Job-Hunting Handbook: What the HR Experts Say

M.S. in Publishing students get career tips from Stacy Berliner (back, left) and Sara Patterson (back, right).

Publishing is a tight-knit community, and for those seeking their first positions in the industry, it can be tough to break in. Luckily, last week, students in NYU’s M.S. in Publishing: Digital and Print Media program had the opportunity to attend a panel discussion moderated by the program’s director, Andrea Chambers, and featuring two senior human resources executives in the publishing industry. Sara Patterson, Head of Talent Management for Condé Nast, and Stacy Berliner, Director of Human Resources at Random House, shared their insights, key networking tips, and job-hunting techniques crucial for snagging that publishing dream job.

McNally Jackson’s Espresso Book Machine: Write it. Print it. Now!

Espresso Book Machine at McNally Jackson’s Manhattan Bookstore

“I like the part where it pops out,” says Beth Steidle, who is one of two primary operators of McNally Jackson’s Espresso Book Machine. “It’s kind of like Willy Wonka.” But despite the analogy, this machine isn’t popping out candy (or coffee beans or a steamy brew!); it’s printing books. One at a time. Exactly how the customers want them. Last week, NYU’s M.S. in Publishing: Digital and Print Media Program students got a first-hand look at the machine and its wonders during a private visit to the Nolita bookstore.

The Espresso Book Machine (EBM) is a giant contraption that creates print-on-demand paperback books, fully bound, in minutes. The 87 EBMs in the world are sold or rented/leased by On Demand Books. The New York-based company was founded in 2003 by publishing legend Jason Epstein, who had long envisioned an efficient way to print books at an affordable cost in a neighborhood setting. Today, the company stores all of its books on a network database. They’re boldly tackling the old publishing model of gambling on print runs. And they are partnering with major publishers like HarperCollins to deliver out-of-print books at the customer’s convenience (and expense!). In addition, On Demand Books is providing an instant means for self-publishers to see their e-creations in printed form. With all this undeniable business potential, it’s no wonder McNally Jackson was the first in New York to invest in an Espresso Book Machine—and they’ve never regretted it.

Books, Blogs, and Literary Mags, Oh My!

Students in the M.S. in Publishing program not only spend a great deal of time on media websites and reading blogs, but they also create them! We recently asked our students to tell us about their publishing-related online hobbies and businesses. Below, we have selected three examples to spotlight:

A Talk with Simon & Schuster’s CEO Carolyn Reidy

Students at Simon & Schuster with CEO Carolyn Reidy

Students in the Master of Science in Publishing program at NYU recently had the opportunity to sit down with Simon & Schuster’s President and CEO Carolyn Reidy as she discussed her career, the evolution and future of publishing, and her advice for publishing hopefuls.“ Publishing requires passion,” she told the group. “It takes people with backgrounds in all areas. No matter your interest or skill, it can be used in publishing.”

E-Book Evolution

April Osborn, Jessica Wells, Hanna Oswald, Naomi Kennedy and Cindy Peng volunteer at Digital Book World

At the recent Digital Book World conference, one of the finest moments was the sight of New York’ s top book publishing executives clustered around TV screens and netbooks watching Steve Jobs demonstrate the wonders of the iPad. For months, publishers had clung to every nuance, every rumor about the mysterious Apple tablet, so there was a certain poetic justice in Job’s decision to announce the launch in the middle of the first-ever conference devoted to the radically changing way readers consume books.

Until the iPad stole the show, conference organizers did an excellent job of bringing together senior management, product developers, strategists, editors, agents, marketers, and what they called “digital change professionals” for two days of lectures and panel discussions about how e-books will revolutionize publishing.

Google, E-Readers and More

David Carr(l) and Ken Auletta have a Google chat

Did you know that employees at Google’s Mountain View, CA campus get free oil changes and car washes on Thursdays? Or that there are five doctors on campus? How about the fact that engineers can spend 20% of their time working on what they want? This 80/20 rule, which has spawned Google Wave, Google News and Gmail, is part of a corporate culture where boss and cofounder Sergey Brin rollerblades (late) to meetings in his gym shorts. Every building has its own cafeteria serving everything from Mexican food to sushi and free food is everywhere.