Advice on finding a job
The key is finding out as much as possible about what the jobs
involve. Talk to people in the industry; get a hold of the book
trade's magazine, The Bookseller, which features job
advertisements; read publishing blogs; follow publishers on
Twitter.
Some publishers post vacancies or their own websites. Often
publishers, particularly if they're of a small or medium size, may
not advertise at all, preferring to fill their vacancies by
word-of-mouth, or from interns or previous applicants.
We publicise our members' vacancies on our website, in our industry newsletter and by Twitter.
Some publishers also advertise in The
Bookseller and The
Guardian and you can sign up for their job alerts.
Applying for a job
Whether you are applying for an internship or a vacancy, or
sending a speculative application, it is essential to
tailor your covering letter and CV to the
publisher you are applying to.
Research the publisher's website, Facebook, Twitter etc and have
a look at their books in a bookshop or library if you can.
You will be facing a lot of competition for any post so present
your application well and ensure it is error-free.
What are you likely to earn?
Nobody works in publishing purely for the money. But you will be
rewarded with an interesting and satisfying career in a creative
industry with lots of congenial people. Salaries in independent
publishers can start around £20,000 per year. Professional
publishers (eg law, medicine and science) are generally higher as
are salaries in publishing arms of institutions and corporations.
Careers in London are higher than in Scotland and can rise to six
figures for directors in the largest publishers.
Bookcareers.com did a salary survey in 2017 that provides some
interesting information on salaries.