My Journey into Publishing

Like many people in the industry, my interest in publishing started with my love of books. I’m a firm believer that the right book has the potential to change readers’ lives, and I wanted to help people find that book. After a Publishing MA at Kingston University, I started at Facet Publishing as Sales and Publishing Officer and, today, I’m Sales and Marketing Manager.

However, getting into the industry is not easy. It can be draining to receive rejections (or lack of answers entirely!), especially when you don’t know what you’re doing wrong. What helped me overcome rejections was keeping busy by volunteering in publishing-adjacent companies and cultivating my literary interest, having a blog and starting social media.

I would recommend applying for jobs that you might not have considered or that you don’t believe to be a perfect fit, because you might end up being the right candidate. Roles and departments in publishing are varied, and some are rarely talked about, such as rights or audio; research these and see if your abilities align. Consider publishers beyond well-known names and trade; academic publishers are often lesser known, as are publishing divisions within other companies. So, keep an open mind: the industry is vast, and you never know where you might find a home!

Landing my first job

Today, I know what helped me most was doing industry placements through my MA. On placements with The Bookseller and literary agencies, I built practical skills and networked with professionals, other students and publishing hopefuls. It was during my internship with the Carnegies that I met the Facet Publishing team. By taking time to network and show them I was a good candidate, I was hired when a role opened. When you are given an opportunity to impress people who might hire you or recommend you, make the most of it!

Tips and tricks from the inside

If you’re looking to do an MA in publishing, I would recommend seeing what the university offers in terms of placements or mentorships. However, while further study opens doors, it’s not for everyone. I tried other ways to make myself a stronger candidate, such as:

- LinkedIn Training: when preparing for interviews, I found that I could build my skills in advance and prepare for tasks. For instance, if you’re applying for sales roles, it’s useful to look at their Excel courses.

- Social media: particularly for marketing roles, it can be good to demonstrate that you can grow an audience, such as increasing your LinkedIn connections.

- Recruiters: these host career advice and advise on successful cover letters and CVs. Some offer to review your CV and have interview practice. It can be difficult to show your value and passion, so it’s helpful to have outside assistance.

- Volunteering: the Society of Young Publishers (SYP) and The Publishing Post are run by volunteers and are a great way to learn new skills and more about publishing. Some literary festivals or conferences look for volunteers; they enable you to keep up with the industry, meet new people and demonstrate your interest, especially outside London. And there are charities, like the Children’s Book Project. I was previously the London Mentorship Officer and it allowed me to meet new people in the industry through events and the committee.

- Demonstrating your interest: new starters in the industry aren’t expected to have all the skills but employers want to see passion. There are fun things you can do, such as starting a book club or a blog about books!

- Keep updated: sign up for daily updates from The Bookseller or Publishers Weekly and follow publishers on social media. The Bookseller hosts a jobs page and free weekly jobs email.

- PTC: having taken many courses with the PTC, it is a great way of learning publishing-specific skills.

- Internships: big publishing houses open internships on a yearly basis, so it’s good to keep an eye out for these.

- BookCareers offers all-age career guidance specific to publishing.

Our industry is about networking, so I would recommend finding ways to meet people. These include:

- SYP: the Society organises events that teach practical skills and allow you to network. For instance, SYPLondon runs a yearly ‘Speed-dating’ event to meet industry people and learn about their jobs.

- Mentorships: various organisations, including the SYP, offer mentorships for publishing hopefuls and are great opportunities to meet someone from the industry.

- LinkedIn: it’s a good place to meet people and stay updated. Most of the time, publishing workers are more than happy to help or answer any messages.

There are many ways people enter our industry; everyone has their story. However, if you keep at it, try building your skills through internships and volunteering, and make the most of your connections, I’m confident you’ll find your place. Good luck!

Tara Hiralal is Sales & Marketing Manager at Facet Publishing. She was a 2025 Printing Charity Rising Star and is currently London Mentorship Officer for the Society of Young Publishers. You can connect with her on LinkedIn.