Career Path of a Book Marketing and Publicity Coordinator at Penguin Random House

I always knew I wanted to be involved with books or magazines. I love writing, and I knew from a young age that I either wanted to be a writer myself, or work with writers because I cherish stories and learning from them.

In college at LMU, I majored in Communication Studies with an English minor. These fields went hand-in-hand, involving lots of reading and writing. The communications aspect taught me more about the business side and how to interact within an organization, whether with internal teams, external teams, or authors.

While an undergraduate student at LMU, I was heavily involved with Her Campus, an online magazine created by and for young women in their twenties. I started as a writer and eventually became the senior editor, and then the president of the LMU chapter in my final year. This experience helped me develop my writing skills and learn how to run a chapter of the magazine.

This involvement solidified my interest in the online media and publishing space. I also interned with the national branch of Her Campus as a staff writer and editor for their lifestyle and wellness sections. This allowed me to connect with women from universities worldwide who shared my passion for writing and storytelling.

Beyond Her Campus, I was also a member of an honor society and involved in Greek life. I enjoy interacting with people and fostering relationships, which has guided me throughout college and life.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, part of my college experience was online. I interned with MJ Insurance, a connection my dad had. While working from home, I gained insight into how a business operates. I was part of an internal graphic design and communications team that produced materials for outside clients, such as insurance benefit guides. This experience taught me new skills, including how to use Adobe InDesign and Photoshop to create graphics.

I also worked at Barnes and Noble, which combined my retail experience with my love of books. When I applied for my current role at Hay House Publishing, now part of Penguin Random House, I discussed my Barnes and Noble experience and my Her Campus writing and editing background.

I initially thought I would pursue an editorial role, as that's what I was accustomed to with Her Campus. However, I discovered a marketing and publicity assistant position at Hay House, located in my hometown of Carlsbad, California. The job description aligned with my interests and prior experience, though it was not editorial.

The role involved promoting books and authors to the public, rather than focusing on the grammar and content of the books themselves. While this was a departure from my previous work, I applied and went through the interview process. I accepted the job and have been with Hay House for two and a half years, recently being promoted to coordinator.

Currently, I create content for social media marketing and email marketing, focusing on the backend marketing efforts. On the public relations side, I help authors secure interviews and promote their books, essentially supporting their brand and helping them connect with their audience.