique work style, teamwork and management habits, and occupational approach.
Virtual Entry Assessment MH 475 Sample Questions
Check for Errors Sample Question
For each item, decide if it's Match or Error based on the location information.
| Original ID | Computer ID | |
| Location A | 96380273 | 96830273 |
| Location B | 63984201 | 63984201 |
| Location C | 68326741 | 68326741 |
| Location D | 96357514 | 96367514 |
- Location A - Match/Error
- Location B - Match/Error
- Location C - Match/Error
- Location D - Match/Error
Did you manage to spot the matching and unmatching IDs?
Here are some useful tips to help you answer such questions quickly and accurately.
Since long sequences of numbers are hard to remember, we recommend that you “break up” each sequence when comparing it to the other. Try comparing the first two to four digits first, then the next two to four digits, and so on.
For example, if the sequence is 12345678, only look at 1234 first and compare it to the first four digits of the other sequence. If you find a digit that is not identical between them, mark Error, and move on to the next pair.
If the first four digits are identical, move on and compare the next four in the sequence. Don’t feel weird to mouth or even verbalize the digits when comparing the pairs – hearing the sounds can help you spot the differences between the sequences.
Work Scenarios Sample Question
It's one of the busiest days in the last month. One of your colleagues seems unmotivated to work – he chats with clients and distracts other colleagues. You are worried that the team won't achieve its daily goals.
What will you most and least likely do?
(A) Inform your supervisor about the situation. This way, you will not get into conflicts with your colleagues.
(B) Ignore him. He will get tired soon and stop talking to everyone, so you'll be able to concentrate on your tasks.
(C) Focus on your tasks. This would be a good example for your colleagues.
(D) Suggest that the colleague tell you everything after the shift.
Answer:
Most likely: D
Least likely: B
This situation measures your ability to deal with situations that interrupt your work.
Let’s review each answer separately.
Option A: By choosing this response, you avoid confronting the colleague by yourself and transfer the responsibility to someone else. Additionally, you are not solving the issue immediately, which may still cause a delay in completing the team's goal. Since this response is a little active, it is not rated as "least likely."
Option B: This approach is passive and self-centered. The colleague doesn’t solely interrupt your work, but probably others’ work too. Most importantly, it harms the team's performance. It’s very naïve to believe that he will stop chatting soon, and you should act if his behavior interrupts you.
Option C: This response enables you to continue with your tasks and make progress toward the team's goal, but more importantly, you may affect others to behave the same. By this approach, you are not making a big deal out of the situation and can easily and gently solve it. However, in this response, you are not dealing with the situation itself but trying to solve it indirectly. There's still a chance that the other employees will keep chatting with him, and therefore, this response is not rated as "most likely."
Option D: This response is very active and straight – you understand that the colleague interrupts your work and suggest a solution that is both kind toward him and efficient so you can do your work.
Tell Us Your Story Sample Question
If you were a manager, after how many times that an employee missed work (per year) would you deliver a warning?
A. This shouldn't happen at all
B. 1-2
C. 3-4
D. 5-7
E. 8-10
F. 11-15
G. More than 15
Answer:
The preferred answers are (A) This shouldn’t happen at all or (B) 1–2, since they portray you as a serious employee who arrives every day at work.
This question indirectly measures your diligence and seriousness regarding your job. The question uses a technique that leads you to think like a manager, but it actually measures you: After how many times that you miss work without informing your manager would you be fine with being warned?
People tend not to like being warned, meaning that they may often choose answers that enable them to miss work without notifying a manager. However, this means that they tend to skip work sometimes without notification. Choosing answers A or B indicates that you don’t tend to miss work without informing your manager; this implies, therefore, that you would understand your managers if they warn you after only a few times.
NOTE: Answer A might be placating and radical, therefore we recommend choosing it if you haven’t chosen too many placating answers already; you will encounter a few similar questions throughout this test, so keep that in mind. This is because in the actual test, your answers to all questions are measured against each other and other candidates.
