Work Experience in Publishing

Presentation by Lizzie Argirou, Internship Officer, CAL with

speakers James Cronin, Mireille Harper & Katie Packer

Session will cover

• Where & why do work experience?

• Speaker 1: James Cronin

• Speaker 2: Mireille Harper

• Speaker 3: Katie Packer

• Finding opportunities & further support

• Q & A

Publishing

Publishing is a popular career choice

for many arts students. A degree is now

seen as the minimum entry level

requirement (although an MA/ PHD

doesn’t guarantee you employment).

More important is having some sort of

work experience.

Insights into types of role

Editorial assistant

Editorial assistants experience all

aspects of publishing by assisting

senior editorial staff in the

administration of the commissioning,

planning and production of books,

journals, magazines and a broad range

of publicity materials.

Types of role

Production – good negotiating skills;

organised approach

Marketing – outgoing personality;

organised approach

Sales – outgoing personality;

negotiating skills

Rights – outgoing personality;

negotiating skills; languages useful for

foreign rights, but not always essential

Publicity- outgoing personality; travel

and weekend work is sometimes

required

Types of publishing

• Fiction e.g. Children & YA; crime; thriller

• Non-fiction e.g. biographies,

encyclopaedias

• Scholarly e.g. text books for

schools/FE/HE

• Boutique press

• Electronic

• STM: Science, Technology and Medicine

publications

James Cronin

Community Director

Project Birmingham

www.project-birmingham.co.uk

Business Development Manager

Packt

https://www.packtpub.com/

Insight into Publishing

James Cronin

Contents

➔ Big Picture - Skills & Careers

➔ Packt - case study

➔ Project Birmingham

➔ Summary Tips

It’s not about

what you do,

it’s about

why you do it. Note

General theme of my

journey & advice:

Passion and purpose is

the route to enjoying and

growing in a career.

My Journey

University of Manchester

English Literature

Colonel Duck Productions

Content Producer

Development Manager

Packt Publishing

Business Development Manager

2010 - 2013 2013 - 2016 2016 - today

Olton Wanderers

Chairman & Captain

Project Birmingham

Founder & Community Director

Creative Central

Director

2013 - today 2015 - today 2016 - today

My Journey

My Journey

(image of the wooden shapes / toy)

Your Skills & Interests

‘Find out what shape you are’

‘Transferable Skills…’ - what does that mean?

Superpowers Learnt Skills Weaknesses

Things you love doing and have

clear talent at

Capabilities you have been

taught or learnt through

experience

Things you’re awful at and that

you hate doing

a) This helps you

b) It’s what employers want Start to think about your own skills...

Industry Context

➔ Publishing is just a form of communication

As is basically every business and industry

➔ Publishing business don’t just ‘publish’ anymore

Survive or die - publishing is now a digital, platform & subscription based industry

➔ The industry needs skills and capabilities from across the whole spectrum

It’s not all copy editing and proof reading

➔ Equally, your ‘publishing’ skills & interests can apply to millions of other jobs and

industries

We’ve gone from ‘career ladders’ to a ‘drag and drop’ skills world - don’t limit your search to one industry

Case Study

Technology publisher

Helping developers to keep up to speed with

new & emerging technology

Publishing 100 books & videos every month

on the latest tools and topics

Available online, through Amazon etc. as well

as through our developer skills platform Mapt

(Netflix / Spotify for software developers)

Numbers

550 in the team

50 in Birmingham HQ, 500 in Mumbai

350 - Content ‘Publishing’ Team (330 in Mumbai)

200 - Digital, Marketing, Sales & Support Teams

“The minute you stop

learning, you may as well

call it a day” Dave Maclean, Founder & CEO

Our Technology Coverage Releasing 100 titles per month, we are the only content

provider in the industry with such fast to market coverage.

Packt provides essential guidance for developers to solve current challenges, take advantage of latest technology

improvements, and plan ahead for any changes coming their way that lie within the below technologies

Mobile Development Web Development Web Development

Enterprise Systems Game Development Programming Languages

Analytics & BI Cloud Software Architecture & Design

AI & Deep Learning Networking & SysAdmin DevOps & Automation

Machine Learning Cybersecurity Hardware & IoT

“Birmingham has changed a lot

over the years, but for me it’s

still the centre of the universe”

Benjamin Zephaniah

Project Birmingham was inspired by the vibrant cultural scene in the

city, and a will to capture , share and enjoy it with a wider audience.

For the past 3 years, our events and projects have been showcasing

local creative talent, bringing together music, art, performance, food &

drink at a range of unique venues around the city.

25+ events

1000+ followers on Facebook & Instagram

Team of 10 people

Growing range of projects & experiences

➔ ‘Do it Yourself’

➔ ‘Learn by experience’

➔ ‘Transferable skills’

➔ ‘It’s about why you do it’

2nd, 3rd & 4th of March

(image of the wooden shapes / toy)

Summary

Follow your own

passion and

enjoy what you

do

Consider your

own skills and

capabilities, and

find place to use

& improve them

Talk to people

and try things out

- experience

comes in many

forms

Mireille Harper

Editorial Internship

2 weeks

London

Publishing Trainee

September 2017- present

Hachette Book Group

Katie Packer

Intern

3 months

London

Publishing Assistant

November 2017- present

Hachette Children’s Group

Finding & funding your work experience

Work experience

https://calcareersuob.wordpress.com/

Graduate schemes HarperCollins have a Graduate Scheme which offers trainees a paid 18-

month placement across departments:

https://harpercollins.jobs.net/en-GB/

Hachette UK is able to offer successful candidates in entry level roles the

option of subsidised accommodation. And they also have a range of work

experience and roles being advertised at the moment

https://www.hachette.co.uk/Careers%20Grid%20Page.page

Penguin Random House launched ‘The Scheme’ in 2015, which

involves a 13 month paid programme focussing on marketing.

http://www.the-scheme.co.uk/

Useful websites

Publishing Interns offer careers advice and regularly

updated internships listings on this blog

https://pubinterns.wordpress.com/

The Guardian (Mon/Sat) www.jobs.guardian.co.uk

The Bookseller (Fridays) www.thebookseller.com

European Bookseller (monthly)

Publishers Weekly www.publishersweekly.com

SYP Job Database https://thesyp.org.uk/careers/

www.bookcareers.com

www.prospects.ac.uk

www.totaljobs.com

TARGETjobs

StudentJob

Speculative applications

Consider booking a CV check with a CN Advisor

through Careers Connect

UoB Work Experience Bursaries

• Professional – Up to £800 Deadline: 8th April 2018

• Research – Up to £500 Deadline: 8th April 2018

• International – Up to £800 Deadline: 8th April 2018

• Gateway – Up to £2000 Deadline: 8th April 2018

• Global Challenge – Fully funded Deadline: various deadlines in Feb

For further information, visit the internship web pages:

www.birmingham.ac.uk/internships

In summary

Any questions?