Are applications open?
Applications for 2021 are now closed.
What’s an internship like at Penguin Random House?
Watch our chat with Editorial Assistant Ellie, who shares her experience of interning in the Puffin Picture Books team:
How many internships are on offer?
There are 9 on offer, and they’re each working on different projects across a variety of departments. Read more about each here.
Do I get to choose which department I’ll work in?
We’ll get to know your preferences along the way. We’ll take your interests and skills into account and match our final 9 interns with the department they’re best suited with. This might not be where you’d first pictured yourself, but whichever department you’re matched with will give you transferrable skills that could be an important step in your future career.
Will I need to travel into your London offices?
Our internships this year are all remote, so you won’t be required to travel to London or come into our offices. While you’ll still meet our team, attend meetings and work on projects, you’ll be doing all of this virtually over the summer.
Do I need a degree to apply?
We removed our degree requirement in 2016. You don’t need to have studied at University, or have work experience in publishing to be eligible.
Is there an age limit for applicants?
Our applications are open to everyone over the age of 18.
Are you paying your interns?
Yes, they’ll be paid London Living Wage.
When will you let me know if I’ve got a spot?
Everyone will find out the outcome of their initial application on 14th April, and shortlisted finalists will know if they’re one of the 9 selected interns by 13th May. All the dates can be found here.
Is the internship full time?
The internship is full time, and you’ll be working Monday to Friday.
I don’t have a computer; can I do the internship?
Our IT team will courier all 9 of our interns a loan laptop to use for the 8 weeks.
They’ll be on hand remotely too, to make sure your tech is all set up, and throughout the internship.
What are you looking for in applicants?
Here’s our page all about applications to tell you more.
If you can’t see the answer to your question, you can get in touch with our careers team here.
You don’t need a degree (or knowledge of publishing) to get a place on one of our internships.
What matters to us are the key things we’ll be looking for throughout the selection process:
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Paying attention to the detail
You’ll have a forensic eye for detail, working with care and being able to spot and fix any errors you come across. |
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Curiosity
You’re always looking outward and are keen to learn. You enjoy exploring many viewpoints, and learning about new ideas and concepts. |
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Ability to take initiative
You solve problems before they’ve even arisen. You don’t sit and wait for opportunities to come to you; you make things happen. |
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Communication
This involves everything from being able to write clear and engaging emails and reports to being comfortable talking to a range of people, whether that’s team members, industry contacts or members of the public. |
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Organisation
You thrive on keeping things on track, whether for yourself or other people, taking a methodical approach to any task. |
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Making the work you do count
A genuine interest in what you’re doing and approaching it with a great attitude. |
Preparing your application
There’s no need for CVs or cover letters, when you apply, you’ll answer three questions in 250 words or less.
To help you think about and plan your answers, here’s what we’ll be asking:
Question one is all about communication
Whether it’s getting other people excited about something, or helping someone to understand your point of view – building relationships is useful in any job.
Tell us about a time when you’ve built a relationship, and used your communication skills to solve a problem. How did you build the relationship to reach a solution? What was the outcome?
Question two is your opportunity to show us how you take initiative
Tell us about a time when you had an idea, and took the initiative to turn it into a reality. What steps did you take? What was the end result?
We’re looking for demonstration of initiative in your example. This might be when you’ve made something happen, or been proactive and solved a challenge before being asked.
Question three is where you’ll tell us about your curiosity
If you could start a conversation with a subject matter expert on something that you’re curious about, what would it be about? Why does it interest you? What makes you want to find out more about it?
This might be anything. For example – cultural moments, social media trends or current affairs.
Applications closed on Thursday 1st April.
If you’ve got more questions, head to our FAQs.