Our Top 5 Tips for #WorkInPublishing Week

Posted on November 23, 2018 in Uncategorized

Publishing is a great industry to be part of but we all know that it can be hard to get your foot in the door and make your mark. Especially the first couple of years of your career can be demanding and disorientating – networking, the pressure of building the right skillset, and staying organised when deadlines miraculously always seem to fall on the same day can make life hard.

In support of the PA’s Work In Publishing Week, our London Co-Chairs Phoebe and Kat, Head of Events Hilary, Events Coordinator Beth, and Social Media Manager Aimee have compiled a few tips to help you navigate the noise. For more careers advice and insight, check out #WorkinPublishing on Twitter!

Upskill beyond your role

Publishing is all about building a unique profile and honing your transferable skills. These are essential in your daily work but can also help you stand out from the crowd when applying for a job or taking on a new project. So always try and have multiple strings to your bow, especially if you are looking to freelance or work for a small, close-knit company where you may be required to cross departments in your day-to-day role. This could include learning to code, getting savvy with InDesign, writing a blog, running an insightful Twitter feed or Instagram account, teaching yourself about metadata, or starting a podcast.

So you want to be an editor – be prepared to read (a lot!)

This seems almost too obvious to point out – after all we all enter this industry because we’re capital letter Book Enthusiasts – but be aware that reading professionally is a very different beast. If you aspire to work in editorial, you won’t only have to read a lot but will also face the challenge of having to get a whole publishing team excited about the novel you want to buy, so you have to be able to pitch it passionately! You also have to be prepared to read after work and on weekends. With submissions coming in daily, there isn’t time to fit it all in within the working day. We recommend investing in a Kindle to save yourself the aches and pains of carting paper around (plus you’re saving the environment!).

Don’t be afraid to ask for help

One of the things that makes the publishing industry so unique is its collaborative nature. We all know from experience how hard it is to get that first (paid!) gig, so even senior professionals are generally happy to answer questions and pass on their wisdom, for example by mentoring or by participating in events like our most recent #SYPconf18. There are many networking opportunities such as Borough Book Bash, BookMachine  or our own SYP events and they are great platforms to meet new people from all areas of the industry and reach out for advice. Groups like the SYP, BAME in Publishing and Pride in Publishing also provide wonderful support networks. Just never be afraid to ask questions via whatever medium you prefer – DMs on Twitter, going up to people at drinks, or introducing yourself to an inspiring speaker after a panel talk.

Excel at Excel

Knowing how to work a spreadsheet is really important. We’re talking filters, calculations, colour coding. Oh! And also keeping your inbox organised. A lot of happiness can be found in a foolproof Outlook folder system and good office and admin skills are essential for all entry level publishing roles.

Look beyond Editorial

Publishing doesn’t begin and end with editorial. If you’re passionate about working with books then you may (or may not be) surprised to learn that editorial isn’t the only route into publishing. From design to publicity and sales to production, there are so many different ways to be involved in the industry. Breaking into a competitive industry isn’t easy so try to be open-minded and explore different routes!

Lastly, kindness wins

It’s a small industry and if you’re not nice to people, people will talk… More importantly, be kind to yourself and have faith that you will get there in the end. Every mistake is a chance to learn. Just make sure to get out of your comfort zone every so often, perhaps by going to networking events or by learning a new skill.