Editors

Employers

Approximately 114,200 editors are employed in the United States. One of the best things about the field of editing is that there are many opportunities for editors. Nearly 45 percent of editors are employed by publishing, broadcasting, and content providers.

Publishers include book and directory publishers, magazines, and newspapers. There are many varieties of these types of publishers. There are small and large publishers, general and specialized publishers, local and national publishers. If you have a strong interest in a particular field, you will undoubtedly find various publishers that specialize in it.

Another excellent source of employment is business. Almost all businesses of any size need writers and editors on a full-time or part-time basis. Corporations often publish newsletters for their employees or produce publications that talk about how they do business. Large companies produce annual reports that must be written and edited. In addition, advertising is a major source of work for editors, proofreaders, and writers. Advertising agencies use editors, proofreaders, and quality-control people, as do printing companies (in many cases, proofreaders edit as well as proofread). Keep in mind that somebody has to work on all the printed and digital material you see every day, from books and magazines, to menus and matchbooks, to Web sites.

Starting Out

There is tremendous competition for editorial jobs, so it is important for a beginner who wishes to break into the business to be as well prepared as possible. College students who have gained experience as interns, have worked for publications during the summers, or have attended special programs in publishing will be at an advantage. In addition, applicants for any editorial position must be extremely careful when preparing cover letters and resumes. Even a single error in spelling or usage will disqualify an applicant. Applicants for editorial or proofreading positions must also expect to take and pass tests that are designed to assess their language and copy editing skills.

Many editors enter the field as editorial assistants or proofreaders. Some editorial assistants perform only clerical tasks, whereas others may also proofread or perform basic editorial duties. Typically, an editorial assistant who performs well will be given the opportunity to take on more and more editorial duties. Proofreaders have the advantage of being able to look at the work of editors, so they can learn while they do their own work.

Good sources of information about job openings are school career services offices, classified ads in newspapers and trade journals, specialized publications such as Publishers Weekly (http://www.publishersweekly.com), and Web sites. Media-focused career sites such as mediabistro.com (http://www.mediabistro.com) are another useful source. Many publishers have Web sites that list job openings.