Publishing: Case studies

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Julia, assistant to literary agent

My first job was as a consumer markets assistant for an independent children’s book publisher, employing around 15 people. I was offered the role of production and editorial assistant, but I turned this down as I had planned to travel in order to research my own novel. After spending time doing research in New York, I moved to Bristol and worked as a trade markets assistant for an independent travel publisher, before moving to London and working on various temporary assignments. I then approached literary agents and was offered the role of part-time assistant to a literary agency. At this time, I started my novel and was commissioned to write a non-fiction book, which has just been published. I also undertake freelance work reviewing poetry.

To work in publishing, you have to love books - a passion for a good story is essential. The industry is currently fairly female orientated and is a good industry for graduates interested in ideas and unafraid of menial work.

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My advice to students would be to get work experience, develop your own taste and don’t be afraid to have an opinion. Read widely and look at publishers’ catalogues - see what you can pick up at the London Book Fair and Hay Festival. Read around your favourite genre. Know what’s on the horizon. If you want to write, then save some money as you will have to subsidise yourself.

Working for a big publishing company has a good social element to it, but I feel it would be more difficult to carve out your own identity. It can be quite static - people in the top jobs don’t move very often and you could be at assistant level for three years. Big publishers may be less likely to take risks. On the plus side you would get better pay and benefits.

I enjoyed working for a smaller employer as I learnt a lot and went to the Frankfurt Book Fair. I really appreciate the fact that I have worked in every stage of the publishing process.

Alastair, head of pay and HR services - Incomes Data Services Ltd

During my time in business-to-business publishing, I have seen many changes. In my own field, which covers pay as well as employment issues, there is still a considerable demand from UK companies and public sector organisations for detailed information. Customers want to be kept up to date with new trends in human resources and information on occupational pay data, and be provided with forecasts and trend articles on the economy and the labour market.

Publishing in these areas requires a great deal of expertise in how companies work, what they pay their employees, types of benefit systems in place and how employment law changes the workplace contract. A graduate starting a career in this field will have to become a successful researcher with an inquisitive mind and an ability to persuade people to provide information about the internal life of the organisations for which they work.

Few people study industrial relations at university so we look to recruit graduates who show a strong interest in our kind of research journalism, with some knowledge of research methods or labour market economics. A lot of emphasis is then placed on training, the building of specialist knowledge - such as shift payments or London allowances - and career development.

We are steadily migrating from print journals to online services. In the immediate future we see print and online services as parallel offerings, but some experimentation will be required.

Graduates coming into this area of specialist publishing will need to be able to adapt to rapid changes in the next few years. Differing skills will be required for online and print writing. Customer research will guide us through what is the best format for news, analysis, features and surveys.