Getting into Publishing: what I want to be when I grow up

As I will be doing that live Q&A in the Guardian today (see last Friday's post) I thought I'd post about my experiences of getting into publishing and suggest some little bits and pieces you might want to know.

When I went to my first interview for a publishing job I was ashamed to admit I didn’t really know much about the industry or what kind of roles existed in a publishing company. Unlike many individuals I didn’t go the internship route – I don’t believe any route is better than another but mine suited me at the time. In the interview I was actually asked what kind of role I wanted. I shamefully admitted my ignorance, and the only roles I’d come across were editorial; however, I was keen to try my hand at anything to see where I slotted in.

                   

Surprisingly, I got the job.

I have now been working in the same company for three years, in that time I have been an administrative assistant, editor/proofreader, in Sales and Marketing, and Digital Something or Other.*

Somehow I also found  my-self on the board of Publishing Ireland at the tender age of 24 – I spent the first meeting as a silent nervous wreck; intimidated by all the company directors and publishing connoisseurs that surrounded me - I’ve an annoying habit of throwing myself into the deep end of things. It turned out to be a brilliant experience; forcing myself to network I met a tonne of wonderfully interesting and truly individual characters.

All in all It turns out I’m pretty lucky – I work in a lovely company that offers immense flexibility, I’m getting to meet individuals from all over the industry and I’ve worked on a variety of projects for the board.

And through it all I’ve worked out what I want to be when I grow up.

Getting experience is key, especially now that the industry is changing so quickly. Even though I have reservations about internships (I’m always laden with guilt upon hiring free labour and become consumed with the need to offer valuable experience in exchange) I still think there is a lot to be said for them. Getting to grips with the different roles and responsibilities set an individual on the right path to choosing what they want to be when they grow up. It is very hard to do this with out having someone to supervise you.** If you keep on applying for an editorial job without really knowing what’s involved  you’ll:

a) never get a job in publishing

b) be totally screwed if you somehow manage to get the job and ...

c) possibly discover you’re really not suited to it and may not have the flexibility to move to another position.

On top of all that the traditional roles aren’t quite what they used to be – I’m increasingly becoming convinced that a flexible work force will be the saving grace of any publishing company (and possibly your career). Multi skilled individuals will be increasingly more attractive to publishers as they could decrease the need to outsource. If an editor can design a website, or a sales executive understands the ins and outs of digital distribution they are valuable assets - they could be saving the company a great deal in costs.

In summary:

• Get experience
• Keep upgrading and honing your skills
• If computers frighten you get to a course and work on that
• Oh, and don’t be afraid to jump into the deep end every now and then. 

*I kid you not, this is the job title I give my self
** took me three years