Bookseller - Temporary

Barnes & Noble•Alexandria, VA

About The Position

A Bookseller is an integral member of the Barnes & Noble bookselling team, welcoming customers, answering questions, and helping readers find suitable books and products. Booksellers help maintain attractive store displays and keep the store running efficiently by unpacking and shelving deliveries, tidying displays, and operating registers to provide professional customer service. The role requires reliable attendance, flexibility to help fill scheduling gaps, a positive and supportive approach to work, cheerful customer service, and willingness to learn. Booksellers are trained to use store technology, maintain book and product presentation, operate registers, receive and shelve deliveries, locate products using available information tools, assist the café team when needed, and follow loss-prevention and de-escalation procedures. The work involves prolonged standing, repetitive bending, lifting, and extensive walking. Employees may work at other stores in the Cluster when able and needed. As they gain experience, Booksellers build knowledge across books and other store categories, maintain sections and backstock, make recommendations, and support sales objectives and new releases. The role offers a progression path to Senior Bookseller as employees develop and demonstrate the required skills. Employees must comply with company policies and procedures. The position is temporary. The listed starting hourly rate is $15.00, depending on experience, seniority, geographic location, and other factors permitted by law. Benefits vary according to scheduled hours and location. Those working under 20 hours per week receive an employee discount, EAP, and sick pay. Those working 20–29.99 hours receive those benefits plus paid time off, including paid maternity and parental leave, company-paid holidays, transit benefits, and a 401(k) with company match. Those working 30 hours or more also receive comprehensive health benefits, spending accounts, disability benefits, life insurance, and tuition reimbursement.

Requirements

Maintain reliable and punctual attendance for scheduled shifts.
Be flexible and responsive to store scheduling needs, including the possibility of working mornings, evenings, weekends, and most holidays.
Bring a positive, purposeful, energetic, and reliable approach to assigned work.
Be supportive and considerate of colleagues and willing to help the team.
Provide consistently cheerful and helpful customer service.
Show aptitude and willingness to learn new skills and knowledge.
Comfortably and efficiently use varied technology, including registers, computers, tablets, and programs.
Develop merchandising and visual merchandising skills.
Perform physical work involving prolonged standing, repetitive bending, lifting, and extensive walking.

Responsibilities

Welcome customers, answer questions, and help them find appropriate titles and products.
Maintain attractive store presentation, including tidying displays and merchandising books and other products.
Unpack and shelve deliveries and maintain sections and backstock effectively.
Operate registers quickly, accurately, and reliably.
Use store technology and available information tools to locate books and other products.
Support the café team when needed.
Follow loss-prevention procedures and de-escalation techniques; identify theft and seek support for problematic behavior or issues.
Build knowledge of books and other store categories and use it to maintain sections and assist customers.
Make effective book recommendations across store sections.
Support sales objectives, including Monthly Picks, Book of the Year, Membership, preorders, key products, and new releases.
Comply with company policies and procedures.
Work in other stores in the Cluster when able and needed.