Bookseller
A bookseller is involved in the retail of books and associated products. They combine a strong customer focus with a sound knowledge of their stock and of the wider book market in order to help customers locate particular books and to offer information and advice about different books available. Other duties may include ordering and displaying stock and working with publishing companies and representatives.
Booksellers may work in specialist book retailers or in retailers where books form only part of the stock. They can work for large retailers or small independent bookshops, and may specialise in a particular kind of bookselling, such as children’s or antiquarian books.
Depending on whether the job is based in a large chain or a small independent shop and on the size and location of the store, the exact duties of a bookseller may vary. However, tasks typically involve:
With increased responsibility, the role becomes more operations and business-orientated. For those at higher levels, the work also involves dealing with staffing and training, budget setting and reporting sales and budget figures.
Although this area is open to all graduates and diplomates, a degree or HND in business/management may increase your chances.
A degree is not essential, but a high proportion of those working in bookselling have a degree or HND, especially those working in academic booksellers. Bookshops on campus often use students for temporary staff. More specialist shops may favour applicants with a good academic background and specify a degree for entry, although the work itself may not necessarily draw upon this. A pre-entry postgraduate qualification is not needed.
Employers commonly seek people who are enthusiastic and can demonstrate excellent communication and customer service skills. Although pre-entry experience is not always required, experience in retailing or any other experience which demonstrates your ability to work with the public, communicate effectively and work as part of a team will improve your chances. A passion for books is often regarded as a desirable, but not an essential attribute for people wishing to work as booksellers.
In general candidates will need to show evidence of the following:
Many sellers use online ordering and direct delivery services, so a grasp of e-commerce may be useful. An awareness of current literary topics is desirable. Some specialist bookshops may have specific requirements for subject knowledge. Although not well paid, competition for posts is high. Some jobs are secured through speculative applications.
For more information, see work experience and internships and search courses and research.
Training is mainly on the job and there is currently no formal professional qualification in this area. Membership of The Booksellers Association (BA) or The Antiquarian Booksellers Association (ABA) , as appropriate, may be useful.
All posts are likely to involve structured training in the form of an induction, covering an introduction to the business and basic bookselling techniques. Further training opportunities vary depending on the size and nature of the organisation but may include:
For those aiming higher, some larger employers offer fast track training schemes or trainee manager schemes, covering areas such as:
In smaller businesses, training and development may be provided primarily by more experienced colleagues, though some external training courses may be supported. The Booksellers Association (BA) runs some training courses, including an 'Introduction to Bookselling' course.
Postgraduate courses are available in the history of the book, which may be an option for those interested in a career in antiquarian bookselling and who are interested in further study.
Promotion prospects are good within large chains, which often promote from within, although relocation to a different branch may be necessary. Promotion prospects in smaller outlets may be more limited. Typically progression in a larger store might involve specialisation in a specific subject area, managing a particular section or floor, and then moving into an assistant manager or store manager position. This process can be rapid and it is possible for a graduate to be managing a branch within three years from starting as a more junior bookseller.
Booksellers may also move into publishing where a bookseller’s commercial knowledge of the book industry can be very useful, although this is a very competitive field. Other avenues include independent bookselling and/or antiquarian bookselling. There are also specialist market sectors such as academic, children’s and religious bookshops.
The field of bookselling is going through a time of rapid change with the development of different kinds of technology (such as e-readers and e-books) and different forms of selling (such as online, direct and discount selling through a variety of outlets including supermarkets). This may lead to a wider variety of opportunities in bookselling, but also to intensified competition for a share of the book-buying market. As a result, commercial knowledge and aptitude may become increasingly important for success in a bookselling career.
Working as a bookseller also provides the opportunity to gain a range of experience and develop basic, but highly transferable, retailing skills that could be applied in a number of different retailing environments. Progression into other sales areas is therefore possible.
The most likely employers in this field are the chains of high street specialist and non-specialist bookshops, which, between them, account for the largest share of the retail bookselling market in the UK.
There are a large number of smaller, privately owned businesses, which also represent a substantial proportion of the book sales market and which may also offer the possibility of employment.
The industry is diversifying, with books being sold in supermarkets and discount stores, through book clubs, mail order and online. These may also be sources of employment, with online selling a particular growth area.
Up-to-date information about bookshop groups and the book market is available from The Booksellers Association (BA) .
Non-specialist recruitment agencies rarely handle vacancies.
Some jobs are secured through speculative applications, and both The Booksellers Association (BA) and The Antiquarian Booksellers Association (ABA) publish directories of members.
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