Overview
Publishing is one of the hardest graduate industries to break into. The major London publishers receive thousands of applications for each editorial assistant opening, and the starting salaries are low enough that most candidates need additional experience just to prove their commitment. The graduates who get hired are the ones who have already done the work: interned at a publisher, edited a student magazine, proofread manuscripts, or managed submissions for a literary journal.
This resume belongs to Elliot, an English Literature BA graduate from University College London who interned at Faber & Faber and edited the university's student literary magazine. His resume works because it quantifies his editorial output: 35 manuscripts read and reported on, 14 magazine issues produced, 120+ submissions managed per issue.
Publishing internship experience
If you interned at a publisher, describe what you actually did, not just the name of the company. Elliot's internship at Faber & Faber involved reading and writing reader's reports on 35 unsolicited manuscripts, proofreading 8 proofs at page stage, and managing the submissions inbox which received 200+ queries per month.
These specifics tell a hiring editor that Elliot understands the full editorial pipeline, from acquisition to production.
Student publications and editing experience
Editing a student magazine or literary journal is the best extracurricular for publishing careers. Elliot served as editor of Pi Magazine, UCL's student literary magazine, for 2 years. He managed a team of 8 section editors, processed 120+ submissions per issue, and produced 14 print issues.
If you ran a blog, podcast, or newsletter, the same principle applies. Name the publication, your role, the output volume, and the audience size.
Proofreading and style guides
Proofreading is a core skill for editorial assistants. If you are familiar with specific style guides (Oxford, Chicago Manual of Style, house styles), mention them. Elliot's resume mentions proofreading to Oxford style and using BSI proofreading marks. These details signal professional training, not just a casual eye for typos.
Software and systems
Publishing uses specific tools: InDesign (or InCopy) for typesetting, Biblio or Klopotek for rights and metadata, and various manuscript tracking systems. If you have used any of these, list them. Even proficiency with Word's Track Changes, Grammarly Pro, or Scrivener shows you understand the tools of the trade.
