Here in America, there’s a large amount of pressure to decide at an early age what you want to do for the rest of your life. But how can people make such important decisions without any experience to inform them? Further, where can anyone get this sort of experience? Personally, I found job shadowing at PSG to be an excellent opportunity to see firsthand what publishing is like, and I learned a great deal about what I want in a job and in a working environment.

By starting the day off with a quick group meeting to discuss what each of the staff members would be doing that day, I immediately realized that I would be diving in headfirst. This was proven when I was able to sit in on the weekly sales and marketing meeting, where, as if I were a true employee as well, I was instantly welcomed by Vice President of Sales and Business Development Ken Scherpelz via Skype. Throughout my day at PSG, I was able to talk with several members of the staff, each of whom had a different role in the publishing process. This gave me an array of knowledge about both the industry and what is important in a workplace.

I officially shadowed Alyssa Guarino, junior project manager at PSG. With Alyssa I was able to learn about the part of publishing that involves corresponding with business clients, including those in different parts of the world. This was one of the most interesting things that I learned, because it taught me a lot about the importance of being able to effectively communicate.

Next, I spoke with Eileen Neary, who is an assistant project manager. Unique in comparison with a lot of the things I learned during my job shadowing experience, the information I took from Eileen was useful not only inside but also outside of the publishing realm. As I listened to her experiences and how she ended up at PSG, I began to truly understand the importance of loving what you do for a career.

If I was not already sold on pursuing a career in English and/or publishing up to that point of my job shadow day, my conversation with Project Manager and Editor Annette Cinelli Trossello definitely sealed the deal. A favorite part of our discussion was her strong determination to overcome the “English majors solely become teachers” stereotype. Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t realize that being able to write—and to communicate effectively through your writing—is a vital and beneficial skill no matter what career path you choose; thus, having strong writing skills can in fact help you in nearly any industry.

My day at PSG was eye-opening, giving me insight into opportunities that I had not previously known about. Moreover, it was also extremely fun. I wasn’t aware that the expansive process that is publishing could be accomplished in such a comfortable and close-knit environment like PSG. Additionally, I realized that a career in writing is more than possible, despite the accepted fact that many view it as “impractical.” I now also know it is important to enjoy going to work every day. Thanks to my job shadowing experience, I decided that, at this point, majoring in English is definitely what I want to pursue; there is a world of options that will open up from there.

Did You Know?

Abby Murphy is a junior at Wakefield Memorial High School (WHS) in Massachusetts. She is a co-captain of the WHS tennis team, and recently received the Wellesley Book Award. The WHS job shadow program has been in place for the past seven years, after a long tradition of town residents encouraging students to pursue careers in a variety of fields.