Working For Books-A-Million - The Truth
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- čas přidán 12. 09. 2024
- When I think about all of the jobs that I have had in the past, one always sticks out from the rest. I worked for Books-A-Million for around a year and a half and during that time I learned a lot about the book industry. Being someone who loves books and everything book related, I cannot help but think back to my time working there with fondness. I always wondered what it would be like to work at a bookstore, and I am lucky and proud to say that I had the chance. What are your thoughts about bookstores?
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I worked at Books a Million for around three years and honestly I miss it every day, it was such a fun place to work! Our store was crazy, our General Manager literally did not care what we did and the other two managers were like giant kids, we all got along like family and our store had a lady named Nancy who had been working there for 35 years! Towards the end, they hired this hot shot Sales Manager and the store went INSANE, this guy would literally sell 150 magazines in ONE DAY and like 30 memberships! He was basically given full control and holy hell it was like the wild west, he turned the store into a playhouse, it was like being on the show The Office, then we found out the store was closing out of nowhere, Sales Manager left almost immediately after that and everyone else left after he did, on our last day it was just me and the other two managers closing up, all 15 others had left.
I loved working at BAM except for the cards. The discount card was used in our store to determine how many hours we got, and you could be fantastic at anything else in the store but that and your hours would be cut because of it. That and although we had many regular customers, not all of them were interested in spending extra money on the discount card no matter how you tried to spin it. Requiring employees to ALWAYS repeat the same schpiel makes people get pissy with associates at the register.
I've never had a job before. I just applied a few days ago. They have open interviews on Wednesday's 2 to 4 pm.
I used to think about trying to work in a bookstore, but now I think I might get bored, even though I love bookstores I really do, I just don't think a job like that suits me, I need to be doing something constantly :P I'd love to shop at this bookstore one day. AHAHAAH THE STAR WARS QUOTE. It sounds like a nice experience you had.
I love bookstores. My fascination and appreciation of bookstores outweighs my fascination for ANY other stores in general. I'm not a big fan of shopping, but books are my rare exception. I could go for hours on end talking about literature and my favorite authors. Thanks for telling me about your experience on working at Books A Million. It was an educational documentation.
I remember Borders had a free discount card and they emailed me 20% off coupons every week. Maybe that's why they closed lol. My BAM is RELENTLESS on the club card, I literally have to say no 6 times just to get my book, to the point of where I dread buying from them.
I have an interview with my local Books-A-Million on Saturday and I’ve always wanted to be a bookseller and this is helping with my nerves! Thanks!
You’re welcome and good luck! 🙂
@@NReluctant I got the job!
I've been thinking about apply to Books-A-Million for a while and think I am going to go for it since they are hiring at the moment (this would be my first ever job) , but I'm scared that I won't be able to either sell the cards or that I won't know about a book a customers talking about, etc. so if you have any advice that would be great. Also great video!
Howd it go?
sooo howd it go?
That sounds like a great experience! It might be dangerous for me to work at a Books-A-Million since I too would spend most of my paycheck there, lol. I am curious, though, if you could share anything about PTO or just the time off in general. Like how many vacation days they give you and such. Thanks in advance :)
Wonderstruck 221b In terms of time off I can’t really remember, I worked part time so anytime I need it off I would just have to request it a few weeks in advance and they were really great about rescheduling me to work another day to make up the hours. I think it works a little differently for full-time though.
My local Books A Million opened in 2011, after the Waldenbooks closed, I love books and all of that, I would always shop there when I went. But, on March 10th, 2020 right before the pandemic, I stopped by for what would be the last time, the worker at checkout said this: “I don’t know how long that we can stay here”. My store is in a dead mall with decent traffic and one anchor, my mall closed after March 13th, so it closed after that night too. It was and always be my favorite store, and I’m saddened to see it close but it had barely any people in it and I miss walking in and browsing books, and I know others will to because it was the last big bookstore in the area. R.I.P.
