Editorial Research Assistants

The publishing industry was hit hard by the last economic recession, resulting in several years of unfavorable job growth for editorial careers. In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic disrupted most industries around the world, and the publishing industry was no exception. In the U.S., many publishing companies have either reduced their staff or have workers on hybrid schedules for a mix of onsite and remote work. As a result, employment in the editorial research assistant field is expected to be sluggish into 2021, but should pick up in the coming years. Editorial research assistants with prior research assistant experience through internships or part-time work will have better chances of securing work. Those with strong experience in digital media will be in demand in a variety of industries in the next decade, as more companies create a stronger Web presence. Editorial research assistants with strong technology skills will be needed to help research and verify content for online publishing. Competition for these jobs will remain intense, since so many people want to enter the field.