Rebecca Suzan

1. Tell us about your current position and what you do.

As a Commissioning Editor for Oxford’s Medicine division, it is my job to identify informational trends and needs in the market of my commissioning fields, Emergency Medicine and Palliative Medicine, and recruit the best authors to produce content to fill those resource gaps. I work to maintain a good relationship between Oxford and our authors, shepherding commissioned works from the proposal stage through to publication.

2. What are some past jobs/positions you have held?

Adjunct English Professor at Brookdale Community College, Assistant Editor at Oxford University Press.

3. Were there any particular TCNJ courses/internships that helped jump-start your career?

Even though I had my sights set on becoming an English professor, I completed several internships while I was an undergraduate to see what else I could do with an English degree. I was an intern with a theater production company, for a literary agent, and at a music publicity firm. After I finished my Bachelor’s at TCNJ, I stayed on to finish my Master’s degree. Then, I started teaching and realized teaching wasn’t for me. I got an internship at Penguin Books USA, where two of my friends from TCNJ were already working, and that’s when I realized I wanted to be in publishing.

4. What are the most important skills you learned that you use today?

Time management. The college environment, which sees many students balance course work with extracurricular activities, a job, and socializing, is excellent preparation for prioritizing tasks as an editor. Also, the ability to put forward a cogent argument supported by facts and details comes in handy when you’re proposing a new book project. As an editor, you have to convince your colleagues that the market needs the proposed project and convincingly make your case after weighing the costs vs. benefits.

5. Do you have any advice for current TCNJ students trying to break into the business?

If you want to be in publishing, there’s no question that you need an internship. It’s a very hard field to break into, but if companies see you’ve been an intern with a publishing house or literary agent, they’ll take note. It shows you have a passion for the industry and some basic knowledge of how the publication process works. Do your research and be able to tell an HR manager why you’re after the specific job for which you’re applying, e.g. know the difference between a developmental editor and an acquisitions editor, or the difference between book marketing and book publicity. Lastly, be persistent and be organized! Check the job boards twice a day and tailor your resume and cover letter to each specific job for which you apply. Landing an interview is hard, but doable!