Editor Careers Information
Editors are those charged with assigning, rewriting, and proofing the written content you see everyday in newspapers, magazines, and books. Like writers, editors must enjoy writing and have a strong command of language. More so than writers, however, a good editor must understand the mechanics of language and be able to correct both grammatical and rhetorical errors.
Editor Careers & Degrees
- Grand Canyon University: Online
- B.S. in Elementary Education: English (With IR and Cert.)
- B.S. in Secondary Education: English
- M.Ed. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) (No IR, No Cert.)
Editors come in many forms with varied responsibilities. An executive editor may be in charge of multiple assistant editors, who themselves may oversee specific content, such as sports at a newspaper or non-fiction at a publisher. Copy editors are those in charge of making specific changes and corrections to the copy, or text, submitted by writers for publication. Technical editors, much like technical writers, are those with a background in another field, such as medicine or the law.
Editor Careers Path
Most employers of editors look for degrees in communications or English, though a general liberal arts background is also sometimes accepted. Technical editors should have a degree or strong background in the fields they cover, be it medicine, law, etc. Because employers also look for experience, it is good for editors to have worked for school newspapers or to have had internships at other news organizations or publishing houses. Many editors, especially those at news organizations, may be journalists who have moved up and so gained experience as a writer before making the switch to editing.
Editor Careers: Compatible Personality Traits
Love of writing, strong language skills, eye for detail, able to handle the stress of deadlines, willing to work odd hours, able to effectively delegate work, good communicator.
Editor Careers: Salary Expectations
Editors earn an average of $46,990 a year, with the middle fifty percent making between $35,250 and $64,140 a year.
Editor Careers: Job Outlook
As traditional print sources such as newspapers are forced to make due with fewer employees, those seeking to become editors with such organizations may find competition stiff. Those who have expertise in another field, especially medicine, law, and economics, will have the greatest chance of employment as will those who are more skilled in the newer technologies required for internet publication.
Slightly off the Footpath
- Writer
- Interpreter
- Journalist
- Publisher
Source: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos089.htm
