Getting into publishing
Publishing is a popular career choice and there is strong competition to enter the industry. Although many junior jobs that are advertised state that previous publishing experience is necessary, entry to publishing is paradoxically mainly at the bottom. You should therefore snatch any kind of work in any area of publishing, whatever the size of firm. Publishers usually recruit only to fill vacancies which, at the entry level, often occur at no more than a month’s notice. Working on a short-term contract, or covering for a permanent employee’s maternity leave, can be a good opportunity. Once in, you will be learning, gaining personal impressions of various jobs by talking to people, and, what is more, be in a position to hear about future jobs. From that bridgehead, it is usually easier to obtain a second job than the first, by moving sideways or upwards within or outside the firm. Do not fear that your first job will necessarily determine your subsequent career. It is best to complete at least a year in the first job, but two to three job changes in the first five years are not uncommon. At the outset, it is preferable to think firstly of the kinds of books you would be interested in publishing and hence the type of publishing company (sometimes it can be problematic to move across publishing sectors); and secondly of the kind of work for which you feel you might have a particular aptitude.
To increase your chances, the ability to drive can be useful and computer literacy is necessary for all jobs. Office and IT skills, and experience of administrative work are desirable. The ability to use publishing software such as Adobe InDesign can be a great advantage, as are proofreading skills. If you are a bookseller and want to move into publishing, two to three years of bookselling is ample. For any newcomer to the industry, work experience at a publisher will help your CV stand out, and a temporary job with a publisher during the summer may lead to the elusive first full-time appointment.
FIRST STEPS
Market research
You must carry out research on publishing in general and on your target publishers in particular, and especially you should research the books these firms publish. Read the trade press – The Bookseller; read book reviews; and visit libraries and bookshops to look at publishers’ books and to seek advice from librarians and booksellers. For specialist areas visit the appropriate library or bookshop. When visiting bookshops, during their quiet periods try to talk to the manager who deals directly with central office or publishers’ reps. When you have narrowed down the field or have secured an interview, you must read the publisher’s catalogue and visit their website before any further approach is made.
Networking
Contacts in publishing can provide insight into particular firms, offering you advice, spreading knowledge of your abilities, and alerting you to impending vacancies. Sometimes these contacts are influential enough to secure you a preliminary discussion or interview, though rarely a job itself. Therefore, first tap your family and personal connections; if you draw a blank there, take the initiative. You can network by joining the Society of Young Publishers (SYP), London and Oxford. It holds monthly meetings, at which senior publishers speak, and publishes the journal, InPrint. Membership is not restricted to people employed in publishing. Women in Publishing (WiP) holds regular meetings and training sessions in London and Oxford. Membership is open to women of any age in publishing. You may be able to attend meetings of the Independent Publishers Guild (IPG) in London and around the country (mainly small publishers), or go to events of organizations such as the Oxford Publishing Society (OPuS) or the Publishers Publicity Circle (PPC).
QUALIFICATIONS
Most entry into publishing requires an undergraduate degree, and common subjects are English, History and Modern Languages. People with degrees in science, mathematics and other specialities, such as law or medicine, are at a premium for publishers in those areas. A teaching background or experience in English language teaching is particularly useful for educational and ELT publishing, and African studies or experience of working for Voluntary Service Overseas for international educational publishers. Some legal background is useful for rights and contracts positions. Language degrees are desirable for rights and export sales departments of all kinds of publishers. The level of degree is less important. Those with doctorates seeking their first junior job may face the difficulty that they are that much older than competing younger applicants. Some of the major publishers offer graduate recruitment schemes. For example, under the long-running Macmillan scheme, five or six graduates are selected each year and are given an accelerated, diverse and international experience to shape them for management positions.
Pre-entry qualification
Traditionally the only departments in which formal vocationally orientated qualifications are highly desirable are graphic design and production. More recently some publishers like to see a qualification from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) for marketing posts. The pre-entry publishing courses used to concentrate on copy-editing and production skills, but now they cover the business and marketing aspects of publishing. At undergraduate level, students can choose to study publishing along with other disciplines. There has been a large increase in the range of courses available at undergraduate and graduate levels, with student places around several hundred per year. Their links with publishers, various work experience schemes for students, and the rise of their former students into management positions have undermined the traditionalist view that pre-entry vocational training is a waste of time.
Attaining a BA or MA in Publishing does not guarantee a job in publishing but it substantially increases the chances – the established courses score impressive success rates. Some publishers, recognizing the quality of graduates from the main programmes, advertise job openings directly on their websites.
Work experience
There are some websites that advertise work experience, and some of the larger publishers have established mechanisms for recruiting students keen to gain, mostly unpaid, placements. You can write to the HR departments or if you have any contacts inside a publisher, use them to find out who it would be best to contact. Do make sure that you tell them what dates you are available.Work experience is an excellent preparation for a career in publishing. By working in different departments you can gain first-hand experience of the different functions, find out about your aptitudes, and build a network of contacts. Other experience which increases a job applicant’s attractiveness includes editing your school or college magazine, website work and short-term work in a bookshop.
FINDING VACANCIES
Recruitment agencies
There are a variety of agencies that recruit for publishers. Examples are Judy Fisher, JFL Search & Selection, and Inspired Selection. Some, such as Meridian Search and Selection, specialize in more senior positions and will help headhunt staff from rival companies. The agencies regularly advertise junior positions on their own and other websites. Some of the agencies encourage job hunters to register with them, offer free advice, and they will forward the details of likely candidates when a vacancy occurs.
Publishers also use agencies to recruit for temporary positions. There is always a demand from publishers for temporary staff to fill jobs vacated by people on holiday or ill. In London this is a good way of getting the feel of different publishers and can lead to a permanent job.
Advertisements
Advertisements for publishing jobs appear in the trade press (The Bookseller) and the national press (mainly The Guardian on Mondays and Saturdays). Publishers outside London may advertise locally. The very high cost of press advertising has prompted some publishers to advertise jobs on free websites, such as those of the IPG, SYP, and the Oxford International Centre for Publishing Studies. Some employers have also created vacancy areas on their own websites. Many jobs, especially in trade publishing, are not advertised at all. Publishers prefer to use word-of-mouth recommendations.
