SYP LDN Career Cafe – Tips & Tricks for your first 5 years in Production

Posted on September 25, 2020 in London

Getting a foot through the publishing door can be tricky. Entry-level positions can be few and far between and knowing how to put yourself in the best stead to get your teeth into a role can be daunting. Thankfully, London’s #SYPCareerCafe series is deciphering all that confusion and asking publishing professionals at every level what we need to know to start our careers in… Production.

Cast your mind back to sunnier days when the evenings weren’t itching to get dark by dinnertime. A Career Café throwback for you now, and we think you’ll like this one.

On the 2^nd July 2020, chaired by SYP London’s very own Farzana Khan ( @fkhan381 ), who works as a Production Controller at Hachette Children’s, we gathered around our Zoom screens to listen to all things Production.

So, let’s meet our amazing panellists:

We listened to the advice and experiences of Rebecca Bonallie ( @rabonallie ) who works as a Production and Inventory Controller at Canongate. She studied her BA in English Literature in Edinburgh and went on to do the MSc Publishing at Edinburgh Napier, starting her career as a Production Assistant.

Amy Wong ( @_amywong ) also gave us her insights into working in Production. Wong works as a Production Controller at Bloomsbury, working on adult fiction and non-fiction. She also works as Vice-Chair of the Society of Young Publishers, UK Committee.

Sinead Anja ( @SineadAnja ) works as a Production Controller at Hardie Grant and she works as one of our Career Support Officers here at SYP London.

Zoe Jellicoe ( @jellicoz ) is a Production Editor at Bloomsbury, working on the Film & Media, and Philosophy lists. She has previously worked in Editorial roles in Dublin, Brussels and Berlin across book, magazine, online publishing and video game journalism. She is also an Events Coordinator for SYP London.

So, what were their top tips for working in Production?

• Top skills? Organisation, communication and project management are useful in any role and can be transferable from pretty much any industry so try to think where you might have used these in previous work! Being detail-orientated and keeping a calm head under pressure is also a plus. There’s a wealth of online courses for trickier skills such as Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft Excel. Production is also very aware of the materials it uses and the impact these have on the wider world so any knowledge of sustainability and the physical materials that go into producing a book is really helpful!
• Keep a record of your successes! Asking for a promotion can be awkward in whatever industry or phase of your career you’re at. Our panel agreed that keeping a record of your accomplishments is helpful to see your progression. Keep your job description up to date and set yourself weekly reminders to take a look at the work you’ve done and record any new accomplishments. Not sure what salary you’re meant to be getting? Have a look at @bookcareers Salary Survey Report to get a realistic idea of what others in your field receive.
• Is moving to London a must? While London can offer more opportunities with more and bigger companies, and more opportunities to meet other production people, it isn’t necessary. With Hachette announcing in June 2020 that they are planning to open five new offices in Edinburgh, Newcastle, Manchester, Sheffield and Bristol over the next 12 months, it looks like working in publishing outside of London might soon become the norm!
• Check out Production job titles on LinkedIn before you apply! Publishing job roles can be notoriously confusing. Want to know the difference between a Production Assistant, Production Controller, Senior Production Controller, Production Manager and Production Director? Have a look who does what at different publishing houses on LinkedIn and maybe spot a future colleague.

Is there anything else you’ve like to ask about Production? Send your questions to @SYP_LDN with the #SYPCareerCafe and we’ll get back to you!

We may have seen the last of our #SYPCareerCafe events for now! But don’t worry – if you missed anything, check back here over the next few weeks for a roundup of our panellists’ advice.

Take care!

Co-written by Leah Quinn and Hannah Beeson