Bookseller

As Bookseller, you'll work one weekend day per week, following a rota, with other ad hoc work during the week. Ideally, you will work a few weekdays per month, more at peak times such as the summer months and school holiday periods. Weekday work is not guaranteed, and candidates' availability can be explored at interview. We are Cambridge University Press & Assessment, a world-leading academic publisher and assessment organisation and a proud part of the University of Cambridge., This is a customer facing role involving a high standard of customer service to a range of customers, including academics and tourists. The requirements of the role are:

  • To serve customers at the till, giving excellent customer service and handling money accurately.
  • Assist customers with a range of queries, including Cambridge University Press & Assessment titles, merchandise, and tourist information.
  • Help customers find books across the shop, using an intranet-based computer search.
  • Answer telephone and email enquiries professionally and accurately.
  • Restock books and merchandise, checking books are priced, alphabetised, and in the correct sections and ensuring shelves are dust-free and tidy.
  • To be available to work on one weekend day per week, as per an advance rota, by mixing Saturday (9.50am - 17.35pm) and Sunday (10.50am - 17.05pm), throughout the year.

    You're a confident and adaptable individual with a solid awareness of Cambridge University Press & Assessment products and a keen eye for detail. Your excellent interpersonal and communication skills help you build strong relationships and work effectively across teams. You're comfortable multitasking in a fast-paced environment and are always willing to take on a variety of duties. With strong attention to detail, you take pride in delivering quality work. You'll enjoy providing excellent customer service, confidently assisting customers at the till, helping them locate books and resources, and offering knowledgeable guidance on our products. You'll also be happy to support the smooth running of the bookshop by restocking shelves, maintaining attractive displays, and carrying out general operational tasks across our three shop floors. Tech-savvy and organised, you're comfortable using tills, databases, Microsoft Teams, Outlook, and other digital tools to support your role efficiently and effectively. If you meet the above minimum requirements, we encourage you to apply. Your application will be even stronger if you can also demonstrate the following desirable criteria:
  • Previous retail experience
  • Previous experience in a customer facing role
  • Previous Bookshop experience

    We aim to support candidates by making our interview process clear and transparent. The closing date for all applications will be 27th September. We will review applications on an ongoing basis, and shortlisted candidates can expect interviews to take place from week commencing 12th October.
  • If you are shortlisted and progressed through the stages, you can expect:
  • One stage interview: in-person at our Bookshop in Central Cambridge.
  • If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process due to a disability or a long-term health condition, there will be an opportunity for you to inform us via the online application form. We will do our best to accommodate your needs. Please note that successful applicants will be subject to satisfactory background checks including DBS due to working in a regulated industry. We are committed to an equitable recruitment process. As such, applications must be submitted via our official online application procedure. Please refrain from sending your CV directly to our recruiters. If you experience technical difficulties or require additional support with submitting your online application, contact the Recruiter. Why join us Joining us is your opportunity to pursue potential. You will belong to a collaborative team that is exploring new and better ways to serve students, teachers and researchers across the globe - for the benefit of individuals, society and the world. Sharing our mission will inspire your own growth, development and progress, in an environment which embraces difference, change and aspiration. Cambridge University Press & Assessment is committed to being a place where anyone can enjoy a successful career, where it is safe to speak up, and where we learn continuously to improve together. We welcome applications from all candidates, regardless of demographic characteristics (age, disability, educational attainment, ethnicity, gender, marital status, neurodiversity, religion, sex, gender identity and sexual identity), cultural, or social class/background. We believe better outcomes come through diversity of thought, background and approach. We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and communities, actively seeking to employ people from a wide range of different communities.

    For a detailed job description, please refer to the link at the bottom of the advert on our careers site. We are a Disability Confident (DC) employer that is committed to equality and inclusion ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to all. The DC scheme's Offer of an Interview commitment applies to applicants who opt in, and disclose a disability or a long-term health condition, and best meet the minimum criteria for the role. In instances where interviewing all qualifying candidates is not practicable, we prioritise those who best meet the minimum criteria, as we would for applicants who do not have a disability or long-term health condition. Please note, Cambridge University Press & Assessment is unable to sponsor this role under the Skilled Worker Visa route as it does not meet the minimum skill requirements. Rewards and benefits We will support you to be at your best in work and to live well outside of it. In addition to competitive salaries, we offer a world-class, flexible rewards package, featuring family-friendly and planet-friendly benefits including:
  • 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays
  • Private medical and Permanent Health Insurance
  • Discretionary annual bonus
  • Group personal pension scheme
  • Life assurance up to 4 x annual salary
  • Green travel schemes
Back to blog

Other Jobs To Apply

No other job posts for this day.

Common Interview Questions And Answers

1. HOW DO YOU PLAN YOUR DAY?

This is what this question poses: When do you focus and start working seriously? What are the hours you work optimally? Are you a night owl? A morning bird? Remote teams can be made up of people working on different shifts and around the world, so you won't necessarily be stuck in the 9-5 schedule if it's not for you...

2. HOW DO YOU USE THE DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION TOOLS IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS?

When you're working on a remote team, there's no way to chat in the hallway between meetings or catch up on the latest project during an office carpool. Therefore, virtual communication will be absolutely essential to get your work done...

3. WHAT IS "WORKING REMOTE" REALLY FOR YOU?

Many people want to work remotely because of the flexibility it allows. You can work anywhere and at any time of the day...

4. WHAT DO YOU NEED IN YOUR PHYSICAL WORKSPACE TO SUCCEED IN YOUR WORK?

With this question, companies are looking to see what equipment they may need to provide you with and to verify how aware you are of what remote working could mean for you physically and logistically...

5. HOW DO YOU PROCESS INFORMATION?

Several years ago, I was working in a team to plan a big event. My supervisor made us all work as a team before the big day. One of our activities has been to find out how each of us processes information...

6. HOW DO YOU MANAGE THE CALENDAR AND THE PROGRAM? WHICH APPLICATIONS / SYSTEM DO YOU USE?

Or you may receive even more specific questions, such as: What's on your calendar? Do you plan blocks of time to do certain types of work? Do you have an open calendar that everyone can see?...

7. HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE FILES, LINKS, AND TABS ON YOUR COMPUTER?

Just like your schedule, how you track files and other information is very important. After all, everything is digital!...

8. HOW TO PRIORITIZE WORK?

The day I watched Marie Forleo's film separating the important from the urgent, my life changed. Not all remote jobs start fast, but most of them are...

9. HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A MEETING AND PREPARE A MEETING? WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING DURING THE MEETING?

Just as communication is essential when working remotely, so is organization. Because you won't have those opportunities in the elevator or a casual conversation in the lunchroom, you should take advantage of the little time you have in a video or phone conference...

10. HOW DO YOU USE TECHNOLOGY ON A DAILY BASIS, IN YOUR WORK AND FOR YOUR PLEASURE?

This is a great question because it shows your comfort level with technology, which is very important for a remote worker because you will be working with technology over time...