Make your mark by spending eight weeks this summer working with the UK’s largest publisher. Our paid summer internship roles sit across 9 different teams in our London office, with opportunities to contribute to projects in one of our publishing houses or specialist group functions.
You don’t have to have previous experience in publishing to join our summer internship programme. With our support, you’ll gain universally applicable skills that will benefit you wherever your career takes you – whether that’s the publishing industry or elsewhere.
Our summer interns are paid the London living wage and we offer financial support to those commuting from outside of London.
Applications are now open and will close on Sunday 6th April 2025.
Summer interns will be expected to join us in the business for 8 weeks from Monday 30th June 2025.
Please note that this is a full-time hybrid position. You will be working from 9:30am to 5:30pm 5 days per week, unless otherwise agreed with your line manager and HR. You will be expected to be in person in our London office for at least 2 days per week.
On the written application form, you will be asked to submit your top 3 project preferences. Please note that you will be primarily considered for your top project preference.
Role Title: Finance Intern
Description:
Interested in a career in finance but not sure where to start? Want to see how a leading creative business operates behind the scenes? Our Finance Summer Internship at Penguin Random House is the perfect opportunity to gain valuable experience and develop essential skills that will set you up for the future.
We’re looking for someone eager to learn, with a curiosity about finance and how businesses make financial decisions. No prior experience is necessary—just a willingness to dive in, work with numbers, and see how finance plays a key role in publishing.
A bit about the team:
At Penguin Random House, our Finance team is at the heart of everything we do. Every book we publish, every new author we sign, and every decision we make has a financial story behind it.
As an intern, you’ll get to see how we manage finances across different publishing divisions and the wider company. You’ll work alongside experienced finance professionals who will guide and support you throughout your internship. Plus, we’re a friendly and collaborative team that enjoys learning from each other—so expect plenty of support and maybe even a social or two along the way!
Projects you’ll be working on:
During the internship, you’ll have the unique opportunity to work across Publishing and Group Finance teams in our London office. Your time will be split across key areas, providing exposure to both divisional and group-level finance functions, giving you a chance to understand how finance in publishing works.
Tasks you will be doing might include:
– Assessing the profitability of new books – analysing sales forecasts, pricing, and costs to determine investment potential.
– Supporting the budgeting process – working with financial data to track costs and forecast spending.
– Analysing book acquisitions – learning how we decide which books to invest in.
– Preparing reports and insights – summarising financial information for senior teams.
– Working with financial systems – extracting, analysing, and interpreting financial data.
Knowledge and skills you’ll develop:
– Core finance skills – learning how to analyse and report financial data.
– A strong understanding of publishing finance – seeing how financial decisions shape the success of a publishing business.
– Experience with management accounts – tracking costs, identifying trends, and reporting on financial performance.
– Business-wide performance analysis – understanding key financial and performance indicators that drive executive decisions.
– Hands-on experience with financial tools – gaining exposure to industry-standard finance systems.
Role Title: Non-Fiction Editorial Intern
Description:
Dive into the world of non-fiction publishing and develop key editorial skills! Gain hands-on experience in book acquisition, research, and project management while working with a dynamic team at Viking, home to award-winning and bestselling authors.
A bit about the team:
Founded in the UK forty years ago, Viking is the longstanding home for high-quality, culture defining writers across fiction and non-fiction. We love publishing books that combine brilliant writing with popular appeal, that hit the bestseller lists, win prizes and shed light on the world around us.
Viking Non-fiction has a dynamic and entrepreneurial editorial team of seven, specialising in history, science, nature, memoir, popular culture and current affairs. Our authors include world leaders Michelle Obama, Barack Obama and Pope Francis; historians Ben Macintyre and Anthony Bale; memoirists Diane Abbott and Deepa Paul; and prize-winning journalists John Preston, Adam Higginbotham and Sathnam Sanghera.
Projects you’ll be working on:
As part of the Viking Non-Fiction Editorial team, you’ll gain an exciting and insightful overview of the acquiring and publishing work that takes place each day at a leading non-fiction imprint.
This is a unique opportunity to be involved in every aspect of a book’s life cycle, from acquisition to publication, including contributing to editorial feedback on live projects, reading new submissions, attending departmental and divisional meetings (including Editorial, Acquisitions and Covers), and supporting the launch of our exciting Autumn list.
