Joining up to the SYP does mean paying £30 if you're not a student, and £24 if you are, but it really is worth it. Being a member gives you access to a pretty niche jobs page, advertising Editorial, Production, Digital and Sales jobs, as well as work experience placements. It also has a calendar of events and meet-ups designed to help people looking into the industry, or just starting out.
- Frequently browse The Bookseller either online or in print.
The Bookseller is the publishing bible: it details sales trends, job shake-ups and new appointments, and LUCKY FOR US has a massive section of jobs. I can't emphasise enough what a massive help it is: just browsing for half an hour in preparation for an interview will give you a huge boost. For anyone on work experience, ask someone in your department to point you towards their copy - most companies stock pile them, so if you're twiddling your thumbs after making everyone a morning coffee, have a read.
- Follow companies on LinkedIn or Twitter.
A fairly obvious one, but companies often sneak in a tweet or a link to job opportunities. Take note of people they retweet too - don't be afraid to get in touch with someone in a position you aspire to be in; whether that's the Head of PR at a fiction publishers, or a features editor at a magazine. Here's a small shortlist of companies (all fiction/ non-fiction publishing, I'm afraid, as I'm biast) well worth following:
- Milk your University Resources like an exhausted heifer.
If you're still at university, go to the careers office. Publishing is a big industry, so without a doubt they'll have lots of resources to offer, including copies of The Writer and Artists Yearbook. They'll also have information about networking, CV construction, unadvertised jobs etc. etc. For anyone worried that this ship has sailed because you had fun at university, don't worry. Many offer post-graduation services for alumni, sometimes for a fee, which you'll have to judge whether it's worth it.
- Learn how to bake, or be crafty and get a friend to help you out.
Being in publishing entails long hours sat at a desk in an office, like most jobs. I don't know if it's a general office thing, but in my experience, in a publishing office, a bit of cake goes down extremely well. It gives everyone an opportunity to take their minds of the minutiae of English Grammar for a few minutes, and a particularly good batch or unusual recipe will make you memorable. Just remember to be hygienic and warn anybody of potential allergy triggers. And resist the urge to revenge-bake, The Help style. Even if you've had the worst possible time. (See my post on my own nightmare internship.)
- Offer your services for free.
Because it's a fairly crap time for all, and arts graduates need cheering up, there are hundreds of culture blogs and sites springing up all over the place, crying out for submissions and editing. Try Artshub's writing and publishing section - there are normally loads of voluntary positions at blogs and sites. It looks great on your CV, you'll get an audience for your work, and you get to talk about (pretty much) whatever you like. Unless it's neo-Nazism, in which case, stop reading this as you don't deserve anyone's advice, and you should be ashamed of yourself.
Best of luck to all, and remember to message or comment if you have anything to say.
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