It is often difficult to persuade salespeople that library and publishing conferences have more to offer than just staffing an exhibit booth. While many of the sessions at these conferences are very “inside baseball” and focus on specific topics like cataloging or standards, they offer an excellent learning opportunity since sales, marketing and communications are at the nexus of the publishers, librarians, and researchers inhabit, as each plays an integral role in the research workflow. Conference programs provide an excellent opportunity to hear leaders from the publishing and library communities speak, and they also offer the opportunity mix with customers and new colleagues. Also, what better way to learn about your competitors? On the flip side, if an invitation to speak arises, grab it. It may be harrowing the first few times out but the more you do it, the easier it gets. One of the best ways to learn about a topic is to research it, prepare a presentation, and be ready to defend what you’ve presented. And the visibility can help your career as well.

The number of institutions granting various types of degrees in publishing has grown (e.g., Universities.com is a good resource). Several colleges and universities offer either associate’s or bachelor’s degrees in publishing and there are quite a few master’s programs as well. In addition, some universities offer four-to-six-week intensive certification-granting programs. Of course, there are more options available through online education. In my observation, most of the college and university programs focus on trade and book publishing, so it’s necessary to do careful research to find programs that delve into scholarly publishing. In the past five years, I lectured on journal publishing at the Denver University Publishing Institute, a four-week certificate-granting summer program. Each year 90 to 100 students were enrolled, and it was gratifying to observe an enthusiastic group of young and middle-aged students—some with publishing experience and others with their newly minted bachelor’s degrees—embrace the prospect of a career in publishing. The publishing industry may have evolved from print to digital, the modes of accessing content have changed drastically, and the reality is very different from the world portrayed on Younger, but the quest for sharing knowledge, information, and sheer enjoyment remains alive and healthy.

Speaking of certification, those interested in scholarly publishing should consider a Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential. Since such a large portion of research publishing falls within the domain of professional associations, knowledge beyond the parameters of publishing can open many different opportunities to career advancement. Publishing is often a cornerstone of many professional societies’ revenue streams, and what better qualification to advance in the organization than to have association management certification?

Before closing, I want to touch on a delicate topic. Since I joined the world of executive recruitment at the beginning of 2018, I have realized something obvious that never crossed my mind before. In placing people in the scholarly publishing industry, particularly in higher-level positions, the vast majority hold bachelor’s degrees and very often a graduate degree as well. On occasion, however, I have encountered candidates who never finished their undergraduate degrees. Often, they have completed a substantial number of courses at one or more institutions but never took that final step to obtain a college diploma. Frequently, they have moved upwards in their organizations through hard work and accomplishment. However, when they want to take a next step professionally and move elsewhere, the lack of a degree is often a deal breaker. So, my advice to anyone in this situation is to close the circle and obtain that important piece of paper.

As this piece goes to press, I want to point readers to a new report from the Workplace Equity Project. Showing the results of a 2018 survey, the report presents an analysis of the responses from 1,182 participants across six continents. The survey data highlight the imbalances in workplace experiences, depending on age, ethnicity, gender, and geographic location. While it does not directly deal with professional development, it is part of the fabric of the scholarly publishing workplace and points to an area that will only have increased relevance in the industry. It is interesting and revealing reading. A nod of appreciation is due to Emerald Publishing, which was a partner in this international research effort.