Life With Todd i’m so sorry to hear that, I love going in bookstores and browsing the books. Every community needs a bookstore! 🙂
i have been thinking about getting a job at BAM. i am now eligible to get a job in my state, and i have always loved the thought of working at a bookstore. i volunteered at a library for a while, but now i want to upgrade as i can have a real job. i’ll try to see if my parents allow for me to get a job
Found this video after searching for a job opening for a Assistant Manager position at BAM at the same location I would go to when I worked at the mall where it was located. I loved to go there as a customer, but I wonder if the experience would be different as staff. 🤔 I have retail experience but its annoying when management wanted you to sell something no one wants but wants you to sell it like you're The Wolf of Wall Street, "sell me this pen" 🖊
I work at BAM currently and hate it. Management is terrible, one manager sexually harasses female co-workers, we get paid $7.50 an hour for 5x the work of any other retail job
I'm a manager at BAM. Have been for years. The employee hotline is posted in the back room. You need to call that number.
This is an old video, but I just applied to B.A.M. I turned 18 a few days ago and I hope to get a job soon!
Congrats on applying! It is an awesome place to work :)
@@NReluctant Thanks. I hope to get the job! 😅
@@abbysdiamondpainting did you get the job?
@@kehkashanwaheed9571 No :/ But it was just bad timing as well and I’m going to wait to apply in a few months
The BAM store in my area closed way back which was sad. I tried to apply to B&N once, online just for fun then again it was far away so it was best not to go forward. Anyway, thanks for the insight! I always prefer BAM defo great bang for your buck. Retail job is not for me coz like you I'd defo spent more of my paycheck there coz discounts lol 😂
Kim Yunalesca it’s always sad to see a bookstore close down, I shop at Barnes and Noble a lot too, but I agree with you that Books-A-Million tends to have better prices and better deals.
As a full-time career author, I've mainly been eyeing BAM as a possible future publisher on the side of my current one which is Amazon. Any thoughts and suggestions on that from anyone? All advice is greatly obliged, fellow authors or not.
I will be attending college soon so, of course, I’ve had lots of thought about what I want to do for the rest of my life. Oddly enough, one of the only thoughts that satisfies me is studying English and trying to pursue a career in creative writing while working at a bookstore. I just want to know your advice? (Or anyone else’s advice!) Do you think that this is accomplishable?
Jade Short I think that’s a really cool goal, it’s absolutely possible and I completely understand where you’re coming from. As long as you doing something that makes you happy I think you will be successful.
@@NReluctant Thank you!
I just applied to my first job here
What were your talking points about the membership when you were at the register? I just got hired and I am really struggling with this.
At the time this is what I talked about: Getting a certain percentage off today's purchase (I think was 20% when they register?) letting them know exactly how much they would save today and 10% off all future purchases, free shipping on the Books A Million website, and over $100+ in coupons as well as member exclusive sales. If you are excited about the card then they will be too. As employees we even mentioned that we bought the card ourselves because the savings was often times better than our employee discount with coupons and everything. Hope that helps!
@@NReluctant yes, thank you so much for the quick response!
I know this video is old but I'm hoping for a reply !!!! I have an interview in two days and I was asking if you have to be a book expert to be able to work there ??? I am a huge fan of music and movies which I know is a big selling point there. Would that be enough to get the job ??? Thanks
You don’t have to be a book expert, that was another great thing about working there. While I do love books some of the other employees were experts in other areas. It was like each of us had our own expertise. They tend to like variety.
@@NReluctant thanks alot for the response! I finished the interview and it went good. Thanks alot !
@@PennyFan92 your welcome! Good luck!
I have a interview on Monday
Good luck!! :D
Did you get it?
We’re you able to get any advance readers copies of books? I know working at B&N they were available to us when they came in.
Yes, we used to get them all the time 🙂
Hello!! I'm really hoping you would reply, but I'm very late. I have an interview this coming up week. I heard they would ask you questions about how to sell a "pen" for an example. Did you have to answer questions like that? I'm very nervous. This is my second interview.
Hi, I think it all depends on who interviews you, but for my interview I was asked questions about the types of books that I like. They also explain to me that you have to sell the discount cards and they want to know how to be comfortable doing that. Don’t be nervous, if you have a passion for books just focus on that 🙂
@@NReluctant Thank you so much!! I appreciate it!!
Does anybody actually buy stuff from the cafe?
I am interested in working at books a million but I am a minor. I am homeschooled but is their work schedule flexible?
It’s going to depend on the location, but usually they have a couple different shifts so that they can work around schedules.
How long did it take for you to get a call back? I applied 6 days ago and I’m nervous
It takes a while, checking in via phone or in store is helpful too.
It took me like a month in a half😭 they just call today🤦🏽♂️💀
Video on in caps. 70 likes to 0 dislikes. Long comments that are positive.
Im shook