Books on Main is Hiring!

Do you get joy from being surrounded by books? 

Do you love talking to people about books of various genres that you and they love?

Do you believe in the power of books to open minds, broaden world views, increase empathy, and overall improve our community?

Are you able to provide glowing local references?

Are you able to work every other weekend?

Are you at least 16 years old (minors must have work permit)?

If this sounds like you, then being a part-time Bookseller at Books on Main might be a good fit for you! 

The ideal employee would be someone who:

• Already knows how to function in computer databases and is willing and able to learn the Square system
• Good with people (friendly, helpful, welcoming, inclusive)
• Good with books (loves to read various genres, diversity in what you read is important)
• Good with the basic employment skills (showing up on time, proactive problem solving, completing basic daily tasks like dusting, vacuuming, straightening shelves, etc)

Pay is $12.00/hr. with shifts every other weekend and occasionally another day or two, depending. (Some additional perks involving free book opportunites too!)

If this sounds like a good fit for you, answer the questions below and bring your answers printed out in Times New Roman, 12 pt. font, with 1 inch margins (yes, really) into the store in person during our open hours. 

Be eloquent. Use bullet points with bullets and narrate in complete sentences with proper punctuation. Proof read. Grammar and punctuation are important (I will die on the Oxford Comma hill!)

This may feel like a bit of an unusual employment application, but I need to know how you might get along in a world of words on pages.  Also, this bookstore is the labor of my heart and it's important that any employee hired believes in values that inspired me to make my dream bookstore a reality. 

Application for Employment at Books on Main 

1. Contact information: Name, address, email, phone, etc. Let me know how you would like to be contacted and what your availability is. Please note that weekends are required (but mostly every other weekend so you'll still have some free weekends to yourself!). 

2. Please provide at least two (three to five would be better) local references and their contact information. 

3. Tell me about your experience with/in Adams-Friendship. How long have you lived here? What do you love about it? How would you describe our people and our town? Just moved here?  Why did you choose Adams-Friendship?  How has your experience been so far?

4. Tell me about your experience with books and stories. This is a huge question. Take it in any direction you want, but build your answer on the Anne Bogel method: tell us about three books you have loved and one that was not right for you, and then add any other information which seems pertinent to your reading life. 

5. Tell me about your customer service and library or bookstore experiences. Have you worked in retail situations before? Do you know basic shelving rules for books? Are you willing to learn new ways of doing things in order to maintain continuity in the store's operation? Have you participated in making displays for a sales floor, or taken orders from restaurant customers, or shown a customer to just the right DVD player in an electronics department? I am looking for an employee who knows how to interact with customers and who can also find their way around in a bookish environment. So ... tell me about that. 

When you have written all you want to write, bring in your completed application. I am eager to find exactly the right bookseller to join the store!

Equal Opportunity Employer

Books on Main provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.