How to become
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- applying directly
University
You may have an advantage when looking for work if you've completed a qualification at university, like a higher national diploma or a degree. Employers will accept any subject, although some may prefer English, humanities or the arts.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a higher national diploma
- 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
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College
You can learn some of the skills you need for this job by doing a:
- Level 2 Certificate or Diploma in Retail Skills
- Level 3 Diploma in Retail Skills (Sales Professional)
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course
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Apprenticeship
You can apply to do a Retailer Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship or Team Leader Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
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Direct Application
You can apply directly for jobs. You'll usually need 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), including English and maths. You'll have an advantage if you have previous experience of:
- retail or online sales
- customer service
- publishing
You'll need a broad range of reading interests and an enthusiasm for books.
You may need specialist knowledge for some bookshops. For example:
- comic art for a shop that sells graphic novels
- classic literature for rare or antiquarian books
- art history for specialist art publications
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Career tips
You'll need sound business skills and a good grasp of the publishing and bookselling industry, if you want to go on to open your own bookshop. This includes some understanding of online promotion and sales methods or e-commerce.
Further information
You can find more advice about bookselling and setting up your own business through the Booksellers Association.