I applied online. The process took 1 week. I interviewed at Books-A-Million in Jun 2013
Interview
This interview was a total mess. I was not informed that it was to be a group interview. The store manager was in the back with her keyholder and her daughter (age 7.) They talked and joked about the little girl's employment and current employees while we (the interviewees) were filling out questionnaires. Both were exceptionally unprofessional. We were then encouraged to go find a product from the store and sell it to them, learn about another person in the group interview and sell that person to them, and pick general HR questions out of a hat to answer. Now, I appreciate the selling tactic as a tool to figure out if we should be in retail, but I dislike that selling the stupid discount card and magazine subscriptions are so deeply apart of this position that it seems to be the only skill they are hiring for. Knowledge or experience seemed a distant second. Also, all this for a minimum wage mall job. Ugh.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Go find something in the store to sell to me/talk to your competition and then explain to me why I should hire them.
It was a quick phone call and was very easy, casual conversation. Questions focused on background and interest in working at the store and knowledge of stock management. I also went in person to discuss further.
Know about books. Don't wear jeans. Store has closed so you probably won't get hired here now. Expect to be asked about sales skills and customer service skills and literacy skills.
