Top professionals today are able to apply their skills to a range of industries, helping them to become the best in their chosen field. In an environment where adapting to new markets and industries is the new normal, how do you go about transitioning into a new role? What are the best ways to gain new expertise? Does the publishing industry have a skills gap to fill?

Speakers Stephanie Hall (Resourcing Manager at Harper Collins), Jon Ingold (Co-founder of inkle) and Louise Rice (Touchpress) addressed these questions and more in a lively talk in this sell-out event.

Stephanie Hall

Stephanie: bringing ppl in from the outside has been beneficial and profitable already. #BookMachine

— Lumière (@lumierec) August 19, 2015

#bookmachine @JobsAtHarper looking for people with digital science degrees, computer science degrees which has been outside past remit — bookcareers.com (@bookcareers) August 19, 2015

Stef @JobsAtHarper — digital natives, integrated systems and (my fave) making everyone comfortable with data.. #BookMachine

— Seonaid MacLeod (@SeonaidMacLeod) August 19, 2015

Steph from HC: Upskilling and sharing pockets of knowledge is the way forward #BookMachine — Evelyn (@Evelyn_PJ) August 19, 2015

HC recruitment upheaval: now looking at communication skills, emotional intelligence, etc. via video applications #BookMachine

— Lumière (@lumierec) August 19, 2015

Every role is a sales role, each person needs to be able to persuade and influence in favour of your brand #bookmachine — Inspired Selection (@Inspiredjobs) August 19, 2015

#bookmachine @JobsAtHarper as an employer we are introduced a Myers Briggs programme talks about your working preferences

— bookcareers.com (@bookcareers) August 19, 2015

LOVE how proactiveness is highly regarded in #publishing. Putting yourself out there (being gobby?) is underrated #BookMachine — Laurida H-Poireau (@LauridaHarpo) August 19, 2015

Jon Ingold

@inkleStudios tell us about the range of skills they need – non-sexy, boring and sustainable technical ones! #bookmachine

— Abigail Barclay (@abigail_barclay) August 19, 2015

‘My favourite part of my job is facilitating other people’s creativity’ – @joningold @inkleStudios #BookMachine #publishing — Spread the Word (@STWevents) August 19, 2015

Love the Inkle business of text-based games. Jon started saying he wasn’t a publisher then went on to list all similarities. #BookMachine

— Seonaid MacLeod (@SeonaidMacLeod) August 19, 2015

#bookmachine @joningold we can’t hire specialists – to work for us you have to have multi-skills not just be an ideas people — bookcareers.com (@bookcareers) August 19, 2015

Start-ups benefit from the ploymath – able to “make stuff”, “make stuff happen” and “‘make friends” #BookMachine

— Abigail Barclay (@abigail_barclay) August 19, 2015

Louise Rice

.@louise_rice talking about how you either sink or swim in a small publisher. This is what I love about working for indies #BookMachine — Anna Cunnane (@MollyBloom1989) August 19, 2015

@louise_rice Get your mind around analytics! Be an (valuable) interface between marketing and software engineers #BookMachine

— Lumière (@lumierec) August 19, 2015

How can you stand out in an industry that’s now open to everyone? Make stuff! #bookmachine — Inspired Selection (@Inspiredjobs) August 19, 2015

Niche is no longer the most desirable. Swap your skills with a colleague or arrange some unofficial mentoring. #BookMachine

— Lucy @ Head & Heart (@HeadHeartPub) August 19, 2015

.@JobsAtHarper: great advice on asking people for help – ask when they have time, engage w/ them on twitter, go to events like #bookmachine — Anna Cunnane (@MollyBloom1989) August 19, 2015

Three new motivational post-its going up after #BookMachine night: be gobby, make stuff and nab talented people (without being predatorial).

— Laurida H-Poireau (@LauridaHarpo) August 19, 2015

Keep an eye on the BookMachine Facebook page for photos to come.