Many of the books we publish at Viking start out as an idea – whether that’s an interesting article we’ve read, an up-and-coming academic, someone sparking a conversation online, or someone that can transform our understanding of the world around us. During the internship, you’ll also have a rare opportunity to learn about and contribute to this integral work that is at the heart of bringing value and voices to PRH and the wider world.
Tasks you will be doing might include:
– Contributing to editorial notes on a live project
– Reading and reporting on submissions from agents, offering your opinions and evaluating commercial potential
– Supporting on mailouts and securing endorsements for our lead Autumn titles
– Researching topics for potential new non-fiction proposals within our core areas (history, science, current affairs, memoir and pop culture)
– Looking for creative ways to identify and approach potential authors, whether that’s identifying a topic they recently spoke about on the radio or finding a niche interest that fits perfectly with our Viking list
Knowledge and skills you’ll develop:
– An insight into all aspects of successfully publishing non-fiction books in a busy and dynamic editorial team
– Strong project management skills, excellent attention to detail and the experience of working in a fast-paced environment
– An understanding of departments across the business, including Sales, Marketing, Publicity, Rights and Production, and how they are all hugely important in how we publish a book
– Experience developing book ideas and researching potential authors
– Confidence communicating and networking with publishing professionals
– An understanding of the systems that are integral to the smooth running of the department, including Microsoft Office, Biblio, PowerBI, Bookscan and Keyword Management System
Role Title: Events and Engagement Intern
Description:
Are you passionate about books and eager to dive into the world of publicity and events? Join our dynamic Cornerstone Publicity team as an Events and Engagement Intern and gain hands-on experience in planning, promoting, and executing exciting events for some of the biggest names in publishing, from Stormzy and Taylor Jenkins Reid to Tom Hanks and Lisa Jewell.
A bit about the team:
Here at Cornerstone Publicity, we have one Director of Publicity and Media Relations, six Publicity Directors, two Senior Publicity Managers, three Senior Press Officers, and one Publicity Assistant. We’re a fun, chatty team with a range of interests, from Taylor Swift to London theatre.
Cornerstone has seven distinct imprints: Century, Del Rey, Inklore, evermore, Hutchinson Heinemann, #MerkyBooks, and Cornerstone Press — and every Cornerstone book goes on to become a Penguin paperback.
Our team works across these imprints, with some members focusing on literary imprints like Hutchinson Heinemann and others on commercial ones like Del Rey. We collaborate on publicity campaigns and branded moments, such as imprint showcases where journalists and influencers meet our authors. Our main tasks include securing media coverage for our books and organizing events for our authors.
We’re a very social team and closely connected to other departments within the division. We have monthly pizza lunches, weekly tea times, and we all go to lunch together every day!
We’re home to iconic brands and authors like Taylor Jenkins Reid, Robert Harris, James Patterson, Stormzy, Al Pacino, Tom Hanks, Keanu Reeves, Bono, Will Smith, Dolly Parton, Ava Reid, Danielle L. Jensen, Lisa Jewell, and Katy Hessel. Our books cover a wide range of genres, including crime, self-help, romance, literary, and history—you name it, Cornerstone publishes it!
Projects you’ll be working on:
In this role, you’ll work with Cornerstone’s publicity team to help with our events and engagement strategy.
A key focus of this role will be our new romance imprint, evermore, and developing outreach for our titles through social media channels like TikTok and Instagram.
There will be several key events happening over the summer across our imprints, and you will support the planning, creative ideas, and logistics of these. These include Waterstones BookFest Day, the Del Rey Showcase, and some bookshop outreach activities.
You will also help with our influencer strategy through HypeAuditor and organic research across our genre imprints.
You will work closely with the evermore team on social media, an IP trend-led acquisition with Editorial, and sourcing new influencers to join our outreach.
Tasks you will be doing might include:
– Writing press releases for upcoming titles.
– Supporting in-person event activities, including key events for our science-fiction, fantasy, and romance imprints, as well as Waterstones BookFest Day and imprint showcases.
– Researching bookshops and helping to improve our bookseller engagement.
– Creating a tour schedule for an international #Merky Books author and working with an established key brand partner to deliver a standout summer event.
– Providing event support for Taylor Jenkins Reid: assisting with an online event with an in-person store element, and helping with logistics.
– Supporting our new romance imprint evermore with social media ideas, creation, and competitor analysis.
– Collaborating with both marketing and PR on our evermore ‘ambassador programme’ – including creative brainstorms on sustaining support as the evermore list grows.
