Career change from Publishing

swingy

Hi guys, I'm hoping someone can offer me some words of wisdom.

I've worked in publishing as an editor for the past nearly 4 years - first in non-fiction illustrated trade, most recently a contract in academic publishing that finishes up in the first week of December.

I want to leave publishing (it's geographically constrained, the industry is waning and the pay is lowish for a high skilled job). My dream job would be to move into advertising, but this seems a bit out of reach, though I've been emailing speculatively the various agencies in my area (lots and lots of digital marketing/creative agencies in my city), so I've also been looking at marketing and PR jobs.

I've been looking at Marketing/PR Executive, Coordinator, entry-levelish or one up from entry-level kind of stuff - not too overarching, given I've got lots of transferrable experience, but I've sent about 30 applications over the past 2-3 weeks (not counting the speculative ones) and I've only had silence. (And two "we're not inviting you for interview"s.)

I've jazzed up my CV and attached a portfolio where I show some of the books I've edited/written, and the freelance marketing/advertising copywriting I've been doing for clients in my spare time to gain experience, but I'm just a bit bummed out at the wall of silence.
It was such a struggle to get into publishing in the first place as I had minimal working experience, and though now I have lots of experience I'm just scared that I'm going to face exactly the same thing this time round because my background isn't 100% exactly what the employer may expect/want.

My plans are wavering between doing an SEO/digital marketing short course, or wrangling an internship that could teach me the above with no cost. I'm not sure which would look better on my CV...

Are there any MSErs out there who work in marketing/PR/advertising and can weigh in on this stuff? I'm aware this may be TLDR, but I'm just a bit worried about it all.

GothicStirling

Is there any way that you could get some work experience in the marketing department of a publisher? Having said that, most publishing jobs that I have seen recently, have asked for a knowledge of digital publishing. Marketing these days is very focused around Facebook, Twitter etc, so are you social media literate?

I think re-training is a good idea, put it this way you are competing with recent graduates who probably have done internships. I would also look into voluntary positions, The National Trust are looking for marketing and publicity volunteers near to where I live, so its worth a thought.

National_Careers_Service

Hello Swingy,

It sounds like you’ve been putting a lot of time and effort in to getting your career change plans into action, though haven’t quite had the results that you’ve been looking for, so far.

Clearly you’ve been proactive in your approach, though it appears that the communication has been all one way. Getting some brutally honest feedback from employers may help, as this will enable you to identifying where your “blind-spots” are. Though getting feedback from employers may present some challenges in itself, any response you do get will help you in assessing where you currently stand in relation to the advertising/marketing/PR jobs markets. If for example employers are able to tell you that it’s experience that you’re lacking, at least this will give you a clearer idea of where you need to channel your time and energies.

Getting some impartial CV feedback may also help. No doubt you have excellent writing abilities; however writing a CV and marketing your own skills and experience in the right way, is another skill entirely. As an editor yourself, I’m sure that you can appreciate the objectivity of another set of eyes viewing your work.
Consider having a career professional having a look through your CV. Though your CV may be very good, a careers adviser will help you in identifying way of getting a stronger and more targeted focus in your CV, so that potential employers can see the relevance of your transferable skills and experience, and potential as a candidate.

GothicStirling has a very good point regarding experience and completion for jobs. Taking a course and/or gaining voluntary experience will help you in bridging the gap between publishing and advertising /marketing/PR.
The Chartered Institute of Marketing, Public Relations Consultants Association and the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising offer a wide range of courses for you to consider.

Good look with your job searching and career change plans

Adam

swingy

Thanks very much Adam and GothicStirling both - I really appreciate you trying your best to point me in the right direction.

At the moment I'm doing okay more or less - I'm waiting on a notification of whether or not I'll be called back for a 2nd interview at a PR company, a job I would really absolutely love to get. It's a junior position, but I don't mind this at all as prospects are great there.

I'm bricking it, especially as I expect to hear tomorrow about the 2nd one. Scared of how awful I know I am going to feel if it's a no, but trying not to panic. Scared out of my mind. Good luck to everyone hunting!

DKLS

swingy wrote: »

I want to leave publishing (it's geographically constrained, the industry is waning and the pay is lowish for a high skilled job).

Lowish! is not the word, the publishing sector pay is abysmal. I know an editor or #content strategist' as she is now known who has a portfolio of titles that generates about 5million a year and is paid 42k.


May be worth having a look look at web/digital content editor roles which could utilise your current skills in a different sector.

swingy

Cheers DKLS. I would give my eye teeth to be on 42k - good on her! I'm guessing she's pretty established, and/or London based? Does she work in book/magazine publishing, or in another sector in an editorial role? Guessing the latter.

Yeah, I think digital content editor roles would be a very good idea, but I'm just feeling a bit low confidence about it all at the moment - anything advertised with an agency seems to be a total waste of time as they seem to just want cookie cutter candidates.

Am very much hoping I can get on the rung in this PR company, and start earning better money down the line! PR doesn't seem half as horrifically low paid as publishing as far as I can see.

DKLS

swingy wrote: »

Cheers DKLS. I would give my eye teeth to be on 42k - good on her! I'm guessing she's pretty established, and/or London based? Does she work in book/magazine publishing, or in another sector in an editorial role? Guessing the latter.

Yeah, I think digital content editor roles would be a very good idea, but I'm just feeling a bit low confidence about it all at the moment - anything advertised with an agency seems to be a total waste of time as they seem to just want cookie cutter candidates.

She is in Edinburgh and is in STM publishing and has been for over 15 years. Huge amount of responsibility but little in the way of recognition and reward.


These sites can be good:


http://www.morganhealey.com/
http://www.publishingjobs.org.uk/


Also worth checking Indeed and CWjobs, as there are often roles where Editorial skills would be very advantageous.


Also try the various Groups on LinkedIn, as unadvertised jobs often appear in the groups.

swingy

Interesting, thanks!

I may stay away from those publishing jobs sites, since I want to high-tail it out of the industry, but thanks for the links anyway. Maybe as stop-gaps if I get desperate!

SeaLion_2

Marketing/advertising - it is as tough to get into a decently paid job as it is in publishing. The 'luvvie' aspect is the side that makes it competitive. Prepare for a tough task, but you did it in publishing, no reason you couldn't do it in marketing.

swingy

Haha, how do the luvvies keep getting everywhere?!

Thanks SeaLion - the main pulls of marketing/advertising/PR for me is that 1) they're all creative industries I'm sure I'll be able to do good work in, which 2) hopefully won't have me fantasising about stepping under the nearest heavy goods vehicle and 3) are big, ubiquitous industries with (in very general terms) jobs advertised everywhere.

Good career progression which'll lead to a solid (to me this'd mean about 30k+) pay cheque after a few years is important to me, but the whole non-heavy-goods-vehicle thing is probably more important. I can freelance for play money in my spare time if needs be.

If I don't get invited for 2nd interview with these guys tomorrow I will be gutted, but if so I'll just need to sign on next week and get straight back to the hunt.