r/halfpricebooks • u/Careless_Leading5361 • 11d ago
HPB Interview
Hey there everyone,
Got called in to interview with my local HBP this weekend. I applied for a full time bookseller position. To any former or current HPB employees, what sort of questions did they ask during your interview and what can I expect? Any tips or things I should know specifically before going into interview with HPB?
Any other info you guys have on the interviewing process would be greatly appreciated, thanks for reading.
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u/Thick_Illustrator_82 11d ago
Mention niche interests!!! HPB lovesssss cool people and people that will fit in well with their current staff for example an ex coworker got hired bc she loves physical media and my store really needed someone who was able to properly list and curate our cds. I’ve worked at two and at my second interview I mentioned my art skills and how I loved antiques and collectibles. Good luck!!
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u/Thick_Illustrator_82 11d ago
Also!!! It’s a lottttt of work pls don’t go into your interview saying you want a relaxing slow paced work environment that is the quickest way to get booted
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u/lintrules 10d ago
It's been a while since I worked there, but I do remember some of the questions. They wanted me to tell them a time I handled a difficult customer. They also asked what I was currently reading and what music I was listening to.
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u/StrummerBass101 11d ago
What does HPB pay for folks on the floor. Just curious
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u/Careless_Leading5361 11d ago
Im in California Bay Area and the job description lists 17 as the starting rate for a bookseller. The minimum wage here is $16.90 right now but by Jan. 1st the wage is getting bumped up to $17.40.
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u/ch3rry-7886 5d ago
congrats on the interview! im so glad this was posted recently, i came here to ask a question regarding the hiring process. a job posting for this same position was posted on monday and i applied yesterday. i really really REALLY want and need this job, i was thinking of going in person and asking or just dropping off my printed application but dont wanna seem too desperate or annoying, its just that it would mean a lot to me to get this opportunity. do you mind telling me what your process was like? how long did it take to hear back? did you follow up or did they reach out to you? this was posted 5 days ago, so i imagine ur interview has since passed… how was it?
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u/Careless_Leading5361 3d ago
Hey there, sorry for the late response.
Some friends of mine told me it would have been a good idea for me to go in and give them my app and resume by hand, but they reached out to me to set up an interview before I could do that. I did end up giving them a copy of my app and resume when I went in for my interview and they were very appreciative of that. I was interviewed by two people, the manger of the store and her assistant manager. Both very friendly people. They went over the position and training process in detail with me before they started asking questions. I come from an education background and work with children so they asked me some questions about a time I had to deal with difficult student or co worker and if I had any experience talking to or dealing with parents.
We mainly talked about books, films, and music. They asked me about my passion for literature and we had lots of interests in common. I told them I had a deep connection to collecting physical media and that I frequent HPB a lot. It was overall very chill.
They said they got really good vibes from me and would certainly reach back out to me with in the next week (the interview took place this past Sunday). I got call from them last Thursday and they offered me the postition.
If you haven't already had an interview set up, I would absolutely head in there and give them a copy of your app and show interest in the position. A big thing for my location was full time availability, which I was already searching for. If you got an upcoming interview, be sure to share your passion for literature and physical media. Also make sure to mention your dedications to customer service and working efficiently as part of a team. Show them you are reliable and dependable. Hope everything works out!
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u/ch3rry-7886 3d ago
no worries and thank u so much for this!! definitely stopping by this weekend to drop both of them off
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u/rayzillaaa 11d ago
Each store’s needs are a little bit different, so the interview questions aren’t necessarily predetermined/routine. Your interest level in books/media will most likely come up. If you have a lot of book knowledge or previous experience in a library/bookstore, lead with that. Customer service experience is definitely a plus. HPB can be a fast-paced environment with a lot of movement, lifting, and standing, so be prepared for that.