Delivery Jobs - The Complete Guide

Delivery jobs are some of the most suitable  vacancies for students and graduates. There are a ton of perks to delivery jobs that university students and graduates can benefit from. This guide can help you answer questions you might be asking yourself on the topic of delivery jobs where to find them, and what you need to know about them before you get started. Are delivery jobs the right option for you? Let’s find out.

Types of Delivery Jobs

There are several types of delivery jobs. The difference between them does not only lie in the services that they provide. Some delivery jobs may differ from others for several reasons. Familiarize yourself with the diverse types and find out which one is most suitable for you.  

Food Delivery

Food delivery is one of the most in-demand delivery jobs, especially during the pandemic during which restaurants can be  closed. People rely more than ever on food delivery services and thus, this gig has become increasingly popular this year. Demand for this role is expected to stay high even throughout 2021.

Takeaway.com / Thuisbezorgd

Takeaway.com, also known as Thuisbezorgd, is one of the most popular online food ordering and home delivery companies in the Netherlands.

Thuisbezorgd’s top perks are:

• Flexibility: you get to schedule your hours and work whenever you can.
• Health insurance coverage: you do not need to take out your own.
• E-bike: you get an e-bike with which you can ride effortlessly around the city!

Apply for delivery jobs at Takeaway.com

Deliveroo

Deliveroo is an English food delivery company operating in over 200 locations, including the Netherlands, with more than 30,000 riders worldwide. The company ensures safety to its riders with the company’s app. In case of any accidents, need of help or advice, etc., employees are encouraged to contact support via the app while they are on the road. Deliveroo offers a freelance agreement, suitable for students and graduates. 

The company does not provide health insurance coverage. If you ride a scooter you will need to have a (scooter) driving license and WAM-insurance (vehicle insurance).

Once you join the team, you enjoy a free starter pack that includes:

• a backpack
• a thermos cube
• a jacket

Newspaper Delivery 

Did you know that some of the most influential people of all time used to work as newspaper deliverers (also known as ‘paperboys’)? This includes Walt Disney, Martin Luther King Jr., and Tom Cruise!

One can easily assume that newspaper delivery is a dying profession, but statistics claim otherwise. A worldwide study by Two Sides in 2017 reported that consumers prefer to read printed media such as books (72%), magazines (72%) and newspapers (55%) over digital. Moreover, 65% of consumers have better apprehension of the news when provided in print rather than online. Thus, as long as people continue to prefer print, media companies that deliver newspapers won’t cease to exist any time soon. 

DPG Media

DPG Media is currently the largest media group in the Netherlands. With over 6.000 people working at DPG Media, the group is also active in Belgium & Denmark. The company informs, inspires & entertains millions of Dutch households every single day.

Explore delivery jobs at DPG Media

Mediahuis

Mediahuis is one of the largest media publishing companies in Belgium, with assets in the Netherlands, Ireland, and Luxembourg. The company takes pride in its innovative and collaborative character with hardworking employees that ensure the continuous betterment of their workplace by joining forces with other brands.

The company is responsible for the distribution of newspapers all over the Netherlands. With 6,000 freelancers including deliverers and bike drivers, they distribute popular newspapers such as:

• De Telegraaf
• De Volkskrant
• AD (General Dagblad)
• Noordhollands Dagblad
• Haarlems Dagblad
• Leidsch Dagblad
• IJmuider

Explore delivery jobs at Mediahuis.

Courier Delivery

Courier delivery is responsible for delivering packages to one’s home. This includes post offices and other express package delivery & mail services. Below you will find the popular courier delivery services in the Netherlands. 

PostNL

PostNL is a Dutch post and delivery service company with an international reach. It branches out across different countries in Europe, including: 

• Belgium
• Germany
• Italy
• Luxemburg
• United Kingdom

PostNL wishes to attract motivated individuals for the job. With their online marketing and customer service, the company works constantly to develop new services that are catered to its customers. 

Some of the jobs offered as a delivery person or sorter are:

• Mail deliverer
• Parcel deliverer
• Mail sorter
• Mail preparer
• Bicycle courier
• Truck driver

DHL

DHL is a global company with over 55,000 employees in over 220 locations. The company offers jobs for students and graduates, including on-the-job training, internships, and graduate programs. Moreover, you find courier positions as a part of which you don’t need to own a car -the vehicle will be provided by the company. 

Contract Types

Delivery jobs have two contract types: freelancer and employee. Which contract type is better depends solely on the kind of worker you are, your flexibility, and your requirements. Learn about the two types and decide which one suits you best.

Freelancer 

A freelance deliverer has no permanent employment contract. Freelancing does not have a fixed salary; you get paid per order. However, this does not come without perks. For example, with Deliveroo you can earn tips from customers. Moreover, you can make more money by delivering in busier areas, during the evenings, and on the weekends. 

