Salary by experience
View as table
| Experience | Salary (CHF) |
|---|---|
| 0-2 yrs | CHF 62'400 |
| 3-5 yrs | CHF 65'039 |
| 6-8 yrs | CHF 70'000 |
| 9-11 yrs | CHF 68'880 |
| 12-21 yrs | CHF 75'780 |
| 21+ yrs | CHF 81'250 |
Top HR
Swiss professionsSales & Procurement
Buchhändler/in (Quereinstieg)
Sell books, advise customers and manage the warehouse
01 · Overview
What this profession is about
You sell media, advise customers and take on commercial tasks in the book trade.
In your daily work, you combine a passion for literature with organisational skill. You look after customers, select new titles and ensure a well-stocked warehouse. Budget planning and procurement round off your tasks. Many work in specialised bookshops or multimedia stores. The career changer route opens doors for everyone who loves books.
FieldSales & Procurement
Education pathSpecialisation / Professional Function
IndustryRetail
Swissdoc 0.613.53.0
02 · Salary
What you can earn
✓ Strong salary match
Salaries reflect Swiss market data. Range covers entry to senior. Salary reference based on Purchasing Assistant. Based on 1,495 observations, updated 7 months ago.
Salary trend
+9% over decadeView as table
| Period | Salary (CHF) |
|---|---|
| 2014-2016 | CHF 66'000 |
| 2017-2019 | CHF 65'000 |
| 2020-2022 | CHF 67'400 |
| 2023-2025 | CHF 72'000 |
Top earning cantons
View as table
| Canton | Salary | Obs. |
|---|---|---|
| Schaffhausen | CHF 81'250 | 15 |
| Schwyz | CHF 71'500 | 21 |
| Geneva | CHF 71'400 | 53 |
| Zug | CHF 70'750 | 34 |
| Zurich | CHF 69'807 | 256 |
| Aargau | CHF 68'125 | 152 |
Top paying industries
View as table
| Industry | Salary | Obs. |
|---|---|---|
| Education | CHF 79'050 | 6 |
| Banking / Financial institutions | CHF 77'590 | 8 |
| Agriculture / Forestry / Wood | CHF 75'750 | 6 |
| Tourism / Travel / Recreation | CHF 73'500 | 8 |
| Transport / Logistics | CHF 72'000 | 21 |
| Public administration / Associations | CHF 71'473 | 18 |
03 · Pathway
How to enter and grow
Swiss training pathway available in the full profile
- 🎓 Branchenwissen Buchhandel - eine Ausbildung für Quereinsteiger/innen
Official education path
The career changer route allows you to enter the profession without a traditional apprenticeship, but requires completed prior training or a minimum age of 25 years.
Typical training path
Branchenwissen Buchhandel - eine Ausbildung für Quereinsteiger/innen
Prerequisites
- Vocational training or a degree
- If no vocational qualification or training, must be at least 25 years old
- Language level of at least C1
Where this can lead
Career changers are possible if you can already present vocational training or a degree. Without prior knowledge, you must be at least 25 years old.
04 · Skills & fit
What it takes
Required skills
- Customer focus and empathy
- Organisation and structure
- Language competence at C1
- Broad specialist knowledge
Personality fit
- Swiss career path
- Career transition
- Professional growth
05 · Daily reality
What the work feels like
Typical day
You stand behind the sales counter and recommend a new book to the customer. Afterwards, you check incoming goods and manage the stock on the computer.
- You sell books, magazines and digital media to customers.
- You advise customers personally on new publications and specialist literature.
- You plan purchases and carefully select new titles.
- You monitor stock levels and manage inventory on the computer.
- You create budget plans and carry out monthly cost accounting.
- You correspond with publishers and suppliers to ensure timely deliveries.
- You organise book presentations and readings in the shop.
Working conditions
You work in bookshops, multimedia stores or specialised bookstores. The workplaces are usually located in city centres or shopping centres.
Where to learn
- Schweizer Buchhandels- und Verlagsverband GeschäftsstelleLimmatstrasse 107, 8031 Zürich
Strengths
- Customer focus and empathy
- Organisation and structure
- Language competence at C1
- Broad specialist knowledge
Trade-offs
- Physical strain
- Seasonal sales fluctuations
- High responsibility
- Continuous further training
06 · Similar
