Ruby Fatimilehin

Editorial Assistant, Hamish Hamilton, Penguin General, Penguin Random House UK
BA English Literature, University of Leeds (2021)

"Publishing is an industry that is difficult to understand from the outside"

"Publishing is an incredibly London-centric industry, so being from and based in the North of England made it difficult to apply for roles. The cost of moving to London is significant as is the cost of commuting. I didn’t know anyone who worked in publishing prior to applying for roles. Publishing is an industry that is difficult to understand from the outside, as there is a lot of specific terminology used and many of the roles don’t exist in other industries. It took me some time to understand how the industry functioned and the roles that were available. Publishing is quite a white industry. As a person of mixed-race heritage, there are still few people from similar backgrounds to me working in the industry, especially at more senior levels.

Applying for (paid) internships was incredibly useful in developing my career as I was able to gain editorial experience whilst saving money. I would highly recommend all students take part in paid internships to boost their CVs and increase their employability once they graduate. University is a great time to try out different things. If you’re not sure which industry you’d like to go into, try as many different internships as possible to try to figure out which roles you enjoy the most. Taking on roles in clubs and societies is incredibly useful. I was the secretary of two societies, and this was useful when applying for roles as it showed I was competent at various administrative tasks such as taking meeting minutes, liaising with various organisations and setting agendas. It’s also a great way to network, meet people and shows that you have good team work skills. Working at The Gryphon was incredibly useful when applying for roles in publishing as it showed I had editorial experience. Even though this experience was in journalism, not book publishing, it was incredibly transferable and useful. Make a LinkedIn profile and upload your roles and achievements. Attend as many publishing talks as possible. Make sure to monitor websites like Creative Access for internships and roles."

On dealing with feelings of insecurity and imposter syndrome:
"I have joined supportive staff networks and industry networks for other people of colour and black people working in the industry. I have engaged in mentorship schemes. I remember that I wouldn’t have been hired if my colleagues didn’t think I’m good at what I do. I speak with my friends and family who are very encouraging!"

• LinkedIn: ruby-fatimilehin-39b5a619a
• Twitter: @RubyFatimilehin