What is the best way to get into the publishing industry?
Asked by jollysuebeans
I have an English degree and no publishing experience -although I have work placements lined up! Help!

Best Answer:
Work placements are good and will certainly help you. It's often best to try and get your first job in a smaller company, as the larger ones are inundated with graduate application and it's very difficult to get a decent job with them if you have no experience. Smaller companies will also give you a much better opportunity to get promoted faster. Keeping an eye out for for job opportunities on www.thebookseller.com can also be a good idea. It's also true that although a pain in the butt and open to exploitation, if you offer to work somewhere for free for a couple of months, you're far more likely to job at the end of it than if you apply, and the experience will look great on your CV. Just make sure you give them a deadline as to how long you can work for free and don't let them take the mickey. If you make yourself indispensable, you'll be sorted. Finally I'd make sure you've got a good answer to the question "Why do you want to work in publishing?", as you'll be asked it constantly and it's surprising how few people have a decent answer.

I knew of someone who began as the 'reader', those who sort out the several manuscripts the company receives daily. it's kind of a low level job, and it's very time consuming and tedious but then that's a way of moving upward in the organization. otherwise you'll have to look into potential contacts in the field.
Answered by jam'la