Serena Marin is a bookseller at Cărtureşti Vitan. She's currently pursuing a Master's course in Film: theory and practice, and she previously completed a Bachelor degree in Film Studies & Creative Writing at the University of Essex. She also worked for the Student Support department at the same institution. Alongside her studies she worked as an intern for Mercury Theatre, Colchester, UK.
Books, tea, music or all of them altogether?
Now that it’s summer I definitely go for books & music. During the winter it’s very likely to add some tea as well. Let’s not forget the style. This stands all year round.
When and how you joined Cărturești?
I joined the team last year in spring. I sent my CV along with a covering letter to the recruitment team, they called me for an interview, I got an offer and... that’s pretty much it. I’d like to add "come’ right after "how’ to offer you a more detailed answer to your question. I had just moved to Bucharest, pursuing a Masters degree in Film, and I needed a part-time job around my studies. I really wanted to get the bookseller job. I envisioned it as a stimulant to my personal development and this is exactly what it turned out to be.
The screening interview at Cărturești is fairly well-known. What did you think of it and how important was the actual interview in the recruitment process?
I undertook the screening intererviw during the Covid-19 pandemic, therefore it was adapted to the circumstances. It took the form of a rather informal discussion via Zoom, however its purpose was clearly to determine my suitability for job, as whether I had the set of skills a bookseller would need. For obvious reasons, they were expecting of the applicant to aim really high in their answers.
The actual interview with the bookstore manager was meant to supplement the screening test, nevertheless it weighted more in the assessment. During the interview the manager assessed if I would be a good fit for that particular team because an efficacious collaboration is key in a workplace of this kind.
What does your working day look like?
Fairly busy. I undertake tasks detailed in the job description, along with unexpected ones. Amongst the compulsory tasks I mention goods reception, shelf replenishment, updating product pricing and processing book orders for our customers. However, the unexpected events take us out of the ordinary. They can take various forms, such as once dealing with a burst pipe, right above the fiction section, which needed to be resolved in a timely manner, before it jeopardises an entire column of books. Of course, and have to act as if this is part of the adventure we call bookselling.
Beyond the idyllic perception upon the job - according to which the bookseller strolls around the shop browsing the books - I assume there’s also less romantic aspects of it. What are those aspects in your case?
First and foremost, the above-mentioned idyllic perception should be debunked. A bookseller does not stroll around the shop, nor they browse the books while at work, instead they run up and down the store in an attempt of upholding the books which, for some reason, have the tendency to fall on their side once they’ve finished tidying them up. Furthermore, in my opinion, a bookseller should bring their personal input as well. As far as I am concerned, I feel that various facets of my femininity permeate through what I do at work, such as expressivity, sensitivity, grace and a playful spirit. Nevertheless, going back to your question... the less romantic part of the job consists of those days when I don’t manage to take all tasks I had prepared for myself to an end. Sometimes the workload is greater than expected on that particular day, our operating software might be down due to various reasons... Anyway, when I have such days, I take the situation as a personal failure, buy I am doing my best not to.
In the interview with Ana Niculescu, the Communication and Public Relations Manager at Cărturești, she talked about the “booksellers school,” organized by the company itself. Can you give me more details about it (if it’s ok with you) and also share your personal experience with this course?
The “booksellers school” consists of a series of concentrated individual sessions, each dedicated to various aspect of a bookseller’s life, from the challenges we can encounter when interacting with our customers to the challenges brought by the interaction with the book-adjacent items we sell, such as diaries, bookmarks, tea, mugs and so forth. Surprisingly or not, we have to follow some not-to-be-ignored rules when it comes to both arranging and displaying them on shelf. These courses offer us some information to which we wouldn’t have access during our daily activities. However, the knowledge is cemented and the skills are honed on the ground. What we take from each session should be applied to the particular needs of the store in which each of us work. It’s a saying “Knowledge is important, but it’s more important to know what to do with it,” which I find applicable here.
How is the relationship with the co-workers from the bookstore you work at? What about the colleagues from other bookshops? Do you have experience exchange meetings of any sort?
The relationship between me and my colleagues at our store is ever changing, and I have the pleasure of discovering its nuances with each passing day. We do occasionally step on each other’s toes, but this is what keeps the dynamic zestful. I’m glad that we do go through these phases, as otherwise routine would easily set it and numb our motivation to progress further. We’ve been through many emotions together: genuine happiness, disappointment, sadness, excitement, frustration. All in all, I’ve learnt so much from my fellow booksellers and I’m grateful.
Although we don’t go on days out with staff from other stores across the chain, we do meet on Zoom sometimes, as part of a book club. I have attended a few so far myself and I’ve met some great people to share ideas and thoughts with.
What does the profile of a customer who visits your store look like?
Oh... the profile does vary. It’s somehow difficult to sketch it, I’d rather say it’s even impossible to put them all in a box. It’s a bit of a melting pot really. We have modest customers who come with a hand-written list of books they’d like us to order for them, we have the ambitious ones who don’t give up until we’ve together searched thouroughly and completely every corner of the store for the book which ran away from its place (yes, this does happen in a bookstore), we have customers who come to our store only to read our books (yes, this also happens quite often in a bookstore), customers who patiently wait in the line, no matter how long the waiting time is and we also have customers who misplace the books. They browse a book about chakras and then they simply squeeze it in between two other books from the fiction section.
