Behind the Books Bi-Weekly Update 01 June 2026

Hello! This is my bi-weekly update on publishing. I hope you haven’t missed me too much, but here I am again with another catch-up for all you wonderful people who are dying to get into the industry just as much as I am. So, without further ado, here’s another segment of the blind leading the blind!

Big news, the biggest news: I’ve had an interview! Well, actually three, to be exact (it was a three-stage process) for a creative agency. The role was for a Marketing Account Executive, and as nervous as I was, the experience was actually a really positive one.

They didn’t want to catch you out or make you any more nervous than you already were, and I genuinely felt like they were rooting for me. The only intimidating part was the three stages. Having to continuously give your best while meeting new people each time can be quite draining, and then there’s the hope aspect. The closer you get, the harder it is if it doesn’t work out. When you're that close to something, it cuts that much deeper knowing there was a real chance it could have been yours.

But the interview process really made me look at interviews differently. It showed me that they can be positive, rewarding experiences and such a huge learning curve. You start to recognise your strengths in these situations and can carry that confidence and experience into future interviews.

The team and company in general were what really sold me. They were so sociable, supportive, and passionate about what they do, and that passion and heart were something I could relate to so strongly. I could genuinely see myself fitting in there, and I think they sensed that too.

Marketing is also an industry that I can feel myself thriving in. I'm a very creative person who has become increasingly invested in audience engagement through the various roles and work experiences I've had over the years. The brands they worked with were exciting too, and their campaigns were incredibly fun and inventive. There was such an energetic buzz around everything they did, and you could tell they genuinely loved their work and were exceptionally good at it. It felt like the kind of environment where I could really see myself growing.

I've also been volunteering for a while now at the Hunterian Museum, and I don't think I've ever met such an inviting and warm group of people. I think the most surprising part is that there are all kinds of people there, from different backgrounds and with different reasons for volunteering, and it makes the experience so much richer.

I think some form of volunteering is always worth considering when you're unemployed, especially after finishing a degree and struggling to find work. Not only does it mean your CV won't have a huge gap, but it also gives you plenty of skills and experiences to talk about in applications and interviews. For me, because I'd already volunteered in other ways, whether as an editorial assistant for a newsletter, at a book fair, or elsewhere, it felt like another valuable experience to add under my belt.

Now, I know volunteering can be a privilege because you're not getting paid. However, at the Museum they cover travel and food expenses, which is wonderful. Without that support, I wouldn't have been able to do it myself. It's definitely something worth looking into, and it doesn't matter whether your interests are in english literature, history, science, or something completely different, they welcome people from a wide range of backgrounds, so don't be put off.

Everyone I've met has been absolutely lovely, and the supervisors have been incredibly supportive, so it's hard to see any downsides. Job hunting can be so monotonous and, at times, quite lonely, so those interactions have felt genuinely fulfilling and productive. On top of volunteering, there are opportunities to join museum tours, speak with former surgeons, and learn more about the collections and history of the museum itself.

I love museums anyway, so it couldn't be much more perfect. Well... almost. I can be a little squeamish, and a museum dedicated to the history of surgery can definitely test that. But so far, exposure therapy seems to be working wonders.

Anyway, honestly, it’s really positive news, it feels like a nice change. I think my new approach has definitely been working, or maybe things just happened at the right time, but either way it’s good. I’m excited, and very nervous (obviously).

And to all my lost bookworms,

Stay Steadfast x