Dream job alert: luxury Maldives resort seeks a bookseller

Beach lovers and bibliophiles will want to apply for this island-based position

Soneva Fushi in the Maldives is seeking a barefoot bookseller to spend six months on the island. Courtesy Ultimate Library / Soneva Fushi Resort 

A Maldives hotel that was named the world’s best beach resort is on the hunt for a barefoot bookseller.

Luxury eco-resort Soneva Fushi is seeking someone to spend six months on its Kunfunadhoo Island running a pop-up bookstore.

The successful candidate will have a passion for books, and presumably a love for desert islands as they'll be spending all their time in the place GQ named as the best beach resort in the world in its 2019 Travel Awards.

Essential skills include having an in-depth knowledge of both classical and modern literature, being a team player and being able to engage with guests of all ages.

The ability to not get star-struck would also be a helpful attribute as Soneva Fushi is a magnet for celebrities. It's where newlyweds Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas recently honeymooned.

Anyone from anywhere in the world can apply although applicants must have excellent written and spoken English. The bookseller will also be expected to write an entertaining blog to tell readers all about life on a desert island.

Other tasks will include hosting workshops and literary lectures, leading tutoring sessions for children and teenagers and managing social media accounts for the Barefoot Bookseller.

Island duties start in mid-October and applicants will spend a month surrounded by books and the team at Ultimate Library undergoing pre-departure product training.

The position is paid but salary details are not available at this stage. Overnight villa stays at Soneva Fushi can cost upward of Dh90,000 per night. Thankfully booksellers will get free accommodation for the duration of the placement.

Aimee Johnson, the successful applicant for the position last season, said: "Being the Barefoot Bookseller was an absolute dream. I got to meet amazing people, work with incredible books and live on a stunning luxury island. Very much the dream job."

If this sounds like your far-flung paradise, send a CV & covering letter to [e-mail]. The deadline for applications is Sunday, September 1, 2019.