Apart from growing the business, at Borders we're equally committed to the growth and development of our people and their careers. Everyone who works at Borders has their own individual story to tell, and with such a bright future, there's plenty of opportunity and development to challenge even the brightest and most ambitious minds.

And if that's not enough to convince you, hear what our team members have to say and why everyone at Borders is so passionate about what they do...

I joined the team in 2002 after a buying career in fashion and accessories and quickly realised that the great thing about Borders is your career never stays still. And I don't just mean from a development perspective. After 2 years in Non-Fiction Book Buying, I was seconded as the Project Manager for Asia Pacific on the implementation of a major merchandising system. I spent nearly four months at Borders' Head Office in Ann Arbor in the US and really got to see how a global organisation operates. I also gained invaluable insights from networking with my international colleagues on the project.

My promotion to Senior Buyer - Non Books has given me another huge opportunity and challenge, but I've got a fantastic and passionate team with me, and it's going to be another exciting chapter in my personal and professional development story.

I can't wait to see what challenges the future brings!

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I had built a career in retail management before joining Borders Chadstone store as Operations Manager. I was responsible for ensuring the efficient operational performance of the store on a day to day basis and the role really gave me a thorough understanding of the "nuts and bolts" of a big store operation. I was then rotated as part of my development to then joined the South Yarra store as Merchandise Manager where my key responsibility was to ensure the store’s visual appearance met the exceptionally high standards Borders set on a global basis.

Two stints as Relief General Manager and the Australian Institute of Management course that Borders sent me on, really played a major role in helping me develop an "organisation-wide" understanding.

My current role as General Manager of the Knox store means that I must have my finger on the pulse of all aspects of the store's operations at all times. It's a highly diverse environment that calls on a number of skill sets, but the training, development and varied exposure I've got from Borders has really allowed me to meet the challenge and given me the confidence to tackle any issue storewide.

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After 6 months as Merchandise Manager at Borders in South Yarra, I was promoted to General Manager of the newly opened Knox store. After only 6 months with the company, the move to GM seemed like a quantum leap, but that's the great thing about working here – it's constant challenge, continuous development and no career complacency!

There are always major international projects happening at Borders, and in April 2005 I was chosen to take part in our first store opening in Malaysia. I was involved from the very beginning and worked closely with fit-out teams to ensure everything was perfectly in place leading up to the big day.

My experience in KL gave me the confidence and skills to accept the challenge of Sort Remodel Manager and I now direct all new store opening activities and ensure stores run effectively during major remodelling projects. I am also responsible for overseeing the interaction between Borders and one of major in store concessions – Paperchase.

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Since joining the Borders team two years ago, I started as Store General Manager in our first Auckland store, and I've been given various exciting relief assignments and opportunities to assist opening new stores. I have recently been appointed Regional Manager for New Zealand. It's been an amazing journey.

Our stores offer a happy and relaxed environment, which creates an enjoyable experience for staff and customers.

I also love the diversity of my work – I never stop learning. In addition to training courses, employee rotation programs ensure real opportunities to develop, working with a variety of managers, in a variety of stores and on projects that have helped develop my skills and enhance my career prospects.

Best of all, our team is genuinely excited by the products we offer – books, music, movies and magazines – we always know about the latest and greatest products – it's fantastic to be in a team where people all share a passion for their work.

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I loved Borders long before I became part of the team – particularly the magazine section! I started my role as Executive Assistant to the Managing Director 17 months ago and have found the Support Office to be a fantastic work environment with a great culture. One of my first memories of working at Borders was sitting at my desk just outside the MD’s office and hearing Spandau Ballet's "Gold" coming from his iPod. I knew it was the perfect fit right there and then!

What I love most about my role is being able to work with a dynamic MD who includes me in the business at all levels, plus the variety in interacting with the wider Borders team including the United States, Singapore and New Zealand. The energy and pace of the retail environment is really challenging but the people who make up the Borders team are all genuinely passionate about what they do. I'd definitely recommend working at Borders - you really feel like you're part of something special!

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In 1998 I started my 9 year career at Borders as a Music Manager in our first Australian store, South Yarra, Melbourne. Two years later, as General Manager I opened Borders' second store in Australia at Macquarie Shopping Centre, Sydney. My Borders journey then took me to QLD where I opened our first Queensland store in Brisbane and then in 2006 I moved back to Melbourne to where it all began, as Store General Manager at South Yarra.

Over this time one of my best development opportunities was attending two new store openings in Dubai, UAE and Muscat, Oman. I also find great satisfaction training new members in key roles in the support office and assisting with training of new Store General Managers.

One of the greatest parts of my role would have to be the day to day excitement of working with such interesting product. I also love the eclectic mix of people I get to work with in stores - both staff and customers. Seeing the excitement on our customers' faces when we have the book that they have been searching for for "years" is extremely rewarding.

There is also an incredible feeling managing such an exciting retail environment with full accountability for performance of the store. I would certainly recommend a career with Borders. It is an exciting and growing business with excellent opportunity for career progression.

