MARCH 2023 UPDATES
We are no longer accepting applications for summer 2023 bookseller positions. If year round positions become available, they will be posted by September 2023.
All applicants for 2023 should have received a confirmation email by now. If you submitted an application and have *not* received an email, please forward your application to books@eightcousins.com.
~ Eight Cousins
Eight Cousins is a local independent bookstore on Main Street in Falmouth, MA.
Our Mission Statement is: To share a love and appreciation of books and reading with the wider Falmouth community and to support the continued innovative, educational, diverse, and artistic creations of authors, illustrators, editors, publishers, and booksellers.
Enthusiasm for this mission is a must.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
We work intentionally to create an environment where all employees and customers feel welcome, safe, and respected.
If you are interested in working in and creating this type of environment, please read the full job description below and submit a cover letter and resume:
1) email to books@eightcousins.com (preferred)
2) mail to 189 Main Street, Falmouth, MA 02540
3) in person at Eight Cousins
We are no longer accepting applications at this time.
In the cover letter, please indicate
1) whether you are applying year round or seasonal/flexible
2) your start and end dates (seasonal only)
3) why you are passionate about sharing a love of books with the wider Falmouth community
4) preferred contact information
OPENINGS AND BENEFITS
Year round, full time candidates are eligible for advancement after the initial training period. Advancements include specializations in our core business: customer service, inventory & merchandising, enviroment, and community engagement. As we are a small business, advancement opportunities are tailor-made based on each person's individual skills and interests, coupled with the store's current openings.
Please specify in your cover letter if you are applying for the year round, full time position.
Eight Cousins benefits for year round, full time employees include paid vaction, eligibility for Simple IRA, paid sick time, staff discount, and professional development.
Seasonal/flexible candidates, please indicate your start and end dates for the summer. If you live locally and are available for weekend shifts throughout the year, please include that information in your cover letter.
Eight Cousins benefits for seasonal/flexible employees include paid sick time, flexible hours, staff discount, and professional development.
We aim to have all staff fully trained by the end of June. Start dates depend on availability. We are able to be flexible with the scheduling during training. Summer positions for the first year are all full time.
STAFF AND ENVIRONMENT
We are looking for people who are passionate about the books and gifts we sell as well as connecting with our customers and local community. Our staff all contribute to the various operations required to keep an independent local bookstore in business, bringing ideas, suggestions, critiques, creativity, diversity, and innovation to our ongoing conversations.
Our inventory changes and often reflects staff interests. Each staff member is unique and brings their individual perspective to the team. We welcome a range of backgrounds, experience levels, and skill sets. Help us get to know you by including details about your specific passions in your cover letter.
All staff work regular weekend shifts as well as some evening shifts when the store is open extended hours in July, August, and December. Flexibility and ability to work during store hours are important.
Eight Cousins is primarily a retail environment; the bookseller position includes standing, walking, and carrying small piles of books and gifts. Our store has a step-free entrance. Breaks during each shift are standard, and short breaks throughout the day are encouraged. Our goal is inclusivity. Accommodations are possible and we welcome the opportunity to discuss individual needs.
Extensive training is provided.
BOOKSELLER JOB DESCRIPTION
Front-line booksellers are often the first point of contact for customers and therefore are expected to create a friendly, professional, knowledgable environment on the store floor. They feel comfortable talking about and hand selling a range of books and gifts, but often have a specialization in one particular age group or genre.
Primary responsibilities include customer service, point-of-sale transactions, basic merchandising and inventory, maintaining store environment, and community engagement through participating in store promotional and media materials.
- Customer service includes greeting customers, strong knowledge of store inventory, ability to give expert advice on store inventory, general awareness of publishing industry, hand-selling, assessing customer needs, helpful attitude, research skills, and the perseverance to find a book even with limited information.
- Point-of-sale transactions include sales, returns, gift card processing, taking special orders, and gift-wrapping. The ability to work quickly, multi-task, and stay organized is key. Advancement opportunity: processing online orders.
- Basic merchandising and inventory includes assisting with shelving, restock, returns, creating displays, organizing book and gift merchandise, and physical inventory.
- Maintaining store environment (floor, register, back room, foyer, front steps, and outside the back door) includes keeping store environment clean, safe, and comfortable for customers and staff. Duties change throughout the year, but often include vacuuming, dusting, sweeping, moving or breaking down boxes, cleaning bathroom facilities, trash and recycling, stocking supplies, and maintaining the register and wrapping areas.
- Community engagement includes regular contributions to the website, newsletter, and social media. It also includes written reviews for our Holiday and Summer Picks lists as well as awareness of upcoming events and promotions. We are always open to new ideas about community engagement.
SKILLS
The ideal candidate will have some combination of the following:
Strong knowledge of and passion for books, gifts, reading, and our local community.
Strong communication and critical thinking skills.
Computer skills: we provide training for our store's Point of Sale system and inventory database. Comfort with internet software, email, and databases is helpful, but the key requirement for technology is a willingness to learn new programs.
Flexibility and ability to work in a fast-paced retail environment.
Willingness to ask questions.
Desire to collaborate with colleages and customers.
NEXT STEPS
You will be contacted to confirm receipt of application materials. All applicants will be contacted by the end of April 2023.
Please review all of the information provided on this web page first.
If you have questions that are not answered here, please email books@eightcousins.com.