Publishing
Within the publishing industry there are many roles available and a wide range of skills needed. While an appreciation of literature and a love of books is a good starting point, commercial awareness and an understanding of business is vital in this highly competitive, multi-million-pound industry.
Science graduates seeking a career outside the lab can find rewarding roles in science communication and academic publishing.
- How to get into publishing on the Prospects website
- Case study of a Commissioning Editor at Cambridge University Press
- Prospects' generic job profiles:
Research the sector and keep up with current issues by reading:
- trade news like The Bookseller for publishing
- The Publishing Post weekly newsletter, covering industry news, careers advice and entry-level job listings in publishing
- information from the Association of British Science Writers and the Science Comms JiscMail mailing list for those interested in science writing
- Look at publishers' websites to increase awareness of the sector. For example, Springer Nature, for information on academic / journal publishing, and an interesting section on AI in publishing
Jobs in publishing are varied and the specific skills will depend on your role. Skills can include:
- communication
- negotiation
- working to deadlines
- organisation and planning
- project management
- graphic design
- attention to detail
Experience is essential if you want to work in publishing. You should think about:
- writing a blog and being active on social media by following and engaging with publishers
- organising your own work experience by making speculative applications - try small local publishing houses
- applying for advertised internships, bearing in mind that these are very competitive (see jobs section below for websites)
- networking, which is very important in the creative sector as many jobs are discovered through word of mouth
Many publishers are based in London. If you don’t have access to accommodation in London, but want to take advantage of work experience opportunities there, use The Spare Room Project, which offers publishing interns a spare room in the house of a publisher. The Book Trade Charity also offers support for interviews and internships.
There are opportunities exclusively for under-represented groups in the sector to gain work experience in journalism and publishing, such as the Guardian Positive action scheme (BAME schemes, and a scheme for people with disabilities) and and Creative Access (BAME and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds).
Publishers may offer summer internships - research individual publishers for details. Penguin Random House summer internships 2025 will be open for applications 21 March to 6 April.
Publishing jobs are advertised:
- on websites like BookBrunch, Jobs in Books (The Bookseller) and The Society of Young Publishers (SYP) (only available to members)
- on publishers' websites
- Independent Publishers Guild
- Creative careers club - entry level jobs in the creative industries including publishing
- through word of mouth and speculative applications
There are also a small number of popular schemes with large publishers:
- Penguin Random House summer internships, early career roles, and the Scheme for under represented groups (lower socio-economic background or BAME - see website for details)
- Cambridge University Press
- Community of Literary Magazines and Presses' (CLMP) Jobs with Publishers and its LinkedIn page
Find out more about applying for jobs.
There are lots of things you can do right now at university to help you get the skills and experience for a career in publishing:
- Start networking by reading about York graduates on York Profiles and Mentors and sending questions to people working in publishing.
- Keep an eye out for relevant events to build your skills and meet potential employers.
- Join a student society and get involved - as well as having fun, you'll be developing skills such as teamwork, organisation, project management and more.
- Look for other opportunities to develop your creativity, communication and time management skills. Check our volunteering pages for ideas.
- Check for internship opportunities in York through York Internships, advertised on Handshake
- Consider a placement year to get twelve months of real-world experience.
- Listen to relevant episodes of our What do you actually do? podcast
- Get involved in enterprise activities to develop your commercial awareness. Afterall, publishers are business first and foremost
Connect with York graduates on York Profiles & Mentors
Find the full list of graduate profiles on York Profiles & Mentors.
You can also find and connect with York alumni working in this sector on LinkedIn.
LinkedIn accounts to follow:
- Bookcareers.com
- Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP)
- Society of Young Publishers
- The Publishing Post
- Wonderful Recruitment & Development
Podcasts
Keep up to date with the sector and learn about the types of jobs available with these podcasts.
Relevant episodes of our What do you actually do? podcast:
Blogs
- The Guardian books blog + publishing