ADD ADVICE TO FAVAnna, Publishing Manager
Name: Anna
Degree: Dual Honours, BA Law and Philosophy, Keele University (graduated 2006)
Other qualifications: Chartered Institute of Marketing Certificate
Current job: Publishing Manager of a legal publishing company in the City of London
1. What does your current job involve? Describe a typical day at work.
I am responsible for our legal ’Reference Books’ department. I deal with the compilation process of all global volumes. Each book is edited by partners from Magic Circle or independent law firms around the world and is comprised of chapters written by partners from 20 to 25 countries.
Each publication focuses on a different practice area, including trademarks, patents, hedge funds and international fraud.
Typical jobs include:
- leading face-to-face business meetings with lawyers and chapter authors
- preparing marketing materials
- negotiating sales
- performing office administration
- writing blurbs for books
- presenting our new books at national and international book launches and conferences.
2. What other jobs have you had since graduating (including any others with your current employer)?
I started working for my current employer as an intern in September 2006, one and a half months after graduation. Due to my successful performance I was offered a full-time position as Publishing Assistant two months later. In September 2007, I was promoted to Publishing Manager which is my current position.
3. What do you like most about your current job?
It’s a real challenge when starting work on a new book to find a suitable editor and select an appropriate title which will fill the gaps in the market by covering an important practice area.
My job gives me the opportunity to travel a lot for business meetings when I start working on a new publication. I need to explain the marketing strategy and the compilation process of each volume to the editor(s).
’Last year I travelled to five different countries for business meetings and conferences’
Additionally, when a book is published I often have a chance to launch it at an international conference. Recently I launched one new volume in New York during the antitrust law conference. Last year I travelled to five different countries for business meetings and conferences.
4. What do you like least about your current job?
At times it is difficult to find appropriate authors in each jurisdiction to cover the chapter. It may delay the publishing process and therefore the publication date which can be disappointing for the other authors.
5. What are the most important skills required to do your job?
- organisation
- communication
- ability to work under pressure
- independent working
- teamwork
- administrative skills
- commercial awareness
- IT proficiency
- leadership.
6. What made you choose this career path?
Having graduated in law and philosophy many people would imagine that I should practise law. However, while at University I completed several legal vacation placements and mini-pupillages and realised that a career in law was not for me.
I always was very creative as a student; I completed vacation placements for ITV Wales and other media companies. These experiences helped me to realise that I would like to do something related to my degree but in a more creative, media-related environment.
’If you want to work in publishing, you need to demonstrate that you are passionate about it’
7. What did you want to be when you were 12?
I wanted to work in the music industry.
8. What is your long-term career goal?
The same as when I was 12 – I still want to work in the music industry, either in music publishing or in Artists & Repertoire (A&R). I truly believe that I will make it in this field.
9. What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?
When I was at University, each Saturday I worked at a distribution centre which distributed DVDs, CDs, books, etc. I had to stick prices on the covers and pack them into boxes for distribution while they moved along the conveyor belt. After eight hours of this monotonous repetition I was totally braindead.
10. What one tip would you give to someone currently at university wanting to pursue the same sort of career as you?
If your degree is not media related you need to demonstrate that you are passionate about publishing. It is ideal to have previous experience in a media-related field or publishing to prove that you are the right candidate.