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In January 2006 I started at Borders as the Loss Prevention Manager – Asia Pacific and a few months later picked up the responsibility for Auditing as well.

Over my time at Borders I have had the opportunity to travel to various locations around the world where I have needed to deal with and learn about different cultures and the way they impact my role and the business. It's so exciting to be able to work with a team and change the way we do things, knowing that you are making a positive impact on the business and the way it operates.

It's also creates a really positive workplace knowing you are working with people who are all very strong in their own field and work effectively across departments. Borders is a real believer in allowing individuals to grow and develop in a supportive but hard working environment.

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I've been with Borders for 8 years, starting as a store associate at the South Yarra store. From there I was promoted to Corporate Accounts Liaison and then made the move to the Support Office to be part of the Merchandise Support Team in 2000.

My current role is Merchandise Operations Analyst. Being a new role, I've been given the scope to shape the position and improve current processes. I also really enjoy the opportunity to work closely with the stores through the "buddy buyer" program, partnering head office staff with specific stores for extra support and communication. What I love about working at Borders is the good opportunities for advancement as well as feeling part of a well-performing business, and of course - the amazing people!

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I have had five amazing years with Borders full of fantastic opportunities! In 2002 I started as Inventory Manager at Knox and then progressed to Operations Manager 8 months later. I was promoted to Merchandise Manager at Carlton shortly after and then to Merchandise Manager at Chadstone in 2004. In 2005 I filled General Manager relief roles at both Chadstone and Highpoint and began Sort Remodel Manager training in late 2006. Today I split my time between new store openings and training to become a store General Manager.

In 2005 I was lucky enough to be a part of the team who set up the Kuala Lumpur store in Malaysia. This lead to a passion for "sorting" – getting a new store ready to open. I have now been a part of 10 "sorts" and worked in New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Dubai and the UK, as well several stores around Australia.

Within my role as Sort Remodel Manager, I love the challenge of walking into an empty Borders store and with a team of dedicated and passionate people, transform it into a magnificent Borders store full of great product that the local community can love and call their own, all in 15 days. It's a challenge and I love it.

The best thing about working at Borders would have to be the people. Everyone is extremely passionate about what they do and committed to their role. It's a diverse organisation that brings new challenges every day. There has not been a single day that I haven't enjoyed coming to work. Christmas at Borders is a sight to behold and it’s my drive for the whole year.

Put simply, Borders is a fun place to work. The support is great and interacting with customers who just love our stores is fantastic. In a business as dynamic as Borders, there are always exciting opportunities, interacting with customers, working with amazing products and a great bunch of people.

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My Borders career started 12 months ago when I accepted the role as General Manager for our Christchurch store. Every day since then has been different, challenging and extremely exciting, working with the most fabulous product and helping grow and develop a great store team.

The support network is also impressive - from buying to HR and Marketing and of course, stores, everyone shares a passion and are constantly striving to achieve bigger and better results.

I would highly recommend a career at Borders, because quite simply, it is the most fun you can have at work. Working with a great team, amazing product and our customers are some of the most interesting people you will ever meet. Every day you learn something more about the book selling industry (and you sound very knowledgeable at dinner parties discussing the latest best sellers and new releases!)

The size of the Company means that there are opportunities for every team member to grow and develop into a position that is right for them. Working with Books, Music, Movies and Magazines are the most exciting products I have worked with in my retail career. Borders has a great reputation for service and selection of product and it is very rewarding to be part of that experience on a daily basis.

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I started my career with Borders as an Administration Assistant Manager when the Knox store was opened. From 2003- 2005 I worked across all fields of store management including books, inventory, administration and music before being promoted to Store Operations Manager at Highpoint, where I got to participate in the store sort and opening. I continued in the Store Operations Manager role at Borders Chadstone before moving to the head office to be part of the central Operations team.

Working in such a variety of roles highlighted the unique challenges of every section of the business, and I got to work with a range of teams. Now I feel I can put my store experience to great use by being involved with Operations policy and decisions that affect the whole business.

The people that work at Borders, from store associates to managers and head office staff, all share a passion for the work they do which makes for a really energising work environment. What's the best thing about working at Borders? The staff discount of course!

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In 2003 I joined Borders working as a store associate whilst studying full time at University. During this time I decided that I wanted to pursue a career with Borders, so and in my third year of Uni, I reduced my studying commitment to part time and accepted a full time role as part of the Merchandise Support team at Head Office. After a short but colourful stint in that role I was given the tremendous opportunity to work as part of the Borders Marketing Team as E Marketing Coordinator, which I eagerly accepted.

During the four years I have worked at Borders I have always loved working with such great people. Everyone is extremely passionate which creates a fantastic culture and breeds a great deal of enthusiasm. In addition to that there is no shortage of development opportunities. I chose to chase a career in marketing, but I suspect that there are numerous paths that my time at Borders could have led me down.

Retail can be a tremendously face paced industry and Borders is no exception to that which makes it a really exciting and fun place to work…not to mention the great discounts!

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