Chapters Application

Chapters Job Opportunities

Chapters stores routinely hire retail workers across the country for entry-level employment. Stores offer a simple and straightforward application process for job seekers. Jobs and opportunities with Chapters exist in three departments: stores, distribution centers, and even the home office. First and foremost, Chapters seek out employees with a passion for reading, organization, and customer experience.

Basic Requirements

Typical age requirements for Chapters jobs rest around 16 years old, making Chapters employment a great first job. However, Chapters makes a great place for experienced job seekers to find work, as well.

Chapters Job Positions and Salary Information

Positions commonly for hire with Chapters include:

Sales Associate

Job responsibilities for a sales associate include:

• Chapters sales associates work the floor, helping customers find a certain book, movie, TV show, or artist.
• Additionally, sales associates must ring up all customer purchases in a quick and efficient manner.
• Sales associates often must stock and categorize books and other media in the store, keeping everything organized and tidy.
• A great entry-level job, sales associates with Chapters earn pay rates from $9.00 to $11.00 per hour.
• Growth opportunities with the position include sales lead or sales manager.

Distribution Center

Distribution center workers with Chapters work in a heavy shipping and receiving environment. Associates essentially:

• Gather up merchandise for delivery to Chapters stores in the region.
• Conversely, distribution centers also receiving new shipments of product coming in.
• Positions within Chapters distribution centers require the use of the latest technology for unloading and loading delivery trucks.
• Employees often must use various scanners, power lifters, and machines for organizing packages.
• Hourly wages for distribution associates range from $12.00 to $15.00.

Management

Managers and supervisors with Chapters usually come from dedicated and proven workers. Job duties include:

• The ability to monitor and mentor subordinate employees.
• Managers and supervisors must remain familiar with store policy and procedures.
• Related to the hiring process, Chapters managers screen applicants, contact eligible candidates, conduct interviews, and make the final decision on which individual to bring on as a team member.
• Additionally, managers perform everyday store duties, such as manning the cash register and regular customer service.
• Managers with Chapters earn salary options, ranging from $55,000 to $65,000 a year.

Corporate Careers

Corporate jobs for Chapters bookstores mainly exist with parent company Indigo Books and Music. In order to keep running smoothly, corporate employees need to:

• Show expertise and passion for keeping hundreds of stores open and thousands of people with jobs.
• Educated or experienced individuals with Chapters may find opportunities in accounting, IT, marketing, real estate, field support, and administration, all with varying salaries.
• Corporate associates with Chapters and Indigo mainly work out of company headquarters in Toronto.

Benefits of Working at Chapters

Chapters retail stores strive to retain talented and dedicated employees through a total rewards package. Components of the Chapters rewards package includes competitive compensation, attractive work benefits programs, employer-matched group retirement savings plan, recognition programs, and more employee perks. Indigo Books and Music, the parent company to Chapters, even offers several learning opportunities and career development programs for current workers. Search for employment benefits available to in-store, distribution, and corporate team members.

Insurance & Savings Packages

Components of the Chapters job benefits program feature health and dental coverage, health spending accounts, and optional death and dismemberment insurance. Chapters bookstores and Indigo even allow the option for associates to contribute to a group registered retirement savings program (GRRSP) and defined profit-sharing program (DPSP). Financially, Chapters offers more than just competitive wages and salary rates. Qualified store workers may earn bonus payouts, discounts on merchandise, and the Borrow-A-Book program, where an employee may borrow any book in the store for free.

More About Chapters

Chapters carry hundreds of lifestyle gifts and accessories for family, friends, and coworkers. Chapters bookstores fall under ownership from Canadian retailer Indigo Books & Music.

How Does Chapters Work?

Chapters carries thousands of books for adults, teens, and children. Chapters even carry many used and rare books. Outside of books, Chapters offers other entertainment in the form of toys, video games, movies and TV, music, and gifts for adults, children, and even babies. Like many competing bookstores, Chapters allows customers to shop online for merchandise through parent company Indigo.

