How can I get a job in publishing with no work experience in the sector?
- Creative Careers Club
- Sep 22, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 3, 2025
In our first Careers Clinic post, we're answering a question about how to get into publishing when you don't have any publishing work experience. The full question we've been asked is:
How can I get a job in publishing with no work experience in the sector? What kind of jobs could provide good stepping stones?
This is a great question, and the good news is that job ads for entry-level publishing roles often say that publishing experience is not required. And traineeships at publishers such as Penguin Random House and Hachette are specifically designed to open up access to jobs in publishing, with a focus on creating opportunities for people from groups that are under-represented in the publishing industry. (Head to our Discord server to see all the latest jobs and traineeships in publishing).
So what are employers looking for when you don't have publishing experience?
What employers will be looking for is evidence of relevant skills plus an authentic interest in this career path. That's the magic combination!
In terms of skills, this will vary according to the type of publishing role you're applying for but will often include:
communication and teamwork
organising your work and balancing different tasks and priorities
time management and meeting deadlines
attention to detail and ability to spot mistakes
problem-solving
copywriting
numeracy skills (for roles in rights and royalties).
What kind of jobs tick these boxes?
If you're looking for a stepping-stone job as you work towards a publishing career, think about roles that use these skills – for example, jobs in communications, marketing, internal comms, project management and admin / team assistant roles. These are also competitive sectors for early career jobseekers, so it's worth looking broadly at different kinds of employer – charities, universities and arts organisations often have excellent entry-level roles in these areas.
Think about other roles connected to books
You can also look at jobs with employers that are connected to the publishing industry. Bookshops are an obvious one – a customer-facing role at a bookshop will give you plenty of transferable skills, and it'll also help you to develop your commercial awareness and understanding of how books get into customers' hands. There are also PR and marketing agencies that specialise in the books and publishing business.
Think broadly about types of publishing too
Lots of people want to work in trade publishing – the commercial end of publishing fiction and non-fiction to a general audience – or children's publishing, but keep an eye out for roles in different publishing specialisms too, as these can be a good way into the profession. Look out for roles in academic publishing, scientific publishing, or roles at smaller publishers that specialise in topics like music and psychology. We've also seen publishing coordinator roles at institutions like the BBC Proms and the Edinburgh International Film Festival.
Don't forget the second part of the equation – showing an authentic interest
If you've got no publishing work experience, it's super important for your application to convince the employer that you've got an authentic interest in this career path. You'll need to stand out from the crowd to get shortlisted, so think deeply about why you want to work in publishing and find a way to convey this in your application. This is still important even if you do have some work experience in publishing!
You should also find ways to pursue your interest even though you're not yet working in publishing, whether that's through volunteering at a local literary festival, organising a book group, creating book-related social media content, getting involved in organisation like the Society of Young Publishers, or something else!
Recommended next steps
Head over to our Discord server to see the latest jobs and internships in publishing and other creative industries.
Join the Creative Careers Club for £15 a year to access these courses that'll help you get your publishing career started:
Got a question of your own? Ask our Careers Clinic here.