I am looking at picking up some part-time employment (evenings) with Borders Books, and wonder if any other SD board members have worked there (or know someone who works or has worked there).
Specifically I am asking about store culture (philosophy), how “sales” works there, what policies you or yours liked & disliked, what your management team was like, and whether you or yours had fun working there.
I come from a hefty (18+ years) retail background, all management, and left that environment 4 years ago for an office manager position which is significantly less stressful and has allowed a single mother more time with her teenaged children. I want to return to retail on a LIMITED basis, because it offers great variety & is high-energy, and my children are now out or nearly out of high school and don’t seem to require the attention they did in junior high. I love reading and have always wanted to work at a book store (tho a “big box” bookstore isn’t exactly what I have always dreamed about, but hey…)! The merchandising at Borders looks great, our local store is always clean and appealing visually, and has broad inventory. The employees seem well-trained and as if they like their job.
I have had a fabulous 1st interview with the local store and am scheduled for the 2nd interview with the GM early next week. But I seriously do not want to work more than 16 hours a week, and 8-12 hours would be even more preferred. Will they work with this limitation?
What can I expect? What tales of wonder or of woe can you let me in on? What have you HEARD, if you haven’t worked there yourself?
I think if you’re willing to work the 2 latest shifts, like Friday and Saturday nights, they’d be MORE than happy to sign you on. Otherwise, you may have a little trouble keeping your hours so low. Most managers for the Barnes and Noble family would rather be able to assign you up to 20 hours at their discretion.
I used to work at Borders, maybe nine years ago. At the time, it was great. More relaxed atmosphere that B&N (where they had to dress up), books, discount, interesting people to work with, interesting customers (always fun to try to track down stuff based on a vague description). The company was really responsive to its employees as well. The frustrations were the same as any retail job but since I like books, I really enjoyed working there.
I worked at Borders. I loved it. If I still had the energy to work two jobs, I’d go back. The pay sucks (as do all book stores), or at least sucked when I was there ($6.25? Something like that.)
However, I loved the people I worked with. All very smart, most with a degree or some college education. Geeky, book-ish people almost all of whom worked very hard. I loved being around the books. I loved helping people who like to buy books. I liked their policy about taking a customer to the book instead of just pointing in the general direction. It felt a lot like family. I even liked my once-a-week shift unloading pallets of boxes. It was cool to have defined, observable goals and felt good to clear out a storage room in one night.
I loved the depth and breadth of what Borders carries, too.
Having worked retail here and there, including B&N, I’d have to say Borders was my best experience ever. They have (at least they had where I worked and I’m assuming as a corporation, it’s reflective of the stores in general) staff meetings for every shift, to tell the staff what was important for the day…questions we’d be getting, bestseller updates, who bloody Oprah had mentioned…was very helpful. As in they were looking out for their employees and giving them what they need to do their job. Something B&N didn’t do much of. And better, you knew who was working your shift with you and who you could go to for what. Gave a certain esprit de corp that I haven’t found in retail much.
They also (unlike B&N…do I sound like I don’t care for B&N?) play to your strengths and let you do what you good at, as opposed to just shuffing you around.
Plus they’re forever giving out their complimetary CDs and books, and their Christmas dicount is to die for.
I worked at Borders for 8 years. I wouldn’t have stayed so long if I didn’t like it. Mind you, the company changed an awful lot in those 8 years and knowing what it was like when I started makes me not want to work for them again. However, starting there now, without those memories, would probably still be a good experience. The discount is somethnig to be wary of 33% for part timers, 25% for full timers (they also have 40% Friend and Family days in the run-up to Christmas). Their benefits are above retail standard, but full-time only. Their pay is also usually higher than average retail. The environment is usually very congenial. I have found that there are generally two groups employed at Borders, people that are there because they love books and people that are just holding down a job. The proportions of these gropups vary store to store, but you definitely will find someone with a common love of reading.
The Borders World Headquarters is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Borders store #1 is right in downtown Ann Arbor.
Little know fact: they allow dogs in store #1 (but apparently not other stores). This adds to the atmosphere and makes it casual and welcoming. The college crowd who browse, professors, and weekend tourists adds to the laid-back atmophere. The music played overhead used to be better though and they had more book signings. Sometimes I suspect Borders #1 is some type of corporate lab.
A bit about the workers. They know music and movies. If you ask a question then they can give you a personal answer about a film or TV show series. The help desk is always busy with customers asking about esoteric tites. They are knowlegable and friendly, though somewhat reserved. You can actually see the workers sometime at local diners.
If anything, you should definitely come and visit.
Borders, however will generally schedule for whatever you can or want to work. We currently have an employee who only works on Sundays, and a number who work two or three nights during the week, at four hours a night.
I worked at corportate HQ for 8 years (1998-2004). I can’t say much about what its like to work in the stores actually. Probably a little bit better than some retail jobs, and you get a ok discount.
Overall, the company has lost its tangy zest since the late 90s. I left because I didn’t care for the new upper management very much. But actual life in the store probably varies quite a lot by manager. If you have a good feeling about the manager(s) you’ve met, I’d say go for it. Probably no different than the average retail job, and maybe better than some.
I worked at their main distribution center for 7 years ten years ago, and while I don’t know how they treat their store employees, back then they treated the employees like crap (supposedly things have improved according to people I’ve talked to who still work there). Last I heard, they have the only unionized bookstore in the country in Philly. I haven’t bought a thing from Borders since I quit because of how shitty I was treated. YMMV, of course.
I worked for Waldens (a Borders group store) and enjoyed it. I made 7.50 an hour in a state where minimum wage was just over five, got 39.5 hours a week at Christmas time and had a schedule that worked around school. And I got a 33% discount. Way better than any other retail job I’ve worked, although I found trying to upsale to be nearly impossible.
I started in April and left in August so I guess it was really just under 7 years. For reasons I wont go into here, though, it felt like fracking eternity.
I work there part-time now. I started somewhat recently, and am enjoying it completely. I worked at B&N for over a year several years ago, and Borders is much, much more relaxed and accomodating. Borders allows you to wear tees, jeans and sneakers which make a big difference when you’re running around looking for books and such. They have an walkie-talkie system in place that I find invaluable. I can’t tell you how many customers come in and say, ‘I saw this red book on a shelf three weeks ago that looked interesting…I think it had a dragon on the cover…can you find it for me?’ I just repeat that into the microphone and every employee hears it, and invariably someone remembers which book it was and where it is now. How that never caught on before now boggles my mind.
As for scheduling, I haven’t had any problems. The day I started, I needed 5 days off the upcoming weekend, and they did it with no problem.
The perks are great - free coffee and tea, they loan out ANY book for 10 days (yes, this includes paperback), and the discounts are decent. They differ for part-timers and full-timers, but it’s still good. The people I work with are very laid-back and friendly. One co-worker used to work at B&N also, and he left because they were ‘close-minded’ and ‘didn’t approve of my lifestyle’ - which translates to ‘they didn’t want my gay ass there.’
Selling is practically non-existent. On register, we ask if they have a Borders Rewards card, but if they don’t, or don’t have any desire to get one, that’s it. They do keep track of how many people you sign up, and post a weekly list of the numbers, but management is never on my ass to get more people.
The managers are great. They expect you to do your job, but allow you to have fun with it too.
They are all for keeping the customer happy in regards to returns, special orders, and discounts. They’d rather give a free book to keep that customer for life.
