Directories and Mailing Lists
There are many sources of directory information from looking up a business or telephone number in the Yellow Pages to buying a mailing list of names for marketing purposes.
There are 1,850 companies in the UK publishing consumer and business directories and lists; these may be funded by sales of copies, sales of advertising, or sales of mailing lists of individuals or businesses listed.
Mailing lists and directories are particularly used by businesses to target their goods and services, so it's vital that information is accurate and up to date. Most of the time nowadays, the data is stored electronically, so computer skills in database management are a great asset when looking for a job in this sector.
In other areas, you may need a specialist skill when compiling, say, agricultural data or country-specific information. In these cases, recruits are invariably graduates.
A directory publishing team generally comprises editorial, production, advertising sales, marketing, customer service, technical and database departments.
You can find more information at the Data Publishers Association, the industry body representing data and directory publishers in the UK - Data Publishers Association.
Other useful links in publishing can be found here - useful links in publishing.