Facts About the Job
Before you decide to go offer one of the entry level editing jobs out there, you may be interested in a few facts about the job. First of all, you'll find that there are many job opportunities out there. In recent years about 300,000 jobs have been held by both editors and writers. However, when it came to actual editing jobs, editors held somewhere around 125,000 jobs this past year. Of course those include freelance editors as well as editors that work on site.
Requirements in Education
If you are going to get involved in the editing field and you're interested in both writing and editing jobs, you'll want to be aware of some of the requirements employers have when it comes to education. There are many employers out there that prefer to offer their freelance copy editing jobs and other types of editing jobs to those who have a good college degree behind them. Usually they prefer a degree that is in journalism, communications, or English. Some employers also require that editors they hire have a degree in the field that the company specializes in. So, for many of the legal editing jobs, a degree in law can be helpful and for music editing jobs, often a degree in music can help you land the job.
Other Important Requirements
Although education often comes into play when applying for entry level editing jobs, there are many other important requirements that employers look for as well. They look for a love for the job, the ability to express ideas concisely with words, creativity, motivation, and judgment, to name a few. Experience is important, and can include both paid and unpaid experience.
About the Job Outlook
Before you get involved in the field of editing, you may be wondering about the job outlook and if there are going to continue to be great editing jobs available in the future. Well, you'll find that this career is expected to keep growing in the next eight years at a normal rate. Jobs for editors in the fields of online writing, for non profits, and book publishers are probably going to increase, although some forms of editing for print may decrease a bit in the next few years. Overall, the job outlook looks great for those interested in freelance copy editing jobs.
Current Earnings Information
When it comes to writing and editing jobs, you'll find that the average earnings for those that are actually salaried is around $48,000. Some editors make a bit more, while others make less. However, these numbers are for editors and writers that are salaried. In some cases freelance editors are actually able to command higher prices, leading to higher earnings overall.
Tips for Landing the Best Jobs
Now that you understand a bit more about the editing field, you may be interested in learn more about how you can land the best editing jobs. Well, there are a variety of excellent tips to keep in mind. Here are some important tips you'll want to use to ensure you get the best possible jobs available.
- Tip #1 - Write a Killer Resume - When you are applying for entry level editing jobs, your resume is one of the most important things to focus on. It's the first thing that possible employers are going to see from you, giving them a glimpse into who you are. It's you're job to craft your resume much like a sales letter to sell yourself and make them aware of your best qualities. Ensure that there are no mistakes. Most employers won't want to hire and editor that doesn't adequately edit their own resume.
- Tip #2 - Prepare Carefully for the Interview - It's important that you take the time to prepare carefully for the interview for any type of job in the editing field. This can be especially important for music editing jobs or legal editing jobs. No doubt the employer is going to have many questions. Work to anticipate these questions so you can have quality answers prepared when you go to the interview.
- Tip #3 - Be Ready for an Editing Test - More than likely you'll have to take an editing test before you get a the job. Be ready for it. Being aware of the different style standards out there is very important. You are going to have to pass this test in order to land the job, so make sure that you are well prepared for it so you can pass it with flying colors….
- Tip #4 - Actively Pursue the Job - It's not enough to apply, go to an interview, and take an editing test. You must actively pursue the job, showing that you are truly wanting to get this job. To do this, you can follow up with the employer. A note of thanks for the interview is a great idea. A phone call within a couple days of the interview can refresh their memory about you and show that you are truly interested in the job as well. When you pursue a job actively, you show your potential employer how dedicated you are already, which can help you more easily land editing jobs.
