By Anjani Jayakar, Assistant Blog Editor ∼
In Spring 2021, when Elise Tecco served as KLIO’s blog editor, it was clear she had already envisioned and prepared for the career path ahead of her. Elise shared her vision in a useful blog post entitled, “My Experience as a Literary Intern: A Guide to a Career in Book Publishing,” where she talks about her experience as a literary intern and explores other various jobs and publishers in the world of book publishing.
A 2022 graduate of Penn State, with a major in digital and print journalism and a minor in English, Elise worked hard to get a publishing job she loves—currently with Penguin Random House as marketing assistant for their Berkley imprint.
Elise Tecco Credit: Elise Tecco
With her new experiences as part of a reputable book publishing company, I was glad for the opportunity to interview Elise. In the following interview, she gives authentic advice to Penn Staters eager to get a job in the literary field and tells us a little bit about how she’s doing now.
Note: This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and conciseness.
Anjani Jayakar: Can you describe your path to get into publishing?
Elise Tecco: I learned about the career of working in book publishing through my mom, who always dreamed of working in that industry like me. At Penn State, I became involved in clubs like VALLEY Magazine (Penn State’s premiere life and style magazine on campus), and Ed2010 (an organization that “aspires to help students reach their magazine dream jobs through networking opportunities, professional workshops, industry speaker sessions and more.”) These clubs surrounded me with people and experiences related to publishing – and I loved it!
I really became involved with books when I got a job at my local bookstore the summer after my sophomore year at Penn State. I thoroughly enjoyed talking to customers about what type of book they were looking for, along with running the store’s Instagram and writing articles for the store’s blog.
During my junior year, I was able to get a virtual internship at a literary agency, where I read manuscripts and filled out reader reports describing what I liked about the story, what could change, etc. This was a wonderful way for me to learn about the agency side of publishing.
The summer after my junior year, I applied to so many internships in book publishing companies … and did not get any of them. This was when I learned just competitive the industry is. But I still wanted to learn, so that summer, I contacted several people on LinkedIn to conduct informational interviews with, essentially asking them about what it’s like to work in publishing, their daily tasks, their advice.
I highly recommend doing something like this to network and learn! Even though it can feel scary to reach out, most of the time people are super nice and willing to talk about their experiences – especially former Penn Staters!
During my senior year at Penn State, I decided to apply to the NYU Summer Publishing Institute, a month-long intensive program in NYC where you learn about book and magazine publishing. I was ecstatic when I got in, and the summer after graduating from PSU, I attended this program where I was able to soak up every piece of information and advice from some of the top professionals in the industry, along with gaining hands-on experience through the projects we completed.
After the program finished in July, I spent from then until Mid-December applying to as many jobs as I could, crafting my resume and cover letters, maintaining the connections I made through Penn State and NYU, and preparing for interviews.
After many failed attempts, my hard work finally paid off when I got my job as a marketing assistant at Penguin Random House within their Berkley imprint! It is normal to feel very overwhelmed about the entire process of applying to jobs – I know that’s how I was feeling – but I encourage you to not give up on your dreams. Be confident in your abilities and I promise you will find where you’re meant to be!
AJ: What advice do you have for Penn State students wanting to get into publishing?
ET: I really encourage students to experience and learn as much as you can while at Penn State! I remember Bob Martin, Assistant Dean of Internships and Careers at the Bellisario College of Communications, always emphasized the “3 C’s,” meaning classes, clubs, and career. What employers want to see is your passion for the job and your experience, and there are SO many things you can take advantage of at Penn State to set yourself up for success.
Classes: I majored in digital and print journalism with a minor in English, and I always enjoyed finding classes that not only fit within my major and minor but also sparked my interest and gave me experiences I could talk about.
For example, I took an amazing children’s literature class, a social media class, along with the English class (ENGL 209) that allowed me to be a part KLIO just like you! I encourage students to take classes that excite you and give you concrete experiences. This is important because it gives you the opportunity to see what you like to do and gives you skills to touch upon when you start applying to jobs.
