Finding A Job in Publishing

Todd said:
Recently I have been applying for editing jobs in the Atlanta area. Can you talk about starting a career as an editor in the publishing industry?

Several readers asked questions that all relate to one basic idea: How can you get a job in publishing, particularly editing? I’ve never been in the position to hire an editor, and my two job-hunting experiences that ended in my two editing jobs were both long and difficult. So I can’t point you to the magic button that leads to a career as an editor. But I am happy to share a few tips that I picked up in those long, difficult searches.

• Avoid generic job-search engines. Chances are, you’re looking for a job in a very specific career or a very specific location (or both). So use job-search engines that will only give you options that fit your needs. The ajcjobs web site is a great place to start looking for metro-area positions, and usually has several openings for editors and writers. They may not be at a company that focuses specifically on publishing, but that’s true of many writing and editing jobs. (See the Publishing Is Everywhere post.) MediaBistro is a website that caters specifically to the different media industries, particularly publishing, and has a great job-search function. Many publishers utilize this website to reach potential employees who are looking for jobs specifically within publishing.
• If you can, work as many internships as possible — paid and unpaid. Experience makes a huge difference when you’re applying for a job. The more valuable experience you have, the faster your resume moves to the top of the pile. If you’re a teacher who has summers off and you think you may want to become an editor someday, work summer internships and produce as many clips as you can. If you’re a full-time graduate student, take advantage of the internships that the MAPW program offers. These are advertised throughout the year, and there are usually several available. Use this time to build your portfolio and your resume. Then when you’re ready to enter publishing fulltime, you’ve already built a strong case for yourself as a valuable employee.
• Don’t limit your search to typical publishers. Non-profit organizations, marketing firms, corporations all need the skills of good writers and editors. If what matters most is that you get to write and edit (and not that you work for a “publisher”), make sure you keep your job search options open. With non-profits particularly, chances are good that you’ll get more experience and more responsibility sooner than you would at a large publisher. (Again, see the Publishing Is Everywhere post.)
• Build relationships and follow up. You know the old adage: “It’s not what you know. It’s who you know.” But even that isn’t enough. When I was searching for an editing job in Atlanta, I had one helpful contact explain that “It’s not what you know. It’s not even who you know. It’s who they know.” And he was right. Make appointments for informational interviews with everyone who is willing to meet with you, even if they aren’t hiring. Explain that you’re trying to find a job in publishing (writing, editing, etc.), and you’d just like to meet with them to get some advice and ask some questions. Chances are, if they agree to meet with you for an informational interview, they will be willing to help you out in any other way they can. If they aren’t hiring, maybe they know someone who is. Or maybe they know someone who knows someone who is. When I got my job with SREB, I was about 10 degrees of separation from the person I had originally contacted. But I had a personal referral to the position and I was hired almost immediately to a job that was not widely advertised. I never would have known about the position if I hadn’t continued to seek informational interviews and follow up with my contacts.

You’ve probably heard some of this advice before, but I hope it will help point you in some new directions in your search. If you have more specific questions about the job search, just let me know and I’ll help in any way I can.