So you're gonna publish books...now what?!
Penguin Random House, one of the "Big Five" publishers in the industry, helps aspiring writers to put their foots into the doors of publishing as a career in three steps.
The ins and outs of breaking into book publishing have long been opaque. – PRH
Penguin Random House recognizes that publishing is not an easy career to break into. While lots of people aspire to take their interests and talents into this career, many industries––publishing among them––has lacked the change and diversity necessary in order to accommodate to such people. As an effort to produce a useful resource to those willing to work for it, PRH encourages creating awareness, networking, and building strong applications in order to break into such a career.
Creating awareness and becoming educated in the industry is the first step that you need to take before moving further. Before I knew that I wanted to get into publishing, I knew nothing about it and had absolutely no idea of where to start. Then, I began reading articles from Writer's Digest and Harvard Business Review to understand the job market, and even got myself familiarized with the NYTimes Best Seller's list in order to keep updated with current book-related market trends. Additionally (although it's not entirely necessary), I decided to major in English with a concentration in Writing, taking various classes that encouraged networking, specialized skill-building, and marketing. Education has personally been the best decision I could make in order to have any sort of idea or expertise in the field of publishing. Keeping updated with the industry on social media has also been very helpful in staying in-the-know.
PHR's second step is to get yourself out there. In my opinion this is the most important step. While staying educated and applying to the positions are necessary, they will not get you seen the same way networking can. I've built my networks mostly through Instagram and LinkedIn. These two platforms help me to directly connect with those in the industries I wish to be in, and I've directly contacted various individuals and interacted with many posts in order to get my name recognized. The goal is: when a recruiter sees your job application, they will already know who you are because you've interacted with them before. It will also be helpful to connect with other professionals in the business, as having shared interests and experiences can both empower you and open more possibilities for meaningful connections.
Actually applying to the position you want is PHR's final step in breaking into the publishing industry. Now that you've educated yourself and also built your connections, it will be for nothing if you don't take that final stride and force yourself through that door. This is the step that I am currently in. To apply, you will need a strong resume and a meaningful cover letter. Use impactful keywords, relate necessary skills and abilities, and elaborate on experiences that shows the recruiter why THEY need YOU in their company. Every single skill and ability you mention should be backed up by such experiences, which can ultimately lead to your success in the job-search.
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