– Supporting Editorial on a trend-led IP acquisition for evermore.
Knowledge and skills you’ll develop:
– Experience and skills in social media content creation and scheduling.
– Experience in creative events organisation.
– Experience and skills in writing press releases.
– An understanding of the publishing industry, particularly the publicity process.
– Experience working in a dynamic, busy team.
– Experience working in a client-facing role, with authors.
Role Title: Children’s Custom Creative Intern
Description:
Are you passionate about children’s books and eager to dive into the world of custom publishing? Join our dynamic Children’s Custom Creative team at Penguin Random House and gain hands-on experience in creating exclusive editions and activity books for non-traditional book retailers. Help bring beloved characters like Peppa Pig, Bluey, and Peter Rabbit to new young readers!
A bit about the team:
The Children’s Custom Creative team at Penguin Random House is a group of editorial and design colleagues who specialise in creating custom products for non-traditional book retailers. We might make an exclusive edition of one of our children’s titles or create colouring and sticker activity books featuring iconic characters such as Bluey, Peppa Pig, or Peter Rabbit. Our clients include retailers like Aldi, Lidl, and The Works, as well as subscription boxes such as FairyLoot.
Our work is varied, fast-paced, exciting, and highly profitable for the business. We collaborate with all teams across the Children’s division (e.g., Puffin, Ladybird, Licensing), as well as with colleagues in the UK and International sales teams. Our team is small and close-knit, with colleagues from diverse backgrounds who share a passion for children’s publishing and reaching new young readers.
Projects you’ll be working on:
As an intern in the Children’s Custom Creative team, you’ll have the opportunity to work on two key projects. Firstly, you’ll assist us in updating the Peppa Pig backlist to comply with new branding guidelines and storylines. This essential project will allow us to quickly bring custom Peppa Pig products to market. Secondly, you’ll help us find the next Box of Fun – a custom product that works for multiple retailers and across all of our children’s brands.
Tasks you will be doing might include:
– Working with editorial and managing editorial colleagues to mark up PDFs of Peppa Pig backlist titles with required changes.
– Collaborating with design colleagues to make changes to backlist titles in InDesign.
– Shadowing the custom sales team to learn about the retailers they sell to.
– Meeting with production to learn about formats, materials, and costings.
– Visiting stores to get an overview of the market.
– Meeting with Licensing and Puffin editors to learn more about their brands.
– Presenting your ideas for new products to the Custom Creative team.
Knowledge and skills you’ll develop:
– Experience and skills in editorial, design, and sales.
– Knowledge of the children’s book market and the role that our biggest licensed brands (e.g., Peppa Pig, Bluey, and Peter Rabbit) play in reaching different consumers.
– Understanding of the different roles in publishing and how projects can arise through interaction between sales, production, editorial, and design colleagues.
– Presentation and communication skills, and experience working in a collaborative environment.
– Technical skills and experience, including with software like InDesign.
Role Title: Social Media and Brand Intern
Description:
Join our Social Media team at Penguin Random House UK and help celebrate Penguin’s 90th birthday! Gain hands-on experience in event management and digital marketing while creating engaging content and promoting exciting birthday initiatives across our social media platforms.
A bit about the team:
At Penguin Random House (PRH), our Social Media team is an integral part of the Brand department. We manage the consumer-facing social media channels for Penguin Books, The Happy Foodie, and Dead Good Books, engaging with audiences across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X, and Pinterest. Our work involves creating captivating content, scheduling posts, and analyzing performance metrics. We also have the exciting opportunity to film with renowned authors and attend key events and brand activations. Our team of six, which includes an e-commerce manager, collaborates closely with colleagues across the brand department and the broader business to bring our projects to life.
Projects you’ll be working on:
This year, we are thrilled to celebrate Penguin’s 90th birthday with a series of special projects and events for our colleagues and the wider community. As an intern, you will have the chance to contribute to at least two major initiatives:
– Public Space Installations: Partnering with a US-based non-profit, we are creating installations in public spaces across the UK to celebrate our milestone anniversary.
– Experiential Event: Help us organize a two-day event that celebrates the enduring power and relevance of books, with additional regional amplification events.
