How to get a Job at Barnes and Noble?

The lockdown impacted a lot of lives and compelled individuals to stay at home. This stay-at-home journey provides them time to understand themselves and connect with their hobbies. Many diverted towards movies and series passing their time while others got lost in books of several types. Books do help us reach a different state of mind and, thus many people prefer to have a book with them that helps them when they feel alone. During the pandemic, many businesses faced a downside but many book publishers and writers saw a surge in their business. It even impacted bookstores all around the world and, even the famous Barnes and Noble stores were affected by it. Let’s know How to get a Job at Barnes and Noble?

Barnes and Nobles is a well-known bookseller and, they did see a drop in their business during the pandemic but it has raised back to its original state. Today the company comes under the Fortune 1000 company and has a total of 614 retail stores that are as big as Starbucks Roasteries. The company today is quite well known and is spread across the United States having the largest bookseller. As the store is quite big they require a lot of workforces to carry out the daily activities of the store. Thus getting a job here can be a great choice. This article focuses on how you can get a job at Barnes and Noble and this will help you with understanding the job and how you can apply.

Before we get to understand the various ways you can get a job at Barnes and Noble, let’s first understand the company and what they deal with, and the various positions available in their store for everyone.

Barnes and Noble

Barnes and Noble is a well-known bookseller and has more than 500 stores throughout the United States. The company did experience a lot of frauds and bankruptcies but still, they were able to get back up and do it all again. They come under the most valuable bookstores of all and are known for their stores where every type of book can be found. Earlier, the company decided to contribute and work with small chains and stores and displayed their books in malls and supermarkets but later opened their stores in the United States.

The company was founded in 1886 by Charles M. Barnes, William Barnes, G. Clifford Noble, and Leonard Riggio. It is an old company headquartered in 122 Fifth Avenue, New York City, United States. Today the company has a total of 30,000 employees working for them. You can buy books from their store or even buy them from their website.

The stores created by Barnes and Noble were quite huge and loved by many customers. One such bookstore is turned into a café where Starbucks is sold. So you can enjoy your favorite coffee and book at the same time. The store has a wide variety of products to choose from. Being a bookstore it is not limited to the sale of books and textbooks but it also has newspapers, magazines, graphic novels, gifts for children, music, toys, et books, and tablets like Kindle.

From the description above you might have understood that the Barnes and Noble bookstore is quite high and popular, and getting a job over there will be a great idea. So let’s discuss how you can get a job at Barnes and Noble.

How to get a job at Barnes and Noble

Getting a job at Barnes and Noble can be very hard but if you follow the steps given below you can get it. Barnes and Noble’s hiring process can either be online or offline but during the pandemic, it’s better to use the online portal to apply for the job.

The steps involved in the hiring process are as follows-

• The very first thing you need to do is fill out their hiring application form. It can be filled online or offline. To fill it offline you can visit the nearest Barnes and Noble store and ask them if they have any vacancies or if you can apply. In the online mode, you need to apply using this link.

• You can explore their career section, understand their policies, benefits, types of jobs they provide and can decide whether you want to work in the retail sector, corporate sector, or the distribution sector. You can also look at the different locations where you can work.

• Once you have decided the job, position, and location you need to apply for then you can apply for the job only if it is available. First, you need to click on the three lines on the right-hand top side of the page. You need to choose if you want to apply for retail, corporate, or distribution jobs.

• Click on the job you need to apply for and you get three options here: retail, corporate, or distribution. After you choose which one you want to apply for, click on the respective job. Then you get directed to a page where you can easily search and apply for the jobs you want. 

• After the page opens you can see a simple search engine where you can fill in the location zip code you would like to work in and the meters from the zip code. You can even see if these jobs are available or not at the current moment.

• After filling in your location zip code and the meters you need to click on the search button. You will get a list of jobs about the location and their nearby stores. If the job is available you can click on the job.

• After clicking you can see an ‘Apply Now’ option and a certain description regarding the job. Read them carefully and then apply for the job of your choice.

• Click on the ‘Apply Now’ and then you need to create an account with Barnes and Noble to apply for the job. After you create your account you need to fill in the details to get selected for the interview process. This you need to fill them carefully and precisely understanding the recruiter’s state of mind.

These are steps you can follow to easily apply for the job position. There are a lot of precautions that you need to take when you are applying for a job at Barnes and Noble. Getting a job here is quite hard and if you don’t have the skills and competencies for the job then you wouldn’t get selected.

