If your dream weekend consists of snuggling up in your reading nook with a good read and a cup of hot chocolate, your dream job could be book-related! The best part? We’re about to tell you how to lock your dream book job down; all you need to do is keep reading (and we’re guessing you’re already pretty good at that).
While taking on a book store job or career in the publishing industry doesn’t mean you’ll be reading all day, every day, it’ll help you feel more enthusiastic and passionate about your work because you’re drawing upon an existing hobby! What’s more, simply by working in the publishing industry, you’ll never run out of good books to read. Sounds pretty ideal, right?
Jobs for Book Lovers
So, you know that you want to land a book job that uses your existing reading skills. Now you just need to figure out where to start!
It’s important to think of ‘publishing’ as what it really is: a massive industry made up of different careers and pathways. Just think about how much work goes into releasing one book: you need an author, a publisher, a marketer, a designer and a producer (at the very least)! This means that you can find the perfect book job for you, regardless of what you might want your specialisation to be.
To inspire you to find your very own book-related dream job, we’re breaking down some of the most popular book jobs and publishing career paths out there. So, if you want to know how to land the role of your dreams, don’t go anywhere!
What Jobs Can I Do If I Love Reading
How can you plan your bookstore job or book publishing job without knowing the options on offer? Get to know some of the roles that make up the Australian book industry by checking out our insights below!
Bookseller
Is there anything better than the friendly face of a bookseller when you’re in desperate need of new books to read? These super knowledgeable book pros know exactly what to recommend to who and which new releases would do well in their bookstores. If you’re a bookworm and a people person, a bookseller role could be the perfect book job for you!
Editor
Contrary to popular belief, proofreaders and editors are quite different book jobs. Where proofreaders check for grammatical correctness and consistency, editors can advise authors on pacing, plot, characters and more! Essentially, they help a novel transform into the best and most profitable version of itself.
Publicist
Publicist roles are lesser-known but extremely important book jobs! After all, a novel can be brilliant by all standards, but if no one knows that it exists, it simply won’t be read! Essentially, publicists use marketing strategies to tell the public what books to read and help make their client’s books successful.
Publisher
As any reader will know, not every book idea is a winner. Some plots simply need to be brought to life, whereas others may need a little more tinkering before they can warrant a book deal. Landing a book job as a publisher allows you to make the call and decide which books go into print. Careers in the publishing industry require a lot of reading and the ability to make hard decisions, but they’re also super fun!
Librarian
If you aren’t looking for a career in the publishing industry but love books, a library-based book job might be more your speed. Like a bookseller, you’ll be helping people find their perfect literary fits and organising community initiatives to encourage reading. If you ask us, it sounds a lot like a dream job!
How To: Work with Books Without a Degree
Okay, we admit that it can be a little tricky to land a career in the publishing industry without a degree. However, you shouldn’t rule out the no-experience-necessary book jobs. In fact, we think they can prove to be equally rewarding!
The only downside to these types of book jobs is that they can be a little more competitive (because there aren’t any application restrictions), so to stand out from the crowd, you’ll need to go above and beyond!
Some of our top tips for landing a book job sans-degree are:
Read All Kinds of Genres
Sure, it’s great to specialise, but when you’re just starting a career in the publishing industry, it’s best to be familiar with all genres (and a perk of doing so is never running out of books to read)! Whether you’re working as a bookseller or behind the scenes at a publishing house, a well-rounded knowledge of different types of books will serve you well.
Try Your Hand at Writing
While there are plenty of book jobs out there other than author, they all require communication skills (and written communication skills are super important). Whether you’re keeping a journal, writing to a pen pal or working on your debut novel, basic writing skills will help you in any bookstore job or book publishing job!
Contribute to Small Publications
While we’d love to transition straight from high school into a book job with Penguin publishing house, it’s not a realistic expectation. Instead, consider donating your time to small local publications; whether you’re doing writing, editing, proofreading or marketing, the experience will look great on your resume and give you an insight into careers in the publishing industry. Want to learn more about volunteering? Head to our volunteering-specific blog and learn how to find volunteer work and list it correctly on your resume.
Look for Relevant Experience (Even If It’s in Another Industry)
Realistically, a lot of book jobs are roles that exist outside of the publishing industry. For instance, writers and marketers might otherwise work for clothing brands that need their products promoted or public relations experts might work for high-profile tech companies. So, if you can’t land your dream book job or career in the publishing industry, simply look in other industries and come back to publishing when you have more experience!
Book Jobs Aren’t Your Thing? Explore Other Industries Today!
Here at Explore Careers, we know better than anyone that career pathways aren’t a one-size-fits-all kind of thing. That’s why we’re always building guides to help you land your dream job, no matter how ambitious it might be!
If you want to keep exploring, and we know you do, check out these deep-dives today!
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