June 13, 2006

A New Path

Like Mike Gousha and Bob Dolan I find it is time for me to make a career change. For them it will be something in media, both being well-known Milwaukee personalities. Me, I am looking for something different than the grind of working retail. Exactly what, I do not know. Not to get too Oprah-like but part of this is an exploration into myself and my possibilities.

Currently I am a bookseller at Barnes & Noble. Since December 1998 I have been constantly involved with customer service. My primary job is to get the book into the customer’s hand. I either find it on the shelf, sitting on a table, get it from a warehouse, or reserve it at another Barnes & Noble.

When I was a lead bookseller (I demoted myself to focus on my job search) my other duties involved managing a section of the bookstore. I maintained its appearance and inventory. I also was a jack-of-all trades jumping on cash registers, helping in the café and music department, and fixing minor computer problems when called upon.

My loyal readers know I am more than knee-deep in weblogging. Some might not know I have been tapping away on The American Mind since December 1999 which makes it one of the longest-running political weblogs in the nation and Wisconsin.

My biggest strength is my ability to take all the stuff I happen to remember and synthesize, to take disparate ideas and smash them together to come up with a (hopefully) useful solution. That is demonstrated everyday on my weblog where I try to publish insight rather than a regurgitation of what I found on a news web site. At Barnes & Noble that means if the customer provides a vague description of what book she is looking for I can make and educated guess or find alternative titles that would be useful.

While I have dealt with retail sales for over six years I have never considered myself a salesman. What I do is simply try to solve customers’ problems. I do not do any hard sells and would be uncomfortable in that kind of environment.

My job search has just begun so I am still trying to grasp what would fit my work experience and desires. Any help is welcome. I would love leads or advice to help me find a job that effective, productive, and satisfying. Moving is certainly an option. I love Southeast Wisconsin, but I am young and am willing to go where needed. I will be using a separate weblog to track my progress, letting you follow along with me. If you want a copy of my resume you can find it here or e-mail me at sean--dot--theamericanmind--dot--com.