Tasks you will be doing might include:
Supporting the social media team in promoting our 90th birthday initiatives and events, including:
– Strategising content
– Scheduling posts
– Writing copy
– Creating assets
Assisting with day-to-day event management for our 90th anniversary celebration, including:
– Guest list management
– Venue liaison
– Event programming
– Author liaison up to and on the day
Knowledge and skills you’ll develop:
– Hands-on experience in creating engaging content for social media platforms and managing social media accounts, including analytics and performance tracking
– An understanding of digital marketing strategies
– Insight into the publishing industry and how social media is used to promote books, authors, and the Penguin brand
– Collaboration skills and experience working with a dynamic team
Role Title: International Communications Intern
Description:
Join our International Communications Team and contribute to exciting new projects aimed at expanding our global reach. Develop key skills in influencer outreach, content creation, and global campaign management while helping to promote Penguin books to readers around the world.
A bit about the team:
Our International Communications Team, part of the wider International Sales department at Penguin Random House UK, is a friendly, dynamic, and collaborative group of five. We specialize in crafting marketing and publicity strategies, engagement initiatives, and global campaigns to get Penguin books into the hands of readers across the world.
We work closely with colleagues from various sectors of the business, including our international sales managers, divisional marketing and publicity teams, and the Penguin brand team. Some of our exciting campaigns feature renowned writers such as Emily Henry, Dan Brown, Haruki Murakami, Monica Murphy, Taylor Jenkins Reid, and many more.
Projects you’ll be working on:
As demand for English language titles continues to grow in our international markets, we are looking at ways in which we can communicate more directly with individual booksellers and influencers in our international territories.
To achieve this, we will be shortly launching our own international B2B and influencer Instagram account and email newsletter and looking to collate an audience of influencers who we can work with to promote PRH titles. This is an exciting opportunity for you to play a part in driving a brand-new project at Penguin Random House, and to see concrete results from your work. At the end of the project, we hope you will have established a core list of influencers and will be able to see your content in use across social and email channels.
As part of our direct engagement with readers and booksellers, we are also hoping to launch an international virtual event this summer, and you will assist in the preparations for this.
Tasks you will be doing might include:
– Researching and seeking out suitable influencers across our European territories.
– Contacting influencers and coordinating communications to them for title promotion.
– Creating content for social media and email communications.
– Suggesting ways to shape and grow our channels.
– Supporting the reporting and insight admin to capture and share outcomes of influencer outreach with the wider international sales team.
– Assisting in preparations for an international virtual event, including helping with mailings of proofs and POS to key contacts and collating RSVPs.
Knowledge and skills you’ll develop:
– Understanding of the publishing industry, particularly the workings of international sales and the specific role of the international communications team.
– Knowledge of our export markets and customers, including market trends and sales patterns, and how we work with customers across the world.
– Experience proactively seeking out and working with influencers and publicity contacts across different territories.
– Communication and content creation skills.
– Relationship-building skills.
– Experience in international virtual event planning.
Role Title: Business Change and Projects Intern
Description:
Join our Strategic Projects team to gain hands-on experience in change management, communications, and emerging technologies, while contributing to impactful projects at Penguin Random House.
A bit about the team:
The Strategic Projects team is a key part of Penguin Random House’s Operations Department, which also includes Technology, Facilities, and Distribution. We are an expert partner for delivering changes big and small to PRH’s creative and group functions. From enabling strategic ambitions to improving day-to-day operations, we are dynamic, trusted, and solution-focused in all that we do. Our team possesses a wealth of skills across business analysis, business change, communications, governance and PMO, partnerships, test and release management, and training. These skills help us deliver change to processes, technology, and culture at Penguin Random House.
Projects you’ll be working on:
As an intern in our team, you’ll be exposed to and actively work on a variety of projects. These blend strategic and practical change initiatives, allowing you to understand how our PRH Strategy translates into new ways of working and how we maintain essential upgrades to our technology estate. Two planned areas include:
- Our PRH response to Generative AI and how we are enabling colleagues to embed this emergent technology into daily processes.
- Supporting two large transformation programmes as we replace our Warehouse Management System and our HR and Payroll systems, focusing on Change management, Communications, and Training.
Tasks you will be doing might include:
– Drafting communications materials and refining them for use as part of Project Launch Countdowns for various audiences (e.g., colleagues, suppliers, customers).
– Working with our Business Change Experts to produce Impact Analysis on how upcoming changes will affect parts of the organization and how we can best support the transition to new ways of working.
– Collaborating with our Business Change Experts to improve and redesign generic course feedback forms.
– Preparing for, participating in, and documenting Workshops with colleagues to understand issues they are facing and to produce options for solutions.
– Presenting findings about project options – plans, deliverables – and their associated risks, benefits, and challenges to the wider team.
