The Beginning – Part 2 [Shiv]

Dear Publishing Circle,

Many things have changed since we started studying publishing. Some of us have moved to new and exciting parts of the country. Some of us are still seeking employment in our chosen field. Some of us have landed on our feet. And some of us are happy just to have landed.

So I propose a new era for The Publishing Circle – (and I know, we have far less free time now than when we were students) - let’s share what we’re up to these days. Give us all a glimpse into your daily tasks at work or home, your successes and failures. And let’s keep sharing ideas and comments on things happening in our professions and in the world around us.

Publishing has always thrived on good communication skills so we’re following in the finest industry traditions.

Kind regards and best wishes for the future,

Circle member

Study, Job-hunting, Rain and Caffeine [Shiv]

So…

In approximately 24 hours the M.Litt in Publishing Studies class of ’09 will be walking out of our exam. It’s a strange thought. When sitting the final exams of my undergraduate degree I remember thinking; you’ll never have to do this again. I guess the lesson is never say never.

I’m about halfway through Inside Book Publishing and haven’t even looked at my lecture notes (some of which are still haphazardly strewn on the floor of my room from when I ‘cleared’ the desk last week). I’m on my third cup of tea this morning and have run out of milk. But it’s raining far too heavily for me to leave the house to get some. There’s something poetic about the slight bitterness of black tea and my slight bitterness about the process of job hunting.

As I’m sure most of the class are, I’m writing cover letters and emails to beat the band. With few responses. I was lucky enough to get an interview with Intellect, journal publisher in Bristol. A 12 hour round trip and even though they seemed to like me, I didn’t get the job. Now I’m facing a similar situation trying to get to Oxford for an interview with Taylor and Francis. I’m honoured to get an interview (that sounds a bit sycophantic I know but they’re huge and probably have tonnes of uber-qualified candidates) but I’m apprehensive about making that trip, going through pre-interview and mid-interview nerves, either feeling devastated or getting my hopes up only to have them quashed again. And getting back up to Scotland will be a nightmare the day before our end of year party and results.

I really ought to stop whinging and get back to work. I guess the mild bitterness about job-hunting is bleeding through and becoming exam apathy. Then again, I’m just out of practice at procrastinating.

I’m looking forward to being finished on this course, though I’m going to miss my classmates. Entering the real world and getting a proper publishing job is going to be exciting and scary and wonderful. Just going to have to face the rain as well as the studying.