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Getting recruitment right: the importance of hiring the right people in academic publishing
Academic Publishing, Scholarly Publishing
In the rapidly evolving world of academic publishing – where technological disruption and the desperate need for innovation is ever more apparent – recruiting the right experts has never been more critical. Ultimately, it is the people behind the scenes who determine whether a publishing house succeeds, adapts, or falls behind the curve.
However, hiring the right people in academic publishing isn’t just a matter of filling roles – far from it in fact. It’s about building the intellectual, ethical, and innovative backbone of an industry that supports global knowledge sharing.
Here’s why truly strategic recruitment matters so much today for publishers.
The industry is changing: fast
The traditional journal model is being challenged on multiple fronts—open access requirements, preprints, data transparency, and evolving peer review models are all reshaping how content is produced and distributed. Publishers need staff who are not just knowledgeable, but agile, tech-savvy, and forward-thinking.
A strong hire can bring new energy and adaptability, while the wrong one can slow transformation or lead to the retention of outdated workflows, risking competitive relevance.
Specialised knowledge is essential
Academic publishing sits at the intersection of scholarship, technology, and policy. Whether it’s managing editorial workflows, understanding metadata standards, or navigating copyright and licensing issues, the learning curve is steep.
Hiring someone with the right domain knowledge but inability or willingness to innovate can be more dangerous than diversifying to those truly innovative with the aptitude to swiftly develop domain knowledge.
Reputation is on the line
In academic publishing, reputation is everything. Credibility, ethical integrity, and trust in the peer review process are non-negotiable. This makes recruitment about more than skill—it’s about character.
The wrong hire in editorial or publishing roles can result in compromised peer reviews, retraction scandals, or, in the worst scenario, potential legal exposure. The right hire protects reputation and upholds the integrity of a company and its brand.
Culture and collaboration are key
Publishing is inherently collaborative. Editorial teams, production staff, marketing, and tech teams must work together seamlessly to move manuscripts through the pipeline and deliver a quality product.
As we covered in our recent blog on the importance of culture, a hire who doesn’t align with the organisation’s culture – whether too rigid in a dynamic team or lacking the diplomacy needed for author interactions – can cause friction and slow down processes.
Retention is an investment
Poor hiring decisions are costly—not just in time and money, but also in morale. Training someone in the nuances of academic publishing takes months. If that person isn’t the right fit and leaves (or needs to be let go), the cycle restarts—draining resources and institutional knowledge. This scenario also has the potential to impact consistency within the team and damage motivation due to the disruption caused.
A strong recruitment process that is focused on the true fit of an individual beyond the tangible skills, however reduces turnover, fosters loyalty, and builds long-term strength into the business.
What does ‘good’ look like in academic publishing?
Clearly the right hire really does matter, but that does lead us on to the question around what ‘good’ looks like. Cultural fit will, of course be important. And while job roles vary widely—from editorial assistants to product managers to publishing directors—the best candidates often share a few core attributes:
- Intellectual curiosity: A passion for scholarly communication and learning.
- Attention to detail: Especially critical in editorial and production roles.
- Technological adaptability: Comfortable with digital tools, AI, metadata systems, and evolving publishing platforms.
- Strong ethics: A clear understanding of academic integrity, authorship, and peer review standards.
- Collaboration and communication: Stakeholder relationship building and influencing.
Strengthening the recruitment process
To get hiring right, academic publishers must invest in:
- Clear job definitions that reflect current and future needs as well as career development paths for individuals.
- Targeted outreach to diversify applicant pools and tap into emerging talent.
- Robust interviews and assessments, including scenario-based questions that reveal decision-making and values.
- Onboarding coaching, mentoring and training programs that support new hires and enhance the speed at which they embed.
- Partners that know the remit to ensure they are truly getting the right people through the door.
Hiring the right people in academic publishing
In a sector that upholds the credibility of global research, there is little room for error—and even less for stagnation. Hiring the right people in academic publishing isn’t just a matter of productivity; it’s a matter of trust, transformation, and long-term success.
As the industry continues to navigate disruption and is in constant need of innovation, the publishers that thrive will be those that see recruitment not as a back-office task, but as a core strategic function. Because at the end of the day, it’s people—not platforms—that make publishing possible.
Looking for a recruitment partner that can help you innovate? Find out how we can help by getting in touch with the team today.