– Reviewing pilots of AI use around the business and key Lessons Learned, with recommendations for ‘what next’ as a result.
– Attending key project forums – such as Steering Groups – to understand decision-making and project execution.
– Presenting to our Operational Leadership Team about your experience during your internship – key learnings, takeaways, and recommendations for future participants.
Knowledge and skills you’ll develop:
– An understanding of how our publishing houses and group functions work at Penguin Random House.
– Experience and knowledge of project management and change management, including planning and delivery.
– Facilitation and presentation skills, including experience designing and helping to deliver workshops and training.
– Experience and knowledge of internal communications and content management.
– Office administration skills and use of collaborative tools.
– Knowledge of emergent technologies such as generative AI and core systems used across the business.
– An understanding of how projects fit into our supply chain, including a tour of our Distribution warehouse in Frating.
Role Title: Science Fiction and Fantasy Intern
Description:
Join our brand new science fiction and fantasy imprint at Transworld and help bring compelling stories to life. Gain hands-on experience in editorial, marketing, and publicity while engaging with a passionate community of genre fiction readers.
A bit about the team:
At Transworld, we love great storytelling. In books and stories we find our community – of authors, readers and colleagues. We publish the UK’s very best and most-loved fiction and non-fiction. Our authors are master storytellers, commercial giants, and game-changing experts who challenge readers to open their hearts and minds. A Transworld book demands to be discussed, shared, and loved.
This year, Transworld is launching a brand-new fantasy imprint in partnership with the book subscription service, FairyLoot. The new imprint combines Transworld’s publishing expertise, brand building and commercial drive with FairyLoot’s unparalleled taste-making talent and deeply engaged, growing audience of genre fiction devotees. You’ll be working across three departments as we prepare to launch the new imprint, Editorial, Marketing and Publicity.
Projects you’ll be working on:
You’ll gain unique insight into working on a brand-new SFF imprint across three departments, Editorial, Publicity and Marketing. You’ll learn how we acquire, edit and publish groundbreaking SFF books, and gain hands-on experience in every stage of a book’s life cycle, including reading and assessing submissions, drafting engaging cover copy, putting the book into production, creating compelling metadata, and compiling research. You’ll be immersed in the publishing process, from creative and strategic conversations to planning how to enhance an author’s manuscript and monitoring new trends and competing titles from other publishers. You’ll also help spot exciting new book opportunities and the authors readers are most excited about. You’ll help the Marketing department with social media responsibilities such as blogger outreach and research, content creation and managing channel content schedules, as well as managing communications with influencers and bloggers on social media and completing marketing mailings. Alongside our Publicity team, you’ll compile SFF press mailing lists, identify key tastemakers in the SFF social media space and contribute creative ideas to campaign brainstorms. As part of our collaborative and creative team, you’ll build close relationships with different departments and develop the fundamental skills you’ll need to begin your publishing career.
Skills you’ll develop: copywriting, proofreading, project management, prioritisation, communication, research, organisation, teamwork, attention to detail, editorial, market knowledge
Tasks you’ll be doing might include:
– Logging, reading and reporting on Science Fiction and Fantasy submissions
– Updating metadata for our titles
– Researching what readers in the SFF space are looking for on TikTok and Instagram
– Conducting in-depth research into SFF genre media outlets and the coverage possibilities for these books
– Helping to coordinate mailings of our upcoming books
– Identifying new book influencers and key tastemakers across social media
– Managing communications with influencers and bloggers on social media
– Compiling press mailing lists for our SFF titles
– Contributing creative ideas to campaign brainstorms for SFF titles
– Social media responsibilities such as blogger outreach and research, content creation and managing channel content schedules
– Assisting with admin support as necessary
Knowledge and skills you’ll develop:
– The opportunity to be part of launching an industry-leading imprint
– An understanding of the publishing process
– Experience evaluating and reporting on submissions made by an editor
– Knowledge of a growing market in publishing and understanding how to monitor trends
– Project management experience
– Communication skills
Role Title: International Rights Research Intern
Description:
Join our International Rights Research Intern role to conduct exciting market research and create bespoke catalogues, helping bring our authors’ works to a global audience. Gain hands-on experience in international rights sales and contribute to the success of beloved titles and authors.
About the Team:
We are a high performing sales team selling international rights. These include translation rights to foreign-language publishers, rights to other English-language publishers (e.g., the US and Canada), and media rights for film, TV, and stage adaptations.