 Thus let’s understand certain pointers you need to keep in mind while applying for the job. The pointers are as follows-

• You need to be a keen reader to get a job at Barnes and Noble. In the interview process, they ask their applicants questions like-

1. Which is your favorite book? 
2. Which genre do you prefer?
3. How would I recommend books to a customer who is new to the world of books?

• Looking at these questions you can understand that you need to be a book reader to get a job here. Many times you can either fake it if you want to. Try reading certain books that are quite popular or understand the summary of the book. This will help you in the interview process.

• You need to be good at public speaking. As a job worker in Barnes and Noble where a lot of customers approach the shop day in and day out it’s important to interact with them to make them feel at home. Thus during the interview process, they ask about how you deal with others around you. You need to help them by suggesting books and holding great conversations related to nooks and about the store.

• You should have a willingness to help others. Helping others comes from within and if you are someone who doesn’t like helping others and feel irritated by others then you should think twice before applying for the job. You need to help your customers with book recommendations, find a particular book, help with the payment, etc.

These are certain pointers that you need to keep in mind while applying for a job at Barnes and Noble.

Job positions at Barnes and Noble

Barnes and Noble have a lot of job positions to offer to its applicants. They range from in-store jobs to distribution jobs. You can choose any job you want. Let’s understand the three types of jobs provided by Barnes and Noble and the jobs available under them- 

Retail Stores

Barnes and Noble have a lot of retail stores all across the United States. These stores need to be maintained by employees and thus there are a lot of stores that hire college students who are responsible to maintain the store and keep the functions of the store going. Barnes and Noble’s retail stores are of two different types. One of them looks like a simple bookstore and the other is a café. You can choose which type of store you would like to work for. The different types of jobs available under this category include- 

• Lead Barista- They are responsible for handling the café. They need to prepare coffees, lattes, etc for the customers.

• Bookseller- Responsible for selling books and recommending new books to the customers. They need to help customers in finding the right fit for their books.

• Café Manager- Head of the café and look after its day-to-day functioning. They focus on providing the best experience to their customers to make their time in the bookstore lovely and memorable. They also look after the availability of coffee beans, cups, etc, and maintain the supply to meet their demand.

• Loss Prevention Market Manager- They need to help the café or bookstore to take effect e steps so that they function properly and all other risks are managed. They look after the functioning of the store and suggest changes if any.

• Maintenance Clerk- They need to maintain records of the number of people who visited the store and took a book. They need to keep those records to calculate later. All the documents and records need to be kept safely and thus the maintenance clerk manages their safety.

These are some of the retail jobs that you can apply for at Barnes and Noble.

Corporate Headquarters 

This department looks after the management of the different stores spread all over the country. They are responsible for hearing out complaints, recruiting individuals, making strategic plans for the book stores, and looking after customer satisfaction. There are a lot of job titles included in the corporate headquarters and they focus on maintaining consistency in the stores. To apply for a corporate job you can directly apply using their website mentioned above. The various job titles under the corporate headquarters include-  

• Accounting- They are responsible for maintaining all records of the company. They record all financial transactions and compute the company’s sales. They need to keep a record of all the transactions and keep them safe. They also help the company in tally and entries. They look after the taxes and plan strategies to reduce the taxes of the company.

• Customer Service- They focus on listening to and solving customer grievances and helping them with their problems. They handle the consumers and provide good customer service to them so they can visit the store again. They handle the customers and applicants who wish to apply and help them with their problems.

• eCommerce- They look after marketing the store online and increase their online presence. They may indulge in activities like creating websites, handling websites, marketing through ads, handling social media sites, taking in orders, etc. It helps the company to grow worldwide and not restrict their customers to America only.

• Human Resource- They focus on the management of employees and looking after their grievances. They are also responsible for hiring new employees for the store. They interview them, examine their competencies, and decide whether they are the right fit for the job. They also make changes in the company’s plans and strategies to satisfy their current employees.

• Sterling Publishing- It’s a publishing company under Barnes and Noble and they help aspiring and well-known writers to publish their works. They review their works, edit them if necessary and help them publish successful books. They have helped publish around 4800 books or prints till today.

• Store Operations- They focus on managing the store and look after the store’s proper functioning. They look after the store’s layout, manage the employees, assist the supply chain and maintain the supply and demand for the books and prints available in the store, look after the price of the products, and manage the promotion.

