Breakin' Into the Book Biz

[BusyBee]

So I have been trying for a few months now to get a job in a bookstore. I luurrrrve books and as far as I can tell working in a bookstore is about the best job for me, at this point at least.
There were a couple of new Borders stores opening in my city late last year, and I got in on the 'job fair' they had mid last year to get new employees for the stores. I got called back for an interview, but *JUST* missed out on getting the job - because I didn't have "book experience".
I'm currently still applying for bookstores and I ring the Operations Manager at the Borders that I nearly got the job at (who was very nice) every month or two letting her know I'm definitely still interested in a job there if something comes up. I've also been giving my resume to some libraries in the area.
I'm DESPERATE to get out of the movie store I'm (back) at. It's not that bad a place but I get only 3 hours work a week and the whole situation is continuing to crumble my already miniscule self esteem.

Does anyone - especially current or ex- bookstore workers - have any advice as to what else I could do to get into the book biz? *puppy eyes*

[Reyneth]

The time I worked at a bookstore, it was because I was in the right place at the right time and I was the right person. It was a store in the mall where I worked at another place - and I was down there *often.* As in between 1 and 3 times a week. So they came to recognize me and I talked books with one of the employees. One afternoon I was there on my break, heard that they were hiring and put in my application right then and there. I don't even remember having an interview, because they already knew me. I worked there on a limited part-time basis (10-20 hours) because I kept my other job until I went to grad school, and loved it!

So my advice - pick one or two stores by you and make yourself a regular presence. Don't be annoying or in the way, but if they can get to know your face, you'll have a leg up even without experience. And I might go for an established store too, not one of the new ones - I can understand why they'd want people who already know some of the book biz.

[Knightmare]

I applied at a local bookstore in Kalamazoo during my adventures in college. This store was nicer, bigger, and had more of a selection than the B. Dalton in the mall.
I filled out the application with no problems. Then I got to the questionnaire.
WOW. I thought I knew a lot about books and authors, but what they were asking was way beyond me. I didn't get the job.
The second bookstore I worked at was Books-A-Million about 8 years ago. I started off working in Joe Muggs Cafe (I should tell the stories about that place!) and eventually moved over into the bookstore proper. It was a lot of fun making recommendations to customers. I liked working there. The sad part was that, being a chain bookstore, there was more emphasis on profit than actual customer service.
I left BAM because of corporate/store politics.
I second Reyneth's advice. Hang out. Make friends, but don't be a pest. And even though you know books, expand your knowledge. Know authors and titles outside of your reading sphere. Because of my losing out on the job at the local Kalamazoo bookstore, I now read everything I can get my hands on (except those romance novels).

[BookstoreEscapee]

I never had my book knowledge tested when I applied for B&N...

I would suggest, definitely, expand your knowledge. You don't need to know the plot of every book, but knowing a bit about authors and what type of books they write, similar books/authors to recommend, etc. really comes in handy. I'm in the US but the New York Times Book Review is a good one to skim through; any similar publications down under that you know of... If they ask you what you're reading at the moment, be enthusiastic about it, and throw in what you want to read next. Probably more important is letting them know you are willing/able to learn about it, too. You pick up a lot just by being around the books, shelving, seeing what people buy and what they are looking for. If there's any specific area that you are interested in and know a lot about get that out there too. Every store has it's specialists - that guy who knows everything there is to know about computer books or that girl who reads all the manga or the history buff, etc...

Good luck!

[BusyBee]

Thanks for all the suggestions.
There never seemed to be a problem with my book knowledge in my applications. From what I understand of the feedback the Borders Lady gave me, it's that I haven't shelved, ordered, catalogued or whatever with books before. Which is annoying because I would imagine the work I do with the DVDs at my current job is extremely similar to most of the work needed in a bookstore. Anyways.

If they ask you what you're reading at the moment, be enthusiastic about it

One of the things at the job fair (which was SO much fun) we had to do was bring along our favourite book and basically sell it to whichever Borders manager had been assigned to our group. I think I did pretty well. He didn't want to give me my book back when I was done

I don't know about any papers or such that have extensive book reviews... But I'll start reading the little bits in the Entertainment section while I look at least.

As I mentioned before, I'm only on 3 hours work a week at the moment. I'm also trying to repair my savings account a bit after multiple medical problems over the last couple months and now my cat has a broken leg -_- So as you can imagine I'm strapped for cash. Just catching the train to the nearest shopping centre regularly would hurt my funds, and I will feel really weird constantly going into a store and not buying anything. I will see what I can come up with there.

[technical.angel]

See if you can volunteer at a local library?

That should give you some of the experience that you need, look good on your application, and help the library!