Our aim is to make our books available as widely as possible around the world, extending our authors’ profiles beyond the editions Penguin publish for the UK. At the moment we’re working to sell rights in 100’s of titles including Bluey, Tom Fletcher, Adam Kay, Jamie Oliver, Charlie Mackesy, Paige Toon and Raynor Winn.
We are split into distinct teams covering different divisions within the company, with each team consisting of Territory Managers and assistants. We have fantastic relationships with editors across the globe and we travel regularly to meet international publishers.
Projects You’ll Be Working On:
As an International Rights Research Intern, you’ll be working on research projects that include sales research into bestselling titles to help our teams identify new customers and opportunities. You’ll also participate in creative projects, such as creating bespoke catalogues of available titles tailored for specific markets.
Tasks You Will Be Doing Might Include:
– Using PRH software to create catalogues for each team targeted at particular markets, collating unsold titles for specific genres.
– Conducting online research projects to identify new customers for our titles by examining international bestselling titles.
– Analysing the international success of Top 20 titles on bestseller lists.
– Attending meetings to plan a launch event at the Frankfurt Book Fair and supporting tasks involved in preparation.
– Conducting online research and creating planning grids to identify key sales moments for our titles (anniversaries, key dates).
– Setting up and generating mailings for our major brands and authors.
– Contributing to our customer care projects with creative ideas for presentations and packaging of author copies.
Knowledge and Skills You’ll Develop:
– Gain a comprehensive understanding of the publishing industry, with a focus on the Rights sales teams, and work on titles across various genres in both fiction and non-fiction.
– Experience producing a full-colour catalogue using internal systems.
– Hands-on experience with publishing bibliographic systems, particularly Biblio.
– Practical experience working as part of an event planning team.
– Develop relationship-building skills, including working with key players such as literary agents, authors, and international customers.
Available roles
Eligibility
Our mission is to make books for everyone, because a book can change anyone. To achieve this, we are always seeking new voices to join us.
If you identify as coming from a lower socio-economic background, this internship is for you. You’ll either have been eligible for free school meals, or at age 14 your highest-earning parent/guardian was not self-employed or in senior management, and was employed in one of the following categories:
-Technical and craft occupations such as: motor mechanic, fitter, inspector, plumber, printer, tool maker, electrician, gardener, train driver
-Semi-routine manual and service occupations such as: postal worker, machine operative, security guard, caretaker, farm worker, catering assistant, receptionist, sales assistant
-Routine manual and service occupations such as: HGV driver, van driver, cleaner, porter, packer, sewing machinist, messenger, labourer, waiter/waitress, bar staff
-Unemployed
*These are broad categories
that may not exactly fit
your family situation.
Please use your judgement
when self-identifying*
Please note that in order to apply you must also be over the age of 18 and have a pre-established right to work in the UK for the entirety of the internship. Unfortunately, we are unable to sponsor Visas as the summer internship does not meet the minimum requirements for Visa sponsorship.
You do not need to have any previous experience to apply for our internship programme. You also don’t need to be studying or have studies at university to be eligible.
“I gained a strong understanding of the publishing industry and the roles that get our books onto shelves. My manager introduced me to colleagues across the company and I got to grips with how everything works.
It equipped me with skills that helped me move into a permanent Communications Assistant role here. These skills ranged from time and diary management, strategic communications, and platform-specific knowledge (like the publishing platform Biblio).”
Chadia Aliberti
Application Process
Applications will open on Friday 21st March and will close on Sunday 6th April 2025.
Written Application
No need to spend ages crafting the perfect CV and cover letter – to submit your application, you will need to answer three short questions on an inclusive hiring platform called Applied. We’ll ask you about three of the five core qualities that will be important in successfully completing an internship with us:
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Communication Skills
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Problem Solving Skills
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Organisational Skills
You can find more information about the core qualities we’ll be assessing throughout the recruitment process in the ‘Core Qualities’ tab.
On Applied, we will also ask you to indicate your top three project preferences, so please make sure you’ve reviewed the role info on this page in detail before submitting your application.
A note on using generative AI in your application:
Here at Penguin, we believe in the power of authenticity and human creativity.
As you apply for this position, we want to encourage you to showcase your unique voice. When answering the assessment questions, please share your own thoughts, experiences, and skills. This helps us get a true sense of who you are and what you might bring to our team.
