Sterling Lord Literistic – “Great opportunity to learn about book publishing industry; difficult work environment.”

Pros

This is a great place to learn about the book publishing industry from an author/agent perspective. Tasks include everything from administrative duties -- filing, copying, scanning, emailing, phone calls, reservations -- to reading and evaluating manuscripts, preparing contract notes for secondary negotiations, and interacting directly with high-profile authors and editors. This is an established agency with a broad range of clientele, and offers many opportunities to be involved with the book selling process on a variety of levels. The small office means no corporate structure, which may be important for highly-motivated, self-driven, and work-focused employees who already have some working knowledge of the publishing industry.

Cons

The small structure of this organization can lead to a difficult communication structure. Case-by-case courses of action may mean that a routine process differs depending on the client. Employees must think farther ahead in most situations, to avoid misinterpreting and improperly following through on diverse protocol. A tremendous attention to detail is the standard on the most abundant workload in the larger office. Unreasonable expectations for accomplishments for even the hardest-working professionals are acknowledged by past and present employees alike. This is an extremely challenging position -- mentally, emotionally, and professionally. Future employees should be made aware of the revolving history of past assistants.

Advice to Senior Management

Take the opportunity to understand the capabilities and processes of junior staff; adjusting goals and expectations will help to not overburden employees. Happier, healthier employees will make for a more productive business.