I applied in-person. The process took 2 days. I interviewed at Books-A-Million
Interview
I applied online after seeing a posting about a Job Fair. I went to the open interview session, where I was interviewed by the General Manager first. She asked about my previous retail experience, how I got along with my current manager and peers, and what I liked to do in my spare time. She also asked me what my favorite book was and why; then, she told me to tell me why she should buy the book. She told me they would call me to schedule a second interview later, and they did. The next time, I interviewed with one of the co-managers. Looking back, his main focus was to see how much sales experience I had and also how I would handle a difficult situation (i.e., there's a line at the register, a random customer comes up asking about a book while the phones rings in the background.)
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
What would I do if there's a line at the register, and a customer comes up asking about a book while the phones rings in the background?
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.