We celebrate creativity and diverse perspectives, so please be yourself! While we recognise AI tools can be helpful, we recommend using them thoughtfully to ensure your responses reflect you.
Video Submission
If you’re successful in the written application stage, we will assign you to one of the 9 project roles. You will then be invited to complete a project-specific video task on the HireVue platform. We will ask you to complete a series of short video submissions, answering questions about how you demonstrate some of the core qualities we are looking for. We also might ask a question specific to the role you are being considered for.
Virtual Learning and Selection Days
If you’re successful in the HireVue stage, you will be invited to the final stage of the recruitment process for our summer internships, which is a virtual Learning and Selection process. This will take place virtually over two days via Microsoft Teams.
On the first day, you will be invited to a 45-minute interview slot. You will be asked a series of questions related to the core competencies we are assessing, as well as your motivation and interest in the role.
On the second day, you will be invited to a 1-hour group task slot. Alongside the other shortlisted candidates for your role, you will complete an interactive task. How you complete the task and how you interact with the other candidates will be assessed by the hiring panel.
All successful candidates will be contacted at the end of May, with the internship programme running in July and August.
Core Qualities
When we are assessing applications, we will be looking for candidates to demonstrate five key qualities that will be important in successfully completing an internship with us:
Communication Skills
In any role at Penguin Random House UK, communication skills will be important. We want you to work well with your team and other colleagues regardless of their background; to show empathy and be able to work effectively with others towards a common objective. Your role may involve creating written or visual content, or delivering presentations, so we are looking for you to be able to clearly and engagingly communicate messages in different formats.
Some of these skills are ones you might develop throughout the internship, but throughout the recruitment process we will be looking for candidates to communicate their ideas and experiences in a way that is clear and engaging. We might ask you to give us examples of instances where you have put your communication skills to the test. We will be looking for candidates who can demonstrate their ability to build positive relationships and adapt their communication style effectively for different audiences.
Problem Solving Skills
In your work, it is inevitable that you will come across challenges or obstacles that need to be overcome. We want our colleagues to be resilient when facing these challenges. We are looking for candidates who are resourceful and can solve problems in a creative or innovative way. We want someone who can problem solve independently when appropriate, but also ask colleagues for support and guidance when necessary.
You’ll be able to hone your problem solving skills on the internship, but in the recruitment process, we are looking for candidates who don’t back down in the face of a challenge. We might ask you to tell us about a time you have had to resolve a problem and how you did this. We will be looking for candidates who are adaptable, and who approach problems in a creative or analytical way. We are looking for someone who can identify when things have gone wrong and learn from their missteps.
Organisational Skills
In order to fulfil the responsibilities of your role, you will need to have strong organisational skills. You may have a range of tasks and projects to manage simultaneously, so you will need to be able to prioritise these and manage your time to ensure you are delivering on your objectives. Certain tasks may require a logical or methodical approach to be completed effectively.
You’ll have the opportunity to strengthen your organisational skills through the internship, but through the recruitment process, we will be looking for candidates to think through their answers and ideas logically and present them clearly. We might ask you to give examples of times where you have had to juggle multiple priorities and how you did this. We might also ask you to tell us about the methods you use to organise your time and tasks, and how you stay focussed on the smaller details.
Curiosity and Eagerness to Learn
We ask all of our colleagues to be curious, as we believe this drives your desire to learn more and continue to grow throughout your career. You will have lots of opportunity to develop yourself through a role with us, whether you are taking on new responsibilities, learning about new areas of the business or attending training. We believe this curiosity helps you grow, but also helps our business grow in an ever-changing world. You might bring new ideas or ways of working to your team.
The internship is a fantastic opportunity to learn more and develop yourself. Through the recruitment process, we will be looking for curiosity and growth potential in you. We want you to show a desire to learn, to ask questions and to explore diverse viewpoints. We want you to bring fresh ideas and to challenge assumptions. We might ask you about things you are interested in and things you want to learn more about.
Creative Thinking
Creativity is important to all roles with us. Depending on your role, you might be designing a book cover or social media post, coming up with innovative solutions or ideas to make your work more impactful or writing an engaging advertisement.
You’ll have plenty of opportunity to flex your creative thinking during the internship, but in the recruitment process, we’ll be looking for candidates who think outside of the box and come up with unique and innovative ideas. We might ask you to tell us about a time you had an idea and took initiative to turn it into a reality. We might also ask you to give us an example of a time you took a unique approach to complete a task or solve a problem.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The recruitment process will be entirely virtual, so you won’t need to travel into London for any interviews or tasks, they can be completed from home.