If applicable, don’t be afraid to apply your passion for books/publishing in the projects that you do. For example, in my English 15 class, we were assigned a project to create a “persuasive podcast.” I did mine on why libraries are so important, and I got the opportunity to interview people who worked at the wonderful Schlow Library downtown! Something as simple as that can make all the difference when applying to jobs – plus it’s fun to learn!
Clubs: Getting involved is one of the best things you can do, and it is never too late to join! I was heavily involved with VALLEY Magazine. Being on the editorial team gave me the chance to write and edit articles, but VALLEY offers several divisions (business, PR, creative) for people to get involved in and gain skills, including the ability to work with other people, an essential tool no matter where you work.
I also was the president of the club Ed2010. One of the biggest tips I can give you is to network, and this club was a great way to do so. Ed2010 allows students to meet virtually (and in person, getting a chance to visit NYC!) with professionals in industries like publishing, media, PR, etc. Getting to hear valuable advice from people with dream careers is a great way for you to learn and make a connection with these people.
Penn State has SO many clubs and orgs (from THON to IM sports to acapella groups). Just because it doesn’t directly involve publishing doesn’t mean it isn’t giving you valuable life experiences you can apply to future careers. Taking on an exec role within that club is an even better way to show employers your skills!
Career: Lastly, having internships gives you true experience and important skills outside of classrooms and clubs. I highly encourage students to create a LinkedIn profile and start connecting with professionals, starting with Penn State alumni.
Also, don’t hesitate to meet with the Penn State staff in your career department to talk about internships and jobs – they are there to help you! If you are looking for an internship/job in book publishing, BookJobs.com is a great resource.
But there are also internships on campus that can give you amazing experience. I had a marketing internship at WPSU, Penn State’s local public radio station. I helped do marketing for the Education and Engagement team, specifically focusing on their children’s content. Since I knew I was interested in the marketing side of book publishing, I wanted to broaden my experience in that realm and this internship helped me do that, as I talked about what I did at WPSU in future interviews!
Don’t be afraid to try new things and ask your professors, advisor, other staff members and students about opportunities like this. If you do know you’re interested in book publishing, tell people! You never know where it may lead you.
One last tip! You can also follow book publishers and book influencers online, including Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn. This is a perfect way to stay engaged with the book community and show that you are passionate and knowledgeable.
AJ: How do you like the marketing aspect of publishing, vs. being a literary agent?
ET: This is a great question! There are pros and cons to each.
For context, before getting my job now at Penguin Random House, I had a virtual internship at a literary agency where I was in charge of reading manuscripts and filling out reader reports on what I liked about the story, what I would change, etc. A literary agent is the person who, after signing with an author, helps find an editor at a publishing house to take on that author and their book.
As someone who loves stories and words, this was really fun for me. It truly felt special to have the ability to read manuscripts that no one has ever seen before. However, I did find that this internship cut into some of my personal reading time, which is something I treasure. I didn’t love that my internship was interfering with my time to read for fun. There were also some manuscripts that I personally was not a fan of, so reading and writing about them was not my favorite thing to do.
This is one of the reasons I was drawn into the marketing side of book publishing. I love that marketing allows you to still work closely with a story, just after it has already been written. In marketing, you get to think creatively and brainstorm WHO the reader of a particular story is and HOW to reach them. Playing a part in getting books into the hands of readers, whether it be through a social media campaign, a newsletter, a Goodreads giveaway, an advertisement and so much more, is something I find incredibly impactful, and I’ve been really enjoying learning more and more about the marketing side of publishing.
I think it comes down to your personal preference!
Articles and resources online can help you learn about the different divisions in book publishing. Here is a very helpful article from Penguin Random House: “How to Get Into Publishing: Tips to help navigate the process of finding a career in the publishing world.”
AJ: Sticking with the theme of books, what are you reading now?
ET: I am reading “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow” by Gabrielle Zevin!
“Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow” by Gabrielle Zevin Credit: Knopf
Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn!
Anjani Jayakar is a second-year student and the assistant blog editor for KLIO 2023. She is undecided on her major, but eventually wants to end up in a conservation-related career. She loves to volunteer at the Penn State Arboretum and is working on getting her instructor certification in Tang Soo Do.