My Work Experience at Trotman Publishing
By Sophie Gibson
Some young people think that work experience is a bit like Marmite: you either love it or you hate it. Personally, I loved it! My time at Trotman Publishing was both insightful and invigorating as I discovered what it meant to be part of a team in a small (but mighty!) publishing company.
Having recently completed my GCSE examinations I was searching for a work experience that combined my passion for reading, English and modern foreign languages so Trotman Publishing seemed like the perfect fit. So, when I got the email that said they would allow me to become part of their team, as you can imagine, I was delighted, albeit slightly nervous, and the countdown to my first day began!
I am not going to lie, the nerves were starting to build as I connected to my first EVER teams meeting but as soon as I met Alexandra my nerves soon vanished! Her warmth and positive energy made a huge difference as I quickly relaxed and I was welcomed with open arms into the Trotman community.
Shortly after introducing herself, we began to discuss her role in the company as Commissioning Editor and what her job entails which I found extremely interesting and when she suggested I should join her meeting with Managing Editor Louisa I immediately accepted as it allowed me not only to hear about her role in the company, but also see it in action as they discussed Trotman’s upcoming titles and the publishing dates for these books, an opportunity I am truly grateful for.
After lunch, I met Nicola, another Commissioning Editor on the Trotman team, and I also met for a more in-depth chat with Louisa, both of whom were extremely helpful as I bombarded them with questions on their current roles at Trotman and how they differed from their previous roles for other publishing companies. The information they gave me was very valuable and informative and I want to thank them for being so helpful!
My last act of the day was to complete some desktop research related to one of Trotman’s ideas for a new title. Overall, I finished the day with a smile, excited and ready for a new day full of new challenges…
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As the week progressed and I was invited to join a range of different meetings, it really felt like I was becoming a valued part of the Trotman team, rather than just a teenager on work experience.
I joined a Publishing Meeting and Trotman’s Virtual Office where I met Managing Director Sarah, Sales and Marketing Manager Claire and Marketing Executive Bella meaning that during my work experience I met with the entire Trotman team, allowing me to fully see the workings of the company and each person’s role within it. Over the course of my time at Trotman, I got to see first hand the collaborative nature of publishing and how closely everybody works together.
For a number of days, I spent time with the marketing team, which helped me to find out, in detail, what the task of marketing books actually involves, something which I had never really explored before.
I was tasked with creating a marketing plan for a new title which meant having to utilise my creativity. I had to add my own ideas on how best to promote the book and also to research potential book reviewers for the same title. Although I felt the pressure at first knowing my work would be used, it was cancelled out by my determination to finish these tasks to the best of my ability!
I want to specifically thank Claire for giving me the responsibility to complete these tasks and for providing the guidance I needed to do them well. Completing this work has truly enriched my experience at Trotman.
When the opportunity arose, I was really excited to be taught the ropes of editing the Trotman website. I navigated adding ISBN codes and displaying the different available formats of books onto designated pages of the website. It was a really great opportunity and I want to thank Bella for giving up her time (and for her admirable patience!) as I learned about how websites are designed and formatted so that they are as easy as possible for the customer to use.
One of my personal favourite tasks was doing book cover research where I carefully chose potential images to go on the front cover of Trotman’s new edition of a series of seven books. I found this extremely fun and enjoyed trying to reflect the contents of books in their covers!
And just like that, as quickly as the work experience came around, I soon found myself facing the final day, filled with pride at what I had achieved but also sadness that my work with Trotman would now be finishing.
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I would like to conclude by thanking each and every person who made my work experience as memorable, insightful and character building as it was. Although my journey with Trotman Publishing has now ended, I would do it again in a heartbeat.
Since 1969, Trotman’s main aim has been to “help students get the career they want” and thanks to their invaluable help, I have taken a huge step forward in achieving this very goal.
Thank you Trotman!