Moving OxForward

Posted on May 25, 2018 in Oxford

You may have heard SYP Oxford shouting about our exciting new mentoring scheme that has recently launched, OxForward. If you haven’t, then we’re about to shout about it some more! Our mentoring scheme is aimed at junior professionals within their first 5 years in the publishing industry, looking to progress further up the ladder. You can find full details on our webpage here.

Applications close in the next few days, on Tuesday 29 May, so there’s still time to submit yours over the Bank Holiday via our online application form.

Not sure yet on whether to apply? Here are 5 top reasons why our mentoring scheme isn’t to be missed:

1) Our OxForward mentors

We are thrilled to have so many amazing mentors from the Oxford area signed up to our scheme. From rights experts to editorial directors, they are some of the best in the business, with decades of industry experience between them. If successful, you could be mentored by:

Carrie Plitt: Literary Agent, Felicity Bryan Associates
Jason Mitchell: Acquisitions Editor, Elsevier
Laura Orchard: Marketing Manager, Wiley
Kimberley Williams: International Rights Director, Princeton University Press
XanderCansell: Head of Digital, Unbound
Sarah Broadway: Director of Sales, Bloomsbury
Constance Young: Head of Editorial and Production, Boardworks
Ben Denne: Editorial Director, Taylor & Francis

2) Invaluable insight

There’s a lot to think about when you’re early in your career, from navigating first-job challenges like salary and promotion, to thinking about your future career path. Publishing is also full of unknown departments and unfamiliar jargon, and it can be hard to see how you might change direction or make a leap into a scary and unknown area of publishing. Our seasoned mentors are there to demystify all aspects of the weird and wonderful world of publishing.

3) An external perspective

Talking through work challenges and questions with someone outside of your organisation can prove to be incredibly fruitful in terms of discovering different perspectives on an issue you may have. Having a fresh pair of eyes (who isn’t used to the customs in the workplace) may lead to some unexpected solutions that can help drive your career forward. It is also an opportunity to talk through subjects you may not be comfortable discussing with your manager, such as job changes.

4) Building your network

Networking is a bit of a buzzword, but publishing is a very friendly and welcoming industry and full of great people. Having a mentor provides the opportunity to meet someone outside of your usual network, while giving you the chance to put your name out there. Our scheme also offers you another way to expand your network by meeting the other mentors and mentees involved in the scheme (see point 5!).

5) Having fun!

As a mentee on OxForward, you will receive a complimentary ticket to the London SYP Conference this autumn, where you can learn from multiple industry experts and meet other people in publishing. There will also be a celebratory party at the end of the scheme for all those who were involved. Snacks and tote bags guaranteed!

To keep up with the latest developments, follow the conversation #OxForward, @SYP_Oxford.

We look forward to receiving your application!

If you’re not currently working in publishing, don’t despair – look out for details on our second scheme set to launch in November, aimed at students, interns, and jobseekers. And if you’re not based in or near Oxford, keep an eye out on the schemes that our other branches are running in London and in Scotland.