Hi there. It appears you might be interested in working for us. That is great! We get a lot of people who want to work here and have decided to create our own application to narrow the field, so to speak. Please complete this application, and include a resume. If you do not answer all the questions, there is a real possibility that we will not even consider you, even if you have tons of bookselling experience. This application is a way for you to introduce yourself to us. Once you have turned this application in, please do not call, email or stop by the store, asking about it. If we are interested in hiring you, we will contact you. We promise.
Working here does not mean you get to sit at the counter and read books all day. There is always something to do. We all help customers, shelve books, take special orders, dust and vacuum, make displays, etc. Be prepared to work at least one weekend day as part of your regular schedule. As a small independent bookstore, you're not going to get rich working here, but we try to make up for it by providing a fun work environment. You get an employee discount, access to free advanced reader copies of books, and other neat things. 20+ hours a week qualifies you for a modest health stipend. So go ahead and wow us.
Some of the things we generally look for in new booksellers are the following:
-Displays! You have a strong visual design sense and like to make things look good.
-Can be kind to everyone. Even if someone else is having a bad day and wants to take it out on you, you can continue to show them some grace (and maybe be the factor that makes their day better!).
-You can work without a lot of direction.
-You can work as part of a team. We are a small group here and being a solid team-member is really important. That means respecting each other and the work we all do.
-You can be flexible with your schedule. Generally, we set a schedule and it doesn’t change very often. However, people like to take breaks from work, or maybe some life event occurs and we all need to pitch-in a little to cover shifts.
-You like to read and are genuinely excited to share your latest discovery with people. This means too that you are friendly and not afraid to talk to strangers, and regulars alike.