History

Chapters bookstores started in 1994 through a merger between Coles and SmithBooks retail chains. Chapters operate in a similar format as bookstores like Borders, Books-A-Million, and Barnes & Noble. Inside, Chapters bookstores feature a welcoming environment with couches and chairs allowing customers to freely read within the store. In addition, many locations carry Starbucks Canada coffee shops. Since the start of the company, Chapters big box stores operates under supervision of Indigo Books and Music.

Services

Chapters bookstores offer products for just about every entertainment need. Chapters stores offer hundreds of books in every genre and interest, such as cooking, self-help, fiction, memoirs, teen fiction, non-fiction, and children’s books. Chapters also sell movies, music, and additional gifts. Customers may find a variety of video games and toys, as well. Like many competing bookstores, Chapters sells stationary items, such as journals, agendas and organizers, writing supplies, and even reading accessories.

Financial

Chapters parent company Indigo Books and Music operates out of Toronto, ON. Indigo mainly manages several big box stores throughout the country, such as World’s Biggest Bookstore, Coles, SmithBooks, IndigoSpirit, and Prospero-The Book Company. Through all of their subsidiaries, Indigo Books and Music earns around $1 billion in annual revenue. Founded in 1996, Indigo employs roughly 6,500 workers and trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the initials, IDG.

Minimum age to work at Chapters: 16

Official Site: www.chapters.indigo.ca/careers/careers-at-indigo/

Video Transcript

Interviewer:
Please describe your job title and primary duties.
Chapters Customer Service Representative:
Okay. So I’m essentially just a customer service representative. It was pretty straightforward. Essentially what I would do is sometimes it would be cash duties. If customers are ready to check out, I’d give them a hand. But a lot of my time was spent on the sale floor itself, just essentially helping customers find their needs, finding books they’re looking for. Sometimes they’d ask you suggestions on any good reads. So it was really important to also keep up-to-date with what’s current and what a lot of customers like.

Interviewer:
What was the work environment like?
Chapters Customer Service Representative:
The work environment was pretty good. It was a bit different than some other jobs that I’ve had, for example. You have more people there that come into the store. They kind of already know what they want, right? Already have their mind made up on genres and stuff that they like, which kind of made the work environment a bit easier because it’s not too hard to help someone find something that they already know that they’re looking for, right? But it was pretty laid-back. Management was good. It was a pretty good environment.

Interviewer:
How would you describe the application and interview process?
Chapters Customer Service Representative:
The hiring process, it was a bit different. When I first started working at the beginning of high school, for example, it was pretty much the standard. You go into a workplace, you drop off a resume, they kind of ask a couple of questions and it’s super easier that way. Whereas now, you’d find it’s a lot more apply online, hope someone kind of gives you a call or sees your resume type thing. So the hiring process kind of started like that. I did have to apply a couple of times until, I guess, maybe someone noticed my resume or whatnot. But other than that, it was pretty easy. They give you a call, you do a couple interviews, there was two to be exact. A couple of questions, make sure, obviously, that you’re fit for the job, and then they were pretty quick at getting back to you, other than that.

Interviewer:
What set you apart from other candidates?
Chapters Customer Service Representative:
One thing I think that set me apart is probably the fact that I’m an English major. So, I really do enjoy reading. I’m really good at keeping up with what’s current or whatnot. One thing that you’d find that a lot of employers, I think personally, look for is especially someone that’s really into social media and stuff. So that way you’re able to see what is currently and try to grab, especially youth attention and stuff like that. So I thought I was really good at that and it set me apart.

Interviewer:
What other advice would you give to a job seeker looking to gain employment?
Chapters Customer Service Representative:
One thing that I would definitely suggest is it’s really important to be able to know your different genres of books and stuff like that, because it’s a place where they sell books, right? It’s really important to know that because if you don’t know what you’re selling, then you can’t sell it, right? So I’d say that, that’s really important.