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<\/strong><\/p>\nAfter I graduated from Leeds University with an English degree, I trained as a journalist in London on the NCTJ fast-track course. This was a super intense, four-month course during which I learned everything there is to know about media law, public affairs and news reporting, as well as reaching 100 words per minute in shorthand (something I\u2019m still very proud of because it was HARD!). Following the course, I was lucky to secure a role as a news reporter at a local newspaper in Surrey, where I then worked for just under a year. During this time I covered a lot of court cases, some fairly harrowing attended lots of village fetes, local elections and public events, and crucially learned the importance of sticking to a deadline. Being a journalist was an incredibly eye-opening experience; it\u2019s not an easy job by any means, and in the end, I made the decision that it wasn\u2019t quite right for me and set my sights on publishing.<\/p>\n
How did working in another industry help you into publishing?<\/strong><\/p>\n Working in journalism teaches you a lot about persistence and tenacity \u2013 as a reporter I had doors slammed in my face and some very awkward conversations but you have to keep going and get the story, otherwise you\u2019re nothing to fill your paper with! I was responsible for my own edition of the newspaper so it was quite pressurised, and that taught me a lot about the importance of never giving up \u2013 meaning that when the time came to apply for new jobs I was incredibly dogged and just kept going. Training as a journalist gave me quite a few transferable skills \u2013 I knew how to write to deadline, I was a fully paid-up member of the grammar police, and I had a good eye for detail which is essential in both journalism and publishing (especially on the editorial side).<\/p>\n What was your first role in publishing and how did you get the job?<\/strong><\/p>\n My first role in publishing was as a Publishing Assistant at Octopus Books, part of Hachette UK. I couldn\u2019t afford to leave my job in journalism until I had another job lined up to go to, so once I decided I was unhappy at the newspaper I began applying for assistant roles in publishing houses \u2013 the vast majority of which were in London. I was living in London but working in Guildford, so it was tricky to get back for interviews etc and looking back it was a very stressful time. I didn\u2019t get the first role I applied for but I did get quite far down the line with a few roles, so often felt as though I was very nearly there. However, some of the final rejections were so soul-crushing and I had moments where I never thought I\u2019d be able to make it into industry. Eventually though, Octopus offered me the role, and I was absolutely over the moon.<\/p>\n What would you say are the pros and cons of coming into publishing from another industry?<\/strong><\/p>\n I think the pros are that I came to publishing with a different perspective because it wasn\u2019t my first job out of university; this gave me lots to talk about in interviews and a fresh way of looking at things which I think employers liked. Coming from another industry means you already have a sense of the working world, and your place within it too. Publishing can be quite a sociable industry \u2013 everyone knows everyone \u2013 and coming from another industry can give you confidence to enter into that world without feeling too panicked. The cons are I guess having to ensure you convince an employer to take a chance on you, explain why you left your previous role and sometimes, join the ladder at a slightly later age \u2013 however I have found all these things are manageable and they haven\u2019t huge been problems.<\/p>\n What skills do you use in your current role that you gained earlier in your career and that have helped you progress?<\/strong><\/p>\n Journalism definitely taught me the importance of sticking to deadlines and this helps me stay on track with all my books, ensuring they meet the critical path and that they go to print on time. I was also taught about proofreading and writing concisely in journalism, both of which have helped me in publishing \u2013 I really enjoy writing back copy for my books and making it as tight as possible (it\u2019s much easier than writing a six-word headline!) and having had to check facts again and again in journalism to ensure you get the story straight (and don\u2019t get sued!) means that I pay attention to detail in my authors\u2019 books.<\/p>\n