My Professional Experience at Oxford University Press. Role, Work Culture and Things I learned.

Being a post-graduate in literature, the publishing industry was a natural career option for me. Having a sound background in English and an interest in linguistic studies, a career in publishing helped me channel my creative abilities in the right direction.

Oxford University Press is one of the oldest and most prestigious publishing houses in the world, and I was very keen on working with such a renowned firm. My job application was met favourably and I was asked to appear for a written test followed by two rounds of personal interviews in New Delhi. Soon after, I received an offer letter inviting me to join the Editorial Team in New Delhi as an assistant editor. As I was based in Kolkata then, I requested if I could work from the Kolkata office instead. While this was not the norm, the Editorial Department and Human Resources made an exception in my case and arranged for me to work from their branch office in Kolkata. In my very first interaction with Oxford, I had realised that this was an organisation that cared deeply about the welfare of its employees.

As an assistant editor, I was involved in editing and developing content for primary and middle school English text books and Teacher Resource Packs, which were a set of detailed guidelines for teachers on how to go about explaining each lesson to the students. The prepared content had to go through at least three rounds of detailed checking, before it could be finally okayed for print. Proofreading involved checking for grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, faulty punctuation and even discrepancies in the layout or format. Often, long hours had to be spent with the typesetter to ensure that no errors were being overlooked. And it was not rare for the final draft of a book to be sent back because it missed a comma or semi colon! I also had to coordinate with my colleagues across different locations throughout the country in the course of my editorial duties. Some of the titles I worked with were ‘New! Learning to Communicate’, ‘New Oxford Modern English’, ‘New Broadway’, ‘Mulberry’ among others..

As a reputed organization, the work culture at OUP was characterised by professionalism, discipline and efficiency. A respect for office timings, dress codes, courteous behavior and personal space was stressed upon.

Rigid hierarchies or strict superior-subordinate relationships were absent, and the bosses were more like mentors to the junior employees. As a team, we were encouraged to voice our opinions, brainstorm ideas for improvement, engage in discussions and debates with each other without hesitation. There were a decent number of female employees, too, which led to a gender-sensitive environment.

There was healthy interaction among colleagues, and it was more a spirit of camaraderie and bonhomie rather than cutthroat competition. Special lunches, parties were common as seniors celebrated special occasions with the entire staff. I distinctly remember a particularly memorable day in office – it was in March 2011, the ICC Cricket World cup was in progress and India was playing Pakistan in the semi-finals. The entire office had gathered in front of a small laptop screen, cheering and gasping loudly, as we watched the Men in Blue defeat our arch rivals convincingly. Everybody erupted in wild celebrations which was quite an unusual sight in what was otherwise a formal office space.

While a lot of factors contribute towards whether you love or hate your job, the people you work with play a crucial role in determining the same. In this regard, I was very fortunate to have as my colleagues some very efficient and affable people. I was first interviewed by the Marketing Director – School Education and ELT, Mr. Narendra Ranade, which turned out to be more an engaging conversation than an intimidating personal interview as I had expected. Instead of the standard interview questions regarding strengths and weaknesses or future plans, I was instead asked about my experiences at JNU (my alma mater), my interest in learning new languages and my views on working women in India. Such an introduction immediately put me at ease, calmed my nerves and made me feel comfortable in my new office.

In Kolkata, I worked under the then Regional Sales Director (East and North), Mr. Paramjit Singh and my immediate superior, Senior Product Manager, Priyadarshini Bhattacharyya, both of whom were more like guides than strict bosses. Even though they were a lot senior to me with years of professional experience in the publishing industry to boast of, they treated me as an equal. The other colleagues too, from the support staff, the office boys to the canteen in-charge, everyone worked in harmony and this helped the office to function like a well-oiled machine. A significant event during my stint was the visit of Mr. Nigel Portwood, Chief Executive of OUP, to the Kolkata office, and he congratulated the staff on being part of one of the best managed branch offices of OUP across the country.

Working at OUP enhanced my knowledge of the publishing industry to a great extent. Watching the entire process of a book come to life from its conception to its final print was both informative and thrilling. I also learnt the importance of managing my time well and how to manage stressful deadlines, as most of our work was determined by the timelines of the academic calendars of schools. Perusing through books and documents over days helped me develop an eye for detail, as even a minute error could mar the reputation of the firm. I also learnt how to work in a team and coordinate with other staff members and colleagues, handle situations of conflict and take quick decisions.

OUP has helped shape my career and personality long before I joined them professionally. As I child, I grew up reading English Readers published by OUP as they were part of our school’s academic curriculum. When I turned 9 years old, I became the proud owner of the iconic Oxford English Dictionary, a little blue book that greatly enhanced my vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation. Working at OUP, I learnt the enormous amount of effort that is required before the books can reach the desks of schoolchildren at the start of an academic year. I realized how rough drafts of each product must have circulated around several offices across the country, and how a dedicated team of writers, editors, teachers, graphic designers, must have pored over every word, picture and number before it could be approved for publication. My association with OUP is something that I am deeply proud of and I will cherish the experience for years to come.