What Drives You Sample Questions
I'd like to work where...
1. I am solely responsible for my own outcomes, not those of others
2. To complete tasks and goals, I often collaborate with others
Answer:
I am solely responsible for my own outcomes, not those of others. – ACCOUNTABILITY
To complete tasks and goals, I often collaborate with others. - TEAMWORK
One of USPS's core values is TEAMWORK. This should be your immediate choice. The other option proves your ACCOUNTABILITY and indicates that you prefer independent work.
To fully understand the TEAMWORK and ACCOUNTABILITY's purpose, please read the relevant sections in the What Drives You Guide.
I'd like to work where...
1. Every day, I take part in many different positions
2. I have a clear set of responsibilities that I follow
Answer:
Every day, I take part in many different positions. - VERSATILITY
I have a clear set of responsibilities that I follow. - INFLEXIBILITY
VERSATILITY and FLEXIBILITY are both values that USPS appreciate. This question is an easy one – one statement expresses VERSATILITY, and the other expresses INFLEXIBILITY. Therefore the VERSATILITY statement is the preferred choice.
To fully understand the VERSATILITY and FLEXIBILITY's purpose, please read the relevant section in the What Drives You Guide.
For additional sample questions with full answers, visit our free USPS practice test.
How to Pass the Postal Exam 475 (and Get an Interview ASAP)?
The passing score for the Mail Handler Exam, as with all the USPS VAE exams, is quite high.
You must score at least 70 out of 100 points to move to the next hiring stage. If you fail to reach this score, you’ll immediately get an ineligible status. The result is disqualification from retaking the test for a full year.
In addition to the passing score, there’s another crucial point to consider:
The USPS ranks each of its candidates based on their score, and these rankings affect how fast you're going to get an interview.
In short, it means that a candidate who scored 80 will be placed ahead of someone who got 70, and the former will likely get invited for an interview much faster.
To surpass the minimal passing score, you have to master every question type on the test, including tricky personality and situational judgment test (SJT) questions.
JobTestPrep's practice questions are designed to help you familiarize yourself with every question type that appears on the real exam. Moreover, the solutions to the questions (provided in the pack) will help you understand the logic behind each question and enable you to choose the best answer every time.
What JobTestPrep's Customers Say About the PrepPacks:
Virtual Entry Assessment MH 475 FAQ
What Is a Mail Handler VEA?
The Mail Handler VEA is the Virtual Entry Assessment - MH (475) for Mail Handlers and is one of the four new exams the USPS uses since April 2019. Each VEA applies to a different set of USPS roles, when the MH 475 is used to screen candidates for various Mail Handler positions.
What Does a Mail Handler Do?
Mail Handlers are responsible for activities such as moving mail and packages to and from sorting machines, onto conveyor belts, and on and off trucks. Some Mail Handlers are trained to operate large machines or may earn special certification as forklift operators.
Is It Hard Being a Mail Handler?
The Mail Handler role is very physical and requires you to be on your feet for the entire shift. As a Mail Handler, you'll move packages and bags of mail that could weigh up to 70 pounds, and push carts weighing up to 1500 pounds. Additionally, the work can be fast-paced, stressful, and repetitive, with tight deadlines especially during busy mailing seasons.
What Is a Good Score on the USPS Assessment 475?
The passing score for the USPS Virtual Entry Assessment 475 is a 70, and any score above that is considered good. Yet, the higher you score, the higher your chances to get an interview invitation as soon as possible.
How Do You Become a USPS Mail Handler?
To become a Mail Handler at USPS, you must be 18 years old, have a U.S. citizenship, pass the Virtual Entry Assessment – MH (475), and go through a background check. Additionally, you must be able to handle mail and parcels weighing up to 70 pounds.
Are you applying for other jobs at the USPS? Learn more about their Postal Exams here:
- Postal Exam 474 for Mail Carriers
- Postal Exam 476 for Mail Processors
- Postal Exam 477 for Customer Service Clerks
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