Chapter 1. Exploring Careers in the Words and Pictures Industries: Newspapers, Magazines, and Books

Introduction

Featured Jobs

The jobs highlighted below show just a small sample of the many opportunities available in the words and pictures industries. The job descriptions below are just examples. Use career search sites or company job opportunity pages to search for current listings in these fields.

Newspaper Copy Editor, Multi-Media:

Major responsibilities include editing local stories; publishing breaking news to the web; making wire selections; writing headlines; and communicating with the design team that lays out the newspaper.

“To be considered for this position, you should have: a love for the written word; a bachelor’s degree in English, journalism, or similar field (relevant work experience may substitute); writing or editing experience; strong organizational skills.”

News Reporter:

Major responsibilities include writing compelling, in-depth stories; meeting deadlines; and writing basic news or breaking news stories quickly as well as in-depth articles on a variety of topics.

“Candidates must be able to generate compelling and accurate content very quickly as well as have the ability to report on a wide range of subjects covered by our community newspapers. This position requires the ability to juggle multiple deadlines for several publications so multitasking is required.”

Magazine Audience Development Manager:

Major responsibilities include creating strategic audience development plans; overseeing the creative production process of marketing materials; generating new business partnerships; managing monthly circulation of the magazine; and working with editorial and events departments to ensure consistent branding and messaging.

“The Audience Development Manager will develop and execute creative business promotions including email blasts, social media and website content, direct mail, and renewals. These promotions should speak to our already existing readership as well as target new audiences who are interested in [the magazine].”

Editorial Assistant for Trade Book Publisher:

Major responsibilities include administrative support; maintaining professional relationships with authors and agents; tracking submissions, evaluating manuscripts, and generating editorial notes; preparing and routing all manuscripts; drafting catalog copy, tip sheets, launch sheets, jacket copy, and reading group guides; and researching comparative titles.

“Editorial assistant will assist the Editorial Director/Associate Publisher with the acquisition, development, and publication of fiction titles and administrative tasks. Candidates should be exceptionally well-organized, detail oriented, proactive, and able to multitask and prioritize effectively. We are seeking a strong writer who has a broad reading sensibility, and a passion for the publishing industry.”

Marketing Coordinator for Academic Publisher:

Major responsibilities include implementing email and online promotional activity; updating marketing content; creating and maintaining email marketing programs; managing updates to marketing content; and supporting large scale marketing site projects.

“The Marketing Coordinator will support the Director of Marketing, Institutional Solutions and the department with the execution and ongoing maintenance of websites, microsites, email programs and digital marketing campaigns.”

Tips from Industry Professionals

The words and pictures industries of newspapers, magazines, and books, which are undergoing changes to keep up with the digital world in which we live, are fantastic places to embark on a career in the media. Here are some tips from professionals working in words and pictures:

On Industry Changes

• Newspapers: “At a time when print newsrooms continue to shed jobs, thousands of journalists are now working in the growing world of native digital news—at small nonprofits like Charlottesville Tomorrow, big commercial sites like the Huffington Post, and other content outlets, like BuzzFeed, that have moved into original news reporting. In a significant shift in the editorial ecosystem, most of these jobs have been created in the past half dozen years, and many have materialized within the last year alone.” —Mark Jurkowitz, Pew Research Journalism Project
• Journalism: “All the gloomy reports about newspaper circulation rapidly dropping, network news ratings declining, and reporters being laid off might lead you to believe that journalism itself is dying. But journalism is alive and well. It is just that the way reporters do their job is changing.” —cubreporters.org

On Cover Letters

• Magazines: “Keep it short. I started putting word limits on cover letters because I couldn’t stand, nor did I have the time to read, the epically long letters I’d receive. I’m going to give your letter maybe thirty seconds of my time. If you are interested in a job in journalism, you should be able to tell me about yourself and why I should hire you in less than two hundred words. I’ve never hired someone with a long-winded cover letter. Same goes for resumes. No one with fewer than four years of full-time work experience needs more than a page. Your summer lifeguarding job does not need five bullet points.” —Katherine Goldstein, Editor, Vanity Fair’s Web site (her responsibilities include reading magazine job applications)

On Internships

• Books: “Publishing internship experience is ideal, of course, but I do know that’s not attainable for all. While in school, participate in extracurricular activities relating to publishing, like your school newspaper or literary magazine—that looks great on a resume. If you are able to take courses on copyediting or anything digital—go for it! Also, one of the most valuable experiences you can have is to work at a bookstore.” —Carolyn Zimatore, Talent Acquisition Manager, HarperCollins Publishing
• Books: “You know when is a good time to be applying for an internship?...Applying at the beginning of the previous season is your best bet—which means September for winter/spring internships, January for summer internships, and May/June for fall internships. If you don’t stick to the timing on these things, you could be the best-ever intern possibility we’ve seen in our lives, but we’re sorry—we’ve given the job to someone else already.” —Gina Gagliano, Marketing/Publicity Manager, First Second Books

Words and Pictures Resources

Reading about industries that interest you is a great way to learn more and to help narrow your career goals. The resources and event sites for the words and pictures industries listed below are a good place to start your research.

A Closer Look: Money on Paper - The Future of Print Publishing

Watch the video, then use the text boxes below to answer the following questions.

Source: Bloomberg

Question 1

Question 2