1. Employment Profile: What exactly does a Literary Scout do? |
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 What field is your job in?
Publishing
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What is your job title?
Literary Scout
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Please provide a brief description of the firm or organization that you currently work for
(size and general description of what type of organization it is)
My agency works for several foreign publishing companies. We advise them on upcoming books being published in the US and which titles our clients should publish based on their editors' individual interests, the likely commercial success of the book, and the particular country's interests.
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How long have you been employed in this position?
1.5 years
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How many hours do you work a week on average?
45
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Please provide a BRIEF description of your duties and responsibilities. (job description)
I spend much of my time reading manuscript and writing reports to clients. I track the projects of specific US literary agents and publishers and relay pertinent information to our clients. I also organize our office for several major book fairs each year and create our clients schedules based on whom in US publishing they should meet with.
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What was your gross income last year? Please include any bonuses or incentives received.
3100
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What is your expected gross income for this year? Please include any bonuses or incentives you expect to receive.
3400
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Please
list any benefits you have (Please include number of weeks vacation,
sick leave and type of health insurance, retirement plan 401k)
Health insurance, 3 weeks vacation, unlimited sick days, dental insurance, 401k
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Do you feel you are under/well/over compensated at your current position?
Well compensated for a publishing position.
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2. Work environment! |
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Does
your job entail you working with others on a daily basis? Is this
something you like/dislike about your job? Explain
Our office is small with only five scouts. We spend a lot of time socializing with each other and other individuals in publishing. We also build strong personal relationships with our clients.
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Do you work collaboratively with supervisors/managers?
Yes
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Do you work collaboratively with your co-workers?
Yes
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Describe
your work location (e.g., office, home, theatre, in the field) and what
you like/dislike about working in it
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Please rank in order of importance from 1-8 (1- most important 8- least important) Assign each number once.
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8 Income
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6 Work Environment - co-workers
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2 Work Environment - supervisors
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3 Benefits
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7 Hours
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4 Level of responsibility
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1 The actual "work" you do at your job
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5 Job Title
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3. How should someone new to the workforce get a J-O-B like yours? |
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If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?
Begin with an internship at a literary agency, gathering experience going through unsolicited submissions and getting a primary view of the publishing industry.
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What
skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a
position like yours? Please be specific and explain why (e.g., social
skills, organization skills, technical skills)
Organizational skills to keep on top of what has to be read and reported on. Reading critically and with an awareness of what types of literature are likely to be successful. Writing skills that ensure readers will fully understand your thoughts on manuscripts. Social skills as we do work closely with clients and other people in publishing.
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Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?
At least a four year degree
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What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?
Be aware that you will spend a lot of time out of the office reading manuscripts. You will read a lot of garbage, but also some amazing finds. There is some travel involved, usually to Germany and the UK annually.
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