Jesse B

I have grown up with cats all my life and have always thought there was something just a bit extra special about them. They seem to know what you’re thinking before you even know what you’re thinking and have this way about them. They can sneak up on you when you didn’t even know they were around, they fit into places you would put money on would be impossible and they climb like nobody’s business. That sounds a lot like something else — the cunning abilities of real life ninjas. They must have learned their skills from something — their moves and skills inspired by something the studies hard. My guess, cats are the inspiration because no one could teach a cat to be this awesome — it just oozes out of them. - Jesse B

I really wanted to get into publishing. Like, a lot. Never mind that the industry is slowly dying, the economy sucks, I had zero experience and the pay is (and always will be) crap. No, I’m a book lover, and in my naïve—but enthusiastic—mindset, I thought that was all I needed. So I spent the three months after my May graduation carefully editing my resume, crafting the perfect cover letter, and applying for every single job at every single publisher in New York. I stalked mediabistro and bookjobs, made a ton of contacts and . . . well, that was pretty much it. I had one interview in 3 months. - Jesse B

Top secret news here: across the country, thousands of people have graduated college and are looking for their dream jobs. It’s hard—that is, when it’s not demoralizing. People of all ages are out there looking for jobs, but as we think about career-starting, we want to spend the rest of the month building on an article that helped lay the foundation for Trendsetter itself: “How to Get a Job in Publishing” by Marian Schembari. Marian wrote the article for Publishing Trends back in September 2009, and it remains one of our top three most popular articles to this day. - Jesse B

Lisa Vanterpool brought us right into the action with her great post last week about her first day at the London Book Fair. Now, with a bit of distance–and time to rest and recover–she offers some great tips about how a young book professional can get the most out of a fair like LBF…or BookExpo America in just one month’s time, hint hint… - Jesse B

Entry-level publishing professionals are many things: determined go-getters, expert multitaskers, and unabashed book lovers. Transitioning from an undergraduate literature major to an assistant in the publishing industry is a challenging yet rewarding process. For some, diving headfirst into the industry is an education unto itself. But for others, a master’s degree in publishing or a related field provides a competitive edge and broad-based knowledge of the ever evolving marketplace. While the decision to pursue a master’s degree holds broad appeal for young publishing professionals (have you ever met an editorial assistant who doesn’t want to go back to school?), the road to an advanced degree is a serious investment of time, money, and energy and may not be the right choice for everyone. - Jesse B

John Malone's Liberty Media Corp. made an offer Thursday to acquire Barnes & Noble Inc. BKS -2.75% for $1.02 billion, a dramatic turn for the nation's largest bookstore chain—which put itself up for sale last summer but struggled to find a buyer as the outlook for traditional booksellers soured. - Jesse B

I have a feeling part of Hocking’s appeal (and she has said so herself) was her cheap price and easy delivery. I’m not sure those who go in for vampire romance want to trudge to the local bookstore and shell out $30 for a book—and make no mistake, the traditional publishing world still relies on big bookstore sales. Then again, it worked for Twilight. - Jesse B

Are you a European student looking for a placement in the UK? Do you have a valid EU, EEA or EFTA passport? Is your placement a required element of your course? If your answer is 'YES' then we're here to help you in your search. IMPORTANT! - Our service is completely FREE to you, the student. There are no costs at all. Ever! - All our placements are PAID. You will receive a reasonable allowance. We do not feature unpaid placements. - All placements featured on our site are REAL and AVAILABLE NOW - We are NOT linked to any other company or placement organisation. We are unique and independent - We were ESTABLISHED in 2001. That's over 10 years of providing free, paid placements to students - Our REPUTATION is impeccable. But don't take our word for it - check us out online, and see our testimonials - Jesse B