As with many of our permanent roles, the internship will run as a hybrid programme. A hybrid format ensures that interns get the most out of the programme and office amenities and that they can build effective relationships across the organisation. In general, we expect interns to be in person in our Embassy Gardens office in London two days each week, although this will be dependent on your role and team. You would be welcome to come into the office more than this, if you’d like.
For interns based outside of London, we are able to provide some financial support for travel into London.
If you’re looking for accommodation in London, we recommend checking out The Spare Room Project, run by the Society of Young Publishers, which aims to help break down barriers to living in London for those trying to enter the publishing industry.
Please note that we will accommodate any reasonable adjustments for those with accessibility requirements. These will be discussed with candidates on a case-by-case basis.
We welcome applications from candidates with a disability or long-term condition. We want you to be comfortable and confident throughout the recruitment process and during your time in the business.
In the first stage of the recruitment process, we will ask you if you need any reasonable adjustments. That way, we can reach out to you to discuss these should you be selected for the next stage of the recruitment process.
Reasonable adjustments in the recruitment process could include (but are not limited to) having a BSL interpreter or extra time during an interview or task.
If you have any questions or want to ask about adjustments or alternative formats, please contact us at [email protected]
Prior to joining, we ask all new employees if there are any adjustments they’ll need while working with us. We use a tool called the Tailored Adjustment Plan, which can help structure a conversation with your line manager about these adjustments.
We can consider a broad range of adjustments, including physical adjustments (like furniture, equipment or software) or non-physical adjustments (like altered work hours, communication preferences and more one-to-ones).
You might not know what barriers you face until you get to the office – and that’s okay too. You can discuss any requests you have with your manager at any time.
We are members of the Business Disability Forum, and have access to support through Unum, occupational health, the Employee Assistance Programme, and other specialist providers.
We also have a brilliant internal colleagues’ network, AccessAbility, for those who identify as disabled, neurodiverse or chronically ill, or who are currently coming to terms with a related identifier.
You will need access to a device to complete most stages of the recruitment process. This device will need audiovisual functionality so you can complete video tasks and video calls. Please contact us at [email protected] if you do not have access to a device on which to complete your application.
Once you start work with us, our IT team will provide you with a laptop to loan for the internship. The team will be on hand remotely and in the office to make sure your tech is all set up, and to support you with any tech issues throughout the internship.
Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that all interns will secure a permanent role with us at the end of their time on the internship programme.
We will, however, make sure you are in the best possible position to take on an entry-level role in publishing at the end of the summer. We’ll provide you with the experience and training that you need to build your industry- and role-specific knowledge and skills; we’ll help you network with colleagues across the business; and we’ll give you training and support for completing job applications.
As of 2024, all of our London-based teams have moved into the Embassy Gardens office. You can find more information about EG, including accessibility information, here.
It really depends on what you‘re doing with us! Our mission is to make books for everyone, because a book can change anyone – it’s really important to us. We know that to deliver this mission, we need to draw on a range of perspectives. In some of our roles (e.g. editorial) you may need to work closely with titles and be an avid reader, but in others this will be less important.
Absolutely! We know that roles on our training programmes are very competitive and that a rejection can be disappointing, but that doesn’t mean you wouldn’t be perfect for another opportunity with us. Please feel free to apply for another one of our programmes or another permanent role with us. We won’t penalise you for any previous rejections.
Our mission is to make books for everyone. To be able to publish boldly and creatively, for all readers, we aim to have a workforce that is representative of the diversity of UK society, in all teams and at all levels.
We collect and track data every other year on the make-up of our workforce so we can track our progress against this objective. Based on this data, we have observed that people from lower socio-economic backgrounds are the most underrepresented group in our company. For this reason, we have made our summer internship a positive action training programme to better support people from these backgrounds to get into publishing.
There are several other routes into the business for people who would like to begin a career in publishing, but do not meet the eligibility criteria for our summer internship. For example, we have 250 paid work experience positions open every year, which anyone can apply for. We also have hundreds of entry-level roles available each year, which are open to all. You can keep an eye on our open vacancies on our Careers website, or by following our careers Twitter/X account @PenguinUKJobs.
Unfortunately we are not able to sponsor visas for the summer internship as they do not meet the minimum requirements for visa sponsorship. This means you will need the existing right to work in the UK for the entirety of the internship in order to apply.