Bookseller

Entry Requirements:

You can get into this job through:

• a university course
• a college course
• an apprenticeship
• applying directly

University

You may have an advantage when looking for work if you've completed a qualification at university, like a higher national diploma or a degree. Employers will accept any subject, although some may prefer English, humanities or the arts.

Entry requirements:

• 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a higher national diploma
• 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

College

You can learn some of the skills you need for this job by doing a:

• Level 2 Certificate or Diploma in Retail Skills
• Level 3 Diploma in Retail Skills (Sales Professional)

Entry requirements:

• 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course
• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

Apprenticeship

You can get into this job through a retailer intermediate apprenticeship or a retail team leader advanced apprenticeship.

Entry requirements:

• 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
• some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

DirectApplication

You can apply directly for jobs. You'll usually need 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), including English and maths. You'll have an advantage if you have previous experience of:

• retail or online sales
• customer service
• publishing

You'll need a broad range of reading interests and an enthusiasm for books.

You may need specialist knowledge for some bookshops. For example:

• comic art for a shop that sells graphic novels
• classic literature for rare or antiquarian books
• art history for specialist art publications

Required Skills:

Digital skills : to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Skills:

• customer service skills
• the ability to work well with others
• the ability to sell products and services
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• business management skills
• the ability to use your initiative
• persuading and negotiating skills
• excellent verbal communication skills
• sensitivity and understanding
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• active listening skills
• a desire to help people
• maths knowledge
• the ability to read English
• knowledge of English language
• the ability to think clearly using logic and reasoning
• the ability to understand people’s reactions
• thinking and reasoning skills
• concentration skills
• knowledge of computer operating systems, hardware and software

What you'll do:

Booksellers buy books from publishers or wholesalers and sell them on to customers.

You might:

• serve customers and take payments
• make suggestions and give advice about the books available
• review books for in-store reviews or book clubs
• organise in-store promotional events
• monitor stock levels and create book displays
• work with publishing companies and order new stock
• process online orders
• complete admin tasks like accounting, order distribution, arranging deliveries and returns

Location : You could work at a store.

Salary:

Starter : £14,000
Experienced : £30,000

These figures are a guide

Working hours:

39 - 41 hours a week

Working Pattern is evenings / weekends / bank holidays

Career Path:

With financial backing and a lot of experience, you could open your own bookshop.

You could work for a publishing house and sell books to retailers.

You could also work from home as a book dealer, or set up an online bookshop.