Penguin Group Reviews

Pros

Learned a lot, pay wasn't bad, opportunity for growth.

Cons

Many staff and supervisors did not care enough. It was understood you would work a lot of unpaid overtime. Friends who still work there tell me that after the merger, everyone over 50 was let go.

Pros

Penguin has a good reputation and a lot of talented editors, so there are opportunities to work on interesting/high profile projects and the quality of work is high. Editorial staff here learn a lot and make important contacts. Depending on your immediate supervisor the atmosphere is relaxed and the benefits are good.

Cons

Many of Penguin's practices are antiquated - even for the generally old-fashioned publishing industry - and instead of helping productivity end up creating busy work. Promotions are slow in coming and happen haphazardly. Many editors are frustrated by publisher and management decisions, but there is no way to communicate dissatisfaction or problems within departments to higher level supervisors. There is constant pressure to publish "commercial" projects and to steer away from "literary" titles, and you can expect to work late or on the weekends a few times a month.

Pros

If you're really gung-ho to be in publishing, this is a good place to learn the ropes and establish contacts - especially if you happen to have a good mentor. Pleasant working environment unless you happen to work for one of the few tyrants. Okay pay but good benefits.

Cons

Very entrenched bureaucracy that is slow to move. There's a factory, tunnel-vision corporate mentality at management level that ensures there is a splashy, flash-in-the-pan best seller out ever season. Editors are basically allowed, occasionally, to work on innovative, quality books of long lasting value on the side. There is very high turnover, at least in my experience, and people seem to be happier with their jobs elsewhere than they were at Penguin..

Pros

Intelligent people who care about the products.

Cons

Antiquated in absolutely every category. Slow uptake on trends, technology, and collaborative thinking methods popular in other large companies. Org structure is very top-down with many in the mid- to high-level management having been in their post for several years. This is a pro as well as a con, as the people know the company, but have no other point of reference for current approaches and little interest in change. Promotions are difficult to receive as there is little elasticity in the structure and compensation is very poor.

Pros

The pay was decent. Entry level was 32,000, which was a lot of money to me at the time. My supervisors were great. The environment was great. I learned a lot and took home a lot of free books. My colleagues were smart, friendly and professional. And there was a discounted gym membership which I wish I had utilized.

Cons

The workload was insane, and the first couple months were hell. It was very difficult to get acclimated, and I never really got comfortable. The training could have been better.

Pros

Ample vacation time, half days on Friday in the summer, generally don't lay people off, 70% discount on books, casual environment, Christmas week office is closed. I work with a nice group of people. The Penguin name/buying power enables me to work with vendors in a way I wouldn't be able to with smaller publishers.

Cons

Bad managers aren't fired, people say in their positions for years, work not challenging/lots of downtime due to department bloat. I work on very few titles. Advances in technology has made my job more efficient but there are still the same number of people in my department, doing the same tasks. Penguin is behind the times when it comes to technology and has a lack of urgency with regards to change.