All in all, each one of them plays an important part in the ecosystem of a bookstore. Even the last type of customers. How would I hone my attention to details skills if all the books would stay where they should be staying?
Are customers open to recommendations? What are the criteria on which you base your list of suggestions when asked for one?
Yes, they are. They usually follow our suggestions. It is undoubtly a great pleasure to be asked for one, however it is also a responsibility to encourage a customer to purchase a particular book. I normally ask them what other books they’ve read so far, if they’re fond of a particular theme, what genre speaks to them, which writers they prefer... When we recommend a book we should rather take into account what would suit the customers’ needs best, rather than letting ourselves led by our taste and personal preferences.
Has it ever happened that a customer followed your advice with regards to a book you recommended to them and then they returned to tell you what they thought of it?
They did follow my advice with regards to a book I suggested them, however they didn’t come back to tell me their impression of it... Nevertheless, a lady returned to tell me how aromatic the tea I recommended to her was... It’s called Sleep Well – Well, you should give it a try, it’s herbal infusion. Sometimes we receive book recommendations ourselves. In my opinion, the relationship with the customer should not be unidirectional, but rather open; . I welcome customers to offer us suggestions, they’re much needed!
Can you describe the moments when you felt that you really loved your job?
This type of moments are quite frequent. I hope my colleagues would believe me if they read this as lately I have had a few dissatisfactions with the inner workings of our store. Despite that, I genuinely find joy in what I do. In the relationship I nurture with our clients, in creating a themed corner, in dusting the shelves, in the days when I feel like I use a magical wand so that I successfully finish all my tasks in time, in the sweet & sour teasing between me and my teammates...
You graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Film Studies & Creative Writing. Does this professional background help you in your daily activities?
Yes, it does. However, it’s not like I frequently engage with either my colleagues or our customers in discussions on film analysis or criticism. It helps me in a different way, but to tell you exactly how I need first to introduce you in my student experience. When I was at university, the academic staff encouraged us to come up with fresh and original ideas, approaches and perspective, rather than expecting of us to reproduce information by heart. I remember one of the essay questions I had in my final year, "asked of us to choose three playwriting techniques (from a given list) and analyse how they operate in two plays from the syllabus. I asked the lecturer what we should be following. Should we analyse how they operate in relation to each other? In relation to the rest of the plays? How they operate individually? His answer was simple “Well, it is your job to answer to all these questions.” What I am implying is that we had to be original and inventive in answering the essay questions and, later on, in answering our own set of questions that transcends the academic environment. These aforementined traits help me in the daily activities I undertake at this living organism called ‘bookstore.’ It really needs daring and authentic people, who do things wholeheartedly, who are not afraid to be themselves.
In the same interview with Ana Niculescu she was saying that for some of the young booksellers, this job is just a step towards a more broad horizon, professionally speaking. Can you tell me more about the “horizons” you’re going towards?
Oh, such a question... the term “horizon” make me think of something far-distanced and I don’t feel quite ready to think of the distant future. I have some projects to finish in the near future which, once completed, I will be more prepared to think more thoroughly at the horizon you asked me about. First, I have to finish the MA in Film: Theory and Practice. I’m sure this will be a real accomplishment for me. Then I would very much like to stage a play written in my final year of my BA. Lately I made friends with an actress and she really gave me some encourage to dream big and aim high with this play, even though I had previously received confirmations of its potential. It is truly gladdening to receive such reassurance from somebody who is higher than me on a professional level. Then... I have always been passionate about words, details, about finding the perfect wording in conveying ideas and feelings. I am not sure where this passion will take me, however, given the fact that we live in a fast-forward society, I hope this calling won’t be a rather hindrance to my career progression.
This is it for now. I shall see what life has prepared for me, what path it will guide me towards...
What book would you recommend to the customers of Cărturești Vitan? In fact, to all Cărturești customers. No, I rectify: to all customers who visit any bookstore.
Out of all the books I enjoyed reading, I choose two, close to my heart:
The first one is The Diary of a Book Seller , written by Shaun Bythell. He presents the inherent challenges of the job with humour and, in my humble opinion, the clients who visit any bookstore would be at an advantage if they understood some of them, such as that I would to smile to them more, but we feel like it’s the end of the world when, occasionally, the internet is down and there’s only two of us on shift. Furthermore, I would also like them to know that I would truly want to give them that vinyl with Elvis Presley for which they have crossed the entire city, but, unfortunately, some visitors passionate about music might have been so eager and excited to listen to the music of their favourite singer that, in their rush home, they have even forgotten to stop at the till first...
The second book is Incidental Inventions by Elena Ferrante. She’s a writer I recently discovered and it’s such a joy to feel that someone has written right for your soul. The book is comprised of a series of short stories she penned for The Guardian. She approached various topics, from the first kiss, the first love to the importance of suspension points in a literary text, or rather their lack of importance sometimes... Each chapter is as concentrated and strong as a pill, revealing facets of the person behind the pseudonym, and, as with every pill, the expected effect kicks in slightly later, when you’ve already went through a few more chapters, so you feel the need to put the book down for a moment in order to digest what you’ve just read and understand how you feel about it. Her style is crisp, economical, as analytical as it is immersive. I wouldn’t want to say more than that... I would like you to discover it yourself.
[The photos are part of Serena Marin's archive.] [Translated into English by Serena Marin.]
