How to find employment
Adaptability can be the key to finding employment in book publishing: it is worth trying - and working hard at - whatever is available in order to gain experience. General duties within a small publishing house can be the most effective way to learn the business. On the other hand, the larger houses not only employ more people, they use more sophisticated systems and are able to give specialised, in-depth experience in specific areas. There is now a growing use of National Vocational Qualifications (see below) and some large companies offer opportunities specifically aimed at graduates.
Vacancies in book publishing are advertised in the Guardian, Independent, Times and Telegraph newspapers, in addition to the weekly trade journals such as The Bookseller, Campaign, Publishing News and Printing World, which are available in most public libraries. The number of vacancies for those seeking entry into publishing is very limited, but some do call for trainees and others do not require previous experience, although they often seek educational qualifications, such as a degree. Some jobs, for example in distribution or selling, make use of experience in other industries. Teaching, librarianship, and experience in allied trades such as bookselling and printing can all help in gaining useful knowledge.
Our first steps tips can be found here.