There’s more than one way to work with books. Find out more about the various roles available – and skills needed – to have a career in publishing.
A career in publishing can be highly stimulating, challenging and rewarding.
While editorial roles are often the first things that come to mind when considering a career in books, there are plenty of other challenging and rewarding positions and workplaces across our diverse industry.
Key roles and divisions within the industry include:
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Administration and finance
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Audio
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Data management and analytics
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Design
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Editorial
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Marketing and publicity
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Production
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Publishing
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Rights management
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Sales and distribution
The skills and qualifications required to work in publishing are as varied as the books and authors the industry supports.
Highly valued traits in the industry include:
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Communication skills – both written and oral
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Creativity - whether with words, design or ideas
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Digital native - comfort with everything from design tools to spreadsheets
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Analytical nature - from understanding sales figures to making projections
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Research skills – beyond Google!
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Organisational ability - planning and prioritising multiple concurrent tasks and projects
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People skills - being able to build relationships with a wide range of colleagues and customers
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Strong attention to detail - not just necessary in editorial roles
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Passion - for books and connecting them to readers
Learn more about the different roles available, and skills required for them, through our case studies of those working across Australian publishing.