Persuant to a desire not to crash and burn over the holidays per SOP, I’ve been considering applying for an evening/weekend job at one of the local bookstores. Since I’m not going anywhere over the holidays and have Christmas thru New Years off, I thought it might be a good way to fill up the time, plus the opportunity to further accrue my progressively dangerous stack of books with an employee discount sings like the song of a sweet Siren. (Okay, I also find the young female bookslaves quite fetching, but I daresay most are a bit under my age range.) I’m not really worried about money–in fact, I’ll probably just donate the money to some charitable organization like the Humane Society or somesuch.
It’s been years since I’ve worked in any kind of service job, but I’ve noticed people applying for jobs at bars and restaurants now coming in with elaborate multipage resumes. I have a pretty extensive resume myself, but virtually none of it is applicable to stacking books and doing inventory, and I’m guessing my prowess with ANSI Y14.5M standards or HyperMesh isn’t really going to impress a hiring manager; to the contrary, I’m a little concerned they’ll sneer at me in the same fashion as a Kappa Delta debutante. Should I prepare a different resume that, uh, diminishes my recent career history (engineering with a couple of moonlighting bar jobs), or just wing in and hope they don’t insist on more than a brief employment history on an application?
Any other advice or comments? Any other suggestions if this doesn’t pan out?
Stranger
As a former music store manager, most retail places don’t even want a resume; they just want you to fill out their application. Stop by and grab an application, fill it out, and you’re set. You’ll just need to organize your work history to fit on the application (if you have too many to fit on the application, just use the available spaces. Be sure to list relevant retail experience) and they usually want three references (almost never called but usually just part of the application). Bring it back during an off-peak time and try to hand it into a manager personally. (but, you know all this stuff anyway.)
I found working at a bookstore really fun. Sure you had the occasional irritating customers who wanted that “book with the blue cover” but most book store shoppers are more interesting than the average customer. The employees tend to be more educated than most retail workers and there’s usually time to chat when you’re stationed up at the info desk or register. Plus it was neat just keeping up with all the new releases…
If it doesn’t pan out, a lot of the charrity groups, like food banks, always need Christmas help and maybe you could meet some young, babe-ish do-gooder there. 
BTW, I need to stop being a bum and send you an email soon. 13th outta 50!
That’s what I was going to say.
I think I did attatch my resume to the application when I applied. It was somewhat relavent. But I was more concerned about the application. For one thing focused on the specifically relevent…like that I worked in my college bookstore, something I wouldn’t bother to mention on my resume.
I would say don’t bother with it. Just put down anything that might be interested to them in on the application (even if it was years ago, they didn’t mind seeing my college experience).
Other comment? It will be insane. Have you worked retail? At Christmas? It will be insane. Certainly any place people go to buy gifts. Not to put you off, it’s also a lot of fun. Retail sucks but bookstores are about the top of the heap. And as far and cute bookslaves, well siege mentalality brings people together .
Oh, and the best reason, Christmas employee discounts on books!! (Did all my shopping without leaving work.)