Job #1 Job Title: Department Manager I'm a Department Manager (third level manager) for a Barnes & Noble. The Managment team is broken into the Store Manager (first level, in charge of the entire store), two Assistant Managers (second level, in charge of Merchandizing and Operations, respectively, as well as supervising the staff), two Department Managers (third level, in charge of half the store each, and the booksellers to maintain the store) and Specialty Managers (third level, in charge of Receiving, Cafe, and Community Relations, respectively). Under me are the Leads and then the general Booksellers of the store. I am in charge of keeping my half of the store stocked, organised and the merchandizing (tables, waterfall displays, top shelf displays and endcap displays) fresh, full and current each month.
Typical Day: Well... First thing I do every day is check the manager's communication log, to see what information the other managers have shared about customers, orders, displays, and building operations, so that if I need to do something I have the information I need. After that, I need to make sure that all my displays are looking good (customers tend to mess them up when they browse the bookstore), and make sure that all the booksellers are doing what they need to be doing. If something isn't getting done, I have to adjust the daily schedule to make sure it gets done. Then I have to do MY work. I have to make certain all the labels are correct (so customers can find books), all the shelves are in place and are solid and secure (customers like to lean on the shelves and they bend and break frequently, causing a danger), I have to make certain all my sections are alphabetized (remember, that's HALF THE STORE), and I have to make certain all the books that customers are forgetting to put back are put back. Besides that, I have to follow up on special instructions to my booksellers, and make certain they are doing their jobs on time. I also have to count money, balance tills, the safe and the change drawer, make change, deal with customer concerns and complaints, and make certain that the store is running smoothly, in general.
Training for the Job: I need to know how to handle money. I need to know how to direct people, with clear instructions. I have to be able to work computers, and use a database. I also have to be able to do my booksellers' jobs of shelving books, finding books for customers, working in the cafe (making espresso), and putting out magazines and newspapers. Also, I have to be a very good cashier (more than just handling money, also ringing up items and doing returns and exchanges). Most of this training, I got on the job. I started as an opening level bookseller and was promoted to Lead and then to Department Manager.
Why I Like It: I ADORE reading. I'm a total bibliophile. I also THOROUGHLY enjoy talking about books and sharing books and recommending books. I love helping people find what they need, even when they don't know what it is... It is SO much fun to have someone walk up and say "I'm looking for this book... I don't know the title, or the author, but... its about THIS" and be able to say "Oh, yeah! That's that new book out about Marines. Jarhead. Its right over here!" and have them go, "YES! THAT'S IT EXACTLY!"
Why I Dislike It: I hate my manager. Really really I do. If I wanted to be in BootCamp, I'd have joined the Army. I used to have a really cool manager, but my new one is driving me totally crazy. The job itself? it can be very stressful having to deal with customers who are unhappy that you don't have the book they want RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW. And i have to say, I really REALLY hate when I tell a customer I don't have a book in and they turn up their nose and say "Well, I'll just go order it from AMAZON, then." and walk off. I mean... really. Why should I care if you order it from Amazon and pay shipping when you can order it into my store, just as fast, and NOT pay shipping? But the manner they do it, delibrately done as if to imply a snub... that's just not cool. Really annoys me.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
For Fiona, then. Job #1
Date: 2003-04-23 10:34 pm (UTC)Job #1
Job Title: Department Manager
I'm a Department Manager (third level manager) for a Barnes & Noble. The Managment team is broken into the Store Manager (first level, in charge of the entire store), two Assistant Managers (second level, in charge of Merchandizing and Operations, respectively, as well as supervising the staff), two Department Managers (third level, in charge of half the store each, and the booksellers to maintain the store) and Specialty Managers (third level, in charge of Receiving, Cafe, and Community Relations, respectively). Under me are the Leads and then the general Booksellers of the store. I am in charge of keeping my half of the store stocked, organised and the merchandizing (tables, waterfall displays, top shelf displays and endcap displays) fresh, full and current each month.
Typical Day: Well... First thing I do every day is check the manager's communication log, to see what information the other managers have shared about customers, orders, displays, and building operations, so that if I need to do something I have the information I need. After that, I need to make sure that all my displays are looking good (customers tend to mess them up when they browse the bookstore), and make sure that all the booksellers are doing what they need to be doing. If something isn't getting done, I have to adjust the daily schedule to make sure it gets done. Then I have to do MY work. I have to make certain all the labels are correct (so customers can find books), all the shelves are in place and are solid and secure (customers like to lean on the shelves and they bend and break frequently, causing a danger), I have to make certain all my sections are alphabetized (remember, that's HALF THE STORE), and I have to make certain all the books that customers are forgetting to put back are put back. Besides that, I have to follow up on special instructions to my booksellers, and make certain they are doing their jobs on time. I also have to count money, balance tills, the safe and the change drawer, make change, deal with customer concerns and complaints, and make certain that the store is running smoothly, in general.
Training for the Job: I need to know how to handle money. I need to know how to direct people, with clear instructions. I have to be able to work computers, and use a database. I also have to be able to do my booksellers' jobs of shelving books, finding books for customers, working in the cafe (making espresso), and putting out magazines and newspapers. Also, I have to be a very good cashier (more than just handling money, also ringing up items and doing returns and exchanges). Most of this training, I got on the job. I started as an opening level bookseller and was promoted to Lead and then to Department Manager.
Why I Like It: I ADORE reading. I'm a total bibliophile. I also THOROUGHLY enjoy talking about books and sharing books and recommending books. I love helping people find what they need, even when they don't know what it is... It is SO much fun to have someone walk up and say "I'm looking for this book... I don't know the title, or the author, but... its about THIS" and be able to say "Oh, yeah! That's that new book out about Marines. Jarhead. Its right over here!" and have them go, "YES! THAT'S IT EXACTLY!"
Why I Dislike It: I hate my manager. Really really I do. If I wanted to be in BootCamp, I'd have joined the Army. I used to have a really cool manager, but my new one is driving me totally crazy. The job itself? it can be very stressful having to deal with customers who are unhappy that you don't have the book they want RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW. And i have to say, I really REALLY hate when I tell a customer I don't have a book in and they turn up their nose and say "Well, I'll just go order it from AMAZON, then." and walk off. I mean... really. Why should I care if you order it from Amazon and pay shipping when you can order it into my store, just as fast, and NOT pay shipping? But the manner they do it, delibrately done as if to imply a snub... that's just not cool. Really annoys me.
(continued below)