Printing Jobs - What Are They and How to Get One

By ZipRecruiter Marketplace Research Team

The print industry encompasses a wide array of job types and titles, depending on which aspect of a printed product you work on. In the case of books, layout artists and graphic designers start early in the process to define the presentation of a book; books are, after all, mostly judged by the cover. Later in the process, production is overseen by printers, binders, production workers, and machine technicians. Once the materials have come off the press, they are packed and shipped. The printing industry also supports a bevy of marketing, administrative, and legal employees.

If you are pursuing a production position, most of the required training happens on the job. Most positions require you have no more than a high school diploma or GED certificate, though additional education, vocational training, and prior industry experience are all bonuses. You must be physically capable of hauling heavy items–paper and ink weigh quite a bit. You may work on tight deadlines for clients, so when interviewing it is a good idea to highlight past jobs in which you demonstrated efficiency and initiative.

Printing is a rewarding industry for those looking to be involved in the publishing process. With certain positions having a relatively low barrier to entry, it can be an enjoyable career path with ample opportunity for advancement. Print is also fairly persistent–despite the increase in digital products, things like books, newspapers, and business cards are unlikely to disappear. And with the increase of print-on-demand book publishing, some aspects of the print industry are growing in unprecedented ways. The print industry may be in the process of revolutionary transformation, but it is precisely that process of transformation that provides new and exciting opportunities for innovation and invention.

As a printing assistant, you work on the floor of a print shop. You know how to operate all shop machinery, from the printing press to the bindery. You are also experienced in the various finishing requirements for any number of books and products, such as binding pages. As part of your job, you monitor ink and paper quality and supply. Printing assistants also do basic machine maintenance. You typically work standard office hours, though you may be asked to put in extra time for a rush job or tight deadline.