These are some of the corporate jobs that you can apply for at Barnes and Noble.

Distribution Centers

This department looks after the distribution and management of sales. They look after the supply and demand of books all across the country and focus on delivering the books to the customers. Their work is to manage the inventory, supply the deliveries on time, ship the products properly, look after packaging, manage the equipment, etc. You can get a job in the distribution department by applying through their website mentioned above. The various jobs under this department include-

• Maintenance Helper- They focus on maintaining the warehouse. Basic maintenance activities like plumbing, electricity cutoff management, carpenter, and other activities of maintenance are carried out by them. A maintenance helper is allowed to work in shifts and you can choose any shift of your choice while applying for the job.

• Forklift Drivers- A forklift is a machine used in a warehouse to lift and transport heavy packaging from one part to another. As they are quite heavy, lifting them is challenging and thus a forklift is used to transport them within the warehouse. To become a forklift driver experience is important as it’s quite hard to understand the mechanics and functions of a forklift. 

• Picker or Packer- They focus on picking the right products to be shipped or dispatched and packing them properly to avoid any damage to the product. They are responsible for looking after the product’s quality and pack products that match the quality criteria. Their job is quite important as customer satisfaction matters a lot for any company.

• Warehouse Clerk- They manage all the activities occurring inside the warehouse and maintain consistency in the job output of the workers. They are responsible for getting the job done and need to work for long hours as they are responsible for managing the whole warehouse. They also help in solving problems.

• Material Handler- They work on storing the necessary materials properly. All those equipment and materials required to carry out basic tasks in the warehouse are kept safely and handled with precaution by them. They are also known as warehouse associates and help handle, store and move both hazardous and non-hazardous substances used in the warehouse. They also focus on logistics and manage the loading and unloading and keep records of the same.

• HR Receptionist- They maintain a record of all the visitors and employees and check their attendance. They need to sit at the reception area and keep an eye on all those who enter the premises. They also deal with the application process and are involved in shortlisting candidates’ resumes to send to HR and attend to candidates’ requests. They answer phone calls on behalf of HR and are responsible for managing the email list.

• Desktop Technician- They deal with repairing and fixing computers. All desktop computers are managed and maintained by them and the computer systems are updated daily. They need to examine the problem with the computer, suggest ways to fix the problem, use their skills to solve the problem and help the warehouse workers with the computer.

• Cleaner- They need to clean the warehouse from time to time to ensure a clean working space for all. Various activities they need to engage in are mopping the floor, dusting the equipment, cleaning all the rags, emptying the garbage bins every day, restocking the priests into their designated shelves, removing small spots of dirt and debris from the floor, cleaning the products before packaging, etc. As a warehouse cleaner, you are allowed to work in shifts.

These are some of the distribution jobs that you can apply for at Barnes and Noble.

How much do Barnes and Noble pay? 

Barnes and Noble is a well-known bookseller and even has a publishing company under it. They demand a lot from their employees and thus they pay very well because they respect the services provided by the employee to the company.  Barnes and Noble pay quite approximately $11 per hour to $25 per hour. The lowest salary is paid to a bookseller and lead cashier which is around $11 to $12 per hour, while a higher salary is paid to a packer which is about $20 to $25 per hour.

The salary at any place can’t be determined by a single factor and there are a lot of things that decide the salary of an individual at Barnes and Noble. Your experience, education, interests, work performance, future goals, and activities define your salary. All these factors are taken into consideration whenever a salary is confirmed.

Employee Benefits at Barnes and Noble 

Every company or store prides certain benefits to their employees. It’s a way to increase their work performance and get a higher result from their work. Certain employee benefits provided by Barnes and Noble include- 

Employee discount

Barnes and Noble provide its employees with discounts on the purchase of books, textbooks, journals, newspapers, coffee, and all other things provided by the store. It’s a great incentive to keep the employee intact and connected with their job and the store. Such moves help the company or store to create a bond with the employee.

Insurance

Barnes and Noble also provide their employees with insurance plans. Every employee must have an insurance plan whose payment will be deducted directly from the employee’s salary. It’s a great step to help employees get an insurance plan. The three plans that the company provides are Health Insurance, Dental Insurance, and Vision Insurance.

These are some employee benefits provided by Barnes and Noble.

Conclusion

Barnes and Noble have always been an incredible company and working for them is a great opportunity. All book lovers need to understand the perks of working with them and apply for the job immediately. Hope the article helped and all the best for the application.