Employee

An employee is bound to a contract by an employer. This does not necessarily mean that the job is more restraining. Whereas in freelance, you get paid per job, as an employee, you receive a wage or salary. Thuisbezorgd, for example, offers an hourly salary, where you still get paid during waiting time. Moreover, even as an employee at Thuisbezorgd, you still get to decide when to work. Most importantly, one of the greatest benefits as an employee is having health insurance instead of having to take care of your own finances (which potentially include VAT tax declarations). 

Benefits

Delivery jobs come with plenty of perks which you might not know about. If you're not convinced about applying for them yet, take a look at what a simple side-job such as this one can offer.

Extra Salary

As a student or graduate, you can benefit a lot from working in delivery as a side job. You can earn money fast with the more deliveries that make. Moreover, you get to earn extra from customer tips. The average salary in the Netherlands ranges from €6.80 - €10 per hour depending on your age. In most cases, drivers get to keep 100% of the tips.  

Exercise

Certain delivery jobs allow you to combine work and exercise and thus save you valuable time. Bike driver deliverers do in fact, go an extra mile, by carrying out their delivery responsibility and at the same time, do some cardio. In addition, outdoor exercise is more motivating and mentally rewarding. Alternatively, if you have any concerns about physical exhaustion, companies such as Takeaway.com offer electric bikes for minimal physical effort for delivery.  

Experience

A new job promises a new kind of experience. Delivery jobs do not differ. A lot of companies rely on developing a good working environment, where teamwork and communication are key. In an interview with Foodora food delivery riders, College Life asked the riders why they would recommend working a delivery job. One of the rides, Jaroslaw, said: “You meet a lot of students as your colleagues, which will allow for new friendships to be formed!”

Hopefully, if there’s one thing you’ve taken away from this guide is that deciding to work part-time is not something to be done on a whim. It should be inscribed in your general reflection of what you want your student experience to be like, regardless of financial incentives and requirements. Last and certainly not least, once you’ve got your salary, learn how to budget. Part-time jobs help you discover and create the professional toolkit you’ll be needing tomorrow. Kickstart those decisions by adopting them early!

Equipment 

Certain companies will provide their employees with equipment. For instance, Mediahuis offers a free bike bag and free rain clothing to its riders. Meanwhile, Takeaway.com offers E-bikes to all its riders. Generally, companies can give access to quality gear like phone holders, protective clothing, and helmets, as well as discounts at bike stores and restaurants.

Non-native friendly

For most international students and graduates, landing a job in a foreign country where they don’t speak the language can be difficult. However, lots of delivery jobs are non-native speaker friendly and only require that you know how to communicate in English. 

CV / Resume 

A lot of part-time jobs help develop new skills with which you can enrich your CV. Such skills include speed and adaptability, memory, commitment, and responsibility. Speed and adaptability are key factors to excelling at any future workplace. Not only do you learn the job fast, you also perform tasks quickly and maximize your productivity. Whereas several jobs can help you improve such skills, not all of them require minimum to zero experience the same way as delivery jobs do.

Flexible hours

Flexible hours are the backbone of food delivery services. Both Takeaway.com and Deliveroo ensure flexibility to their employees. However, newspaper delivery is no less of a flexible job. By getting an early morning start, most employees finish delivery as early as 8:00AM. Thus, ideally for students and graduates, they are given the opportunity to enjoy the rest of the day off, either by relaxing, taking up a hobby or focusing on their studies. Alternatively, newspaper delivery can also be done in the afternoon. Mediahuis offers delivery jobs from 15.00 to 18.00.

Requirements

Delivery jobs do not have a lot of requirements. It is quite one of the reasons why they are most suitable for students and graduates. Read below and find out how!

No Experience Necessary

Delivery is one of the jobs that students don’t need any experience for — no wonder it is one of the most suitable student side jobs on the market. Keep in mind, however, that if you are a car or scooter driver, a license is, of course, mandatory.

Equipment

As a driver, in many cases, you are required to have your own functional bicycle or scooter. However, at Takeaway.com, for example, you will be given your own bike. Additionally, DHL will also provide you with a car. Depending on the company, make sure you know what it is required from you. Moreover, as a rider you must own a smartphone with enough data. You will need to use maps to get to your destination. Additionally, companies like Deliveroo offer support via a mobile app. Hence, you will be able to message them for any assistance that you need, as long as you own a smartphone with data. 

Age Restrictions

In some companies, such as DHL, you must be 18 and older in order to be eligible for a delivery role This, of course, does not prevent most students and graduates from applying. Other delivery services such as Bezorgdekrant offer jobs to students who are just over 15 years old. 

Where to Apply

College Life Work is a career platform that provides students and graduates access to flexible jobs. Learn more about available delivery roles on the company-specific career pages:

• DPG Media (EN)
• Mediahuis (EN)
• Takeaway.com (EN)