[BusyBee]

I spoke to the local library about 'work' there, and was going to mention volunteering if they had no paying spots available, but she said they were completely full at the moment... I figure I will ring back or go in in a month or two and bring it up again, to refresh their memory about me and offer volunteer help.
I've also sent off my resume to all the libraries I can get to in under an hour... Hopefully they'll at least do me the courtesy of calling me to let me know they don't have anything

[B&NGoddess]

be persistent, but not annoyingly persistent. become a cool regular, not the ones that we would like take a cattle prod to. the best way, i think, is to go during an xmas holiday hiring spree. a lot of places keep hard workers after the season.

good luck.

[Gurndigarn]

So I have been trying for a few months now to get a job in a bookstore. I luurrrrve books and as far as I can tell working in a bookstore is about the best job for me, at this point at least.

Well, as someone who's interviewed people who used that line on me (I managed an arcade)... just remember, it's a JOB. There are going to be times... many times... when you absolutely hate it. You are probably not going to luurrrrve books quite as much after you've been there for a while. And, of course, it's a business, so if you let the books sidetrack you, you're not going to get many hours.

(Minor rant couresy of far too many kids who wanted to work in an arcade because they loved games. Too much.)

[BookstoreEscapee]

it's that I haven't shelved, ordered, catalogued or whatever with books before.

That's kinda silly...shelving is not that hard, and no matter what you'll have to be trained in however they categorize books and where things go, anyway. I don't work for Borders, but I'm guessing they're much like BN in that the computer tells you where everything goes. It's corporate that does the "cataloging" (I'm taking that to mean deciding what subject code things go under...I actually get to do some of that, now that I'm in distribution ). Ordering procedures are something else you'd have to learn. Are you looking at a management-type job or just a regular bookseller? I don't know what criteria Borders uses when hiring; most new B&N hires I've worked with didn't have any "book experience" when they started.

As far as shelving goes, working in a DVD store would definitely translate to books. The criteria might be different (by title versus by author) but the practice is the same...

[BusyBee]

Oh I absolutely realise it would be a job. I think it would be a good job for me because I already have a vast interest in books. I already have hundreds of books of my own, and I'm hugely enthusiastic about it which would probably show to customers... but anyway I'm starting to sound like an interviewee hehehe
Anyway, yeah, in the hours that I was on the clock I would absolutely treat it as a JOB. But I just think I'd definitely have a better chance of being fabulously fantastic at a job if I like the content

Escapee, it is/was just a regular book seller-customer service sort of position. And yeah it is silly that a lack of 'book experience' was all that cut me off >.< I think I did try to tell them in the interview that I thought the work I do in the movie store is very close to what a bookstore needs, but whether they actually took notice or not who knows. Bleh.
Borders Lady (BL) had told me when I rang her for feedback that I was one of the very last cut off, and they had "loved" me and that they had tried really hard to make a spot for me... That I didn't do anything wrong, etc, again that they "loved" me (*blush!*), and that the only reason I missed out was a lack of book exp. and because they didn't have many positions to give out. I'm so glad I did ring back for feedback though cos otherwise all I'd have had to go on was the letter saying "sorry, we have nothing for you"

[tollbaby]

Does anyone - especially current or ex- bookstore workers - have any advice as to what else I could do to get into the book biz? *puppy eyes*

I've got library experience (I'm a library technician by training, and worked at both the reference desk of our public library AND an elementary school library). Think I can get a job in a bookstore? Heck no It's REALLY discouraging I've been trying for a few years now.

[Daphne]

Tollbaby, you could always get a master's in library science and become a librarian.
I make $16 an hour now, and I will start out at $20 an hour once I finish my master's.

I would think you make far more as a library technician than as a book store employee.

[Gurndigarn]

Borders Lady (BL) had told me when I rang her for feedback that I was one of the very last cut off, and they had "loved" me and that they had tried really hard to make a spot for me... That I didn't do anything wrong, etc, again that they "loved" me (*blush!*), and that the only reason I missed out was a lack of book exp. and because they didn't have many positions to give out.

If you happen to know BL by face, stop by in a few months and chat with her if she's there. Places that use lots of part-time help usually need to fill out their crews every few months or so.

[Alfie]

BusyBee, where abouts do you live? I went to a Borders Job Fair (in Australia), and we did the same activity. I spoke about Mao's Last Dancer, and forgot the word peasant! Oh well! I even offered BM (Borders Man) 10% off for two, but then he goes 'Well I'm a teacher, so I get 10% off anyway'. Great

Didn't end up getting the job, they offered me a 10 week position, bleargh.

But good luck to you! It sounds like once they have an availability, you will be a shoe in.