How and Where to Find Job Opportunities

Posted on June 26, 2023 in INTO

Breaking into the publishing industry is notoriously difficult. In fact, being a ‘publishing hopeful’ has become somewhat of a role in itself. This blog post hopes to demystify the job application and search process, and provide assurance to publishing hopefuls that you don’t necessarily need a successful bookstagram or a masters in publishing (though these things are brilliant) to land your first role. 

The usual places

LinkedIn

Most publishing companies will use LinkedIn to advertise for roles. But make sure to use LinkedIn to expand your network too. Find other publishing professionals in the field you want to go into, connect with them, and reach out. See if you can set up a virtual chat with someone who you think can offer you some career advice, a bit of direction, or even just a little bit of insight into a career in publishing. It’s always worth asking, you never know where a connection can lead.

Twitter

You don’t need thousands of followers or internet friends to really make the best out of Twitter. Start by following publishers and people who work for them and go from there. Accounts like @bookcareers and @jobsinbooks or more specific ones like @penguinukjobs or @hachettecareers will regularly tweet about any and all job opportunities in publishing. As with LinkedIn, go further by connecting with publishing professionals. If someone recognises your name from a brief DM conversation in the hiring process it can only help! 

Indie publishers

Sometimes, independent publishers won’t advertise work experience and it can be worth emailing smaller indies to see if you can do a week’s work experience. This can be a good option for those outside of London to reach out to an indie publisher closer to home. It’s always worth enquiring – send an email with when/why you would like to do experience specifically with that publishing house, attaching your CV and any previous experience you might have.

Sign up for the SYP newsletter

Whatever branch you’re part of, each newsletter will list job opportunities coming up that month for entry level and mid level roles. Sometimes it can be easier to subscribe to a newsletter and have several jobs helpfully listed. 

Creative Access

For jobs in publishing and in the wider creative industry, Creative Access is so useful! Follow their account on Twitter – they regularly tweet about job opportunities. Make a profile on the Creative Access website and tailor it to the roles you are looking for. You can apply for jobs directly on Creative Access and you state that you found the role via CA. This is especially targeted at those who are currently under represented in the creative industry.  

The less-common places

Network network network

It isn’t a guarantee that connections lead to job opportunities, but they can shed some light on the kind of jobs you want to do, how to craft your application, what hiring managers are looking for etc. You also never know when a connection might come in useful, and if you don’t know anyone in the industry it’s always great to have publishing friends.

Bookcareers

The closest thing the publishing industry has to a careers clinic, make use of this incredible resource by following @bookcareers on Twitter. Book into their free careers clinic, where you can discuss your career options and what you can be doing to improve your chances of landing your first role. Every Monday, a new podcast is uploaded, exploring a range of topics related to the publishing industry. There is also a Job Club for publishing hopefuls, those hoping to change careers, and those new to working in publishing. 

Join the Publishing Hopefuls Facebook Page

As well as sharing entry level opportunities, work experience and internships, this Facebook group is also a great place to connect with fellow publishing hopefuls. It’s also a really lovely and supportive group to be part of, and if you’ve been job searching for a while, this can feel overwhelming and a little bit lonely, so it’s always nice to connect with others and hype each other up if anything else!

Demonstrate your interest in and commitment to publishing

Try and get experience doing some work for notable publishing organisations or editorials, like writing for Bad Form, a books magazine for and by people of colour, or contributing to The Publishing Post. Volunteering for one of these platforms on an ongoing basis, writing a one off piece or attending events demonstrates your interest in the industry, which is what publishers are looking for. It can be difficult to get work experience ironically without work experience, but contributing to these voluntary publications are a good way of getting started.

In the meantime . . . 

Build your industry awareness by following key people and publishers on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. Follow notable industry leaders – what are they talking about? Keep up to date with The Bookseller which shares news of acquisitions, industry trends, and job opportunities. Keep up to date with other publications and podcasts in the industry too, like Bad Form, the Publishing Post, the Book Careers weekly podcast, the SYP podcast, and Main Characters podcast on Spotify. 

It’s undeniable that our industry has a problem with entry level roles often requiring more than entry-level experience, but hopefully with these tips, the job application process will feel less daunting. 

Good luck!