All about the profession of editor
To offer users high-quality and interesting content, specialists of a certain level are needed. This work is done editors... Most specialists work with texts, but this profession is much more diverse than it might seem. It includes many areas and responsibilities.
Peculiarities
The profession of editor is gaining popularity... The amount of printed content is constantly growing. Its quality is monitored by professional workers. Translated from Latin, the word "redactus" means "put in order." This term best describes this work. Before publication, the text goes a long way. And at the final stage, the editor deals with it. He brings the text to an ideal state, making the last edits, mostly stylistic. But in some cases it is necessary to correct both punctuation and spelling. It all depends on whether the text has been previously corrected.
The editor may disagree with the author on fundamental issuesfor example, the topic may not be covered. And in this case, the editor can return the text for revision or correct it at his own discretion. These are just some of the editor's responsibilities.
A modern specialist combines several specialties: proofreader, journalist, copywriter, designer, manager. He often has to interact with authors, customers, publishers and other people.
Advantages and disadvantages
This profession is chosen due to a number of advantages.
- A specialist will always find a job. The labor market offers many vacancies in this area.Employers are looking for both novice professionals and experienced employees.
- The editor can choose the format of the work. It is possible to work in the office or at home, in a remote format.
- With development in the profession, career growth will be noticeable in a few years. In the future, become a chief or executive editor and manage projects.
- Constant communication with new and interesting people will help you make useful contacts and learn a lot of new things.
- Many were attracted by the opportunity for self-development. The specialist works with large amounts of information. The knowledge gained will help you become better in your chosen profession.
Such factors are distinguished as disadvantages.
- Do not forget about great responsibility. If the work is done poorly, the publisher or site may lose popularity with readers. The editor works with the final product, and it is he who is responsible for what the final result will be.
- Given the relevance and popularity of the profession, more and more people are paying attention to it. High competition makes it difficult for newcomers to find work in a large company or attract the attention of new clients.
- Many employers refuse to hire someone without experience. This is due to the high responsibility and complexity of the work performed. To get a job, you need to build your own portfolio.
Views
- Technical... The main task of a technical editor is to make the published text pleasant to read and captivating. The specialist is also responsible for its aesthetic appearance and preparation of the material for printing.
- Journalist editor... Such employees work in the media or print media (newspapers and magazines). Specialists combine the duties of two professions. They create the content themselves and then prepare and publish it. The professionals collaborate with other authors and the editor-in-chief.
- Art... The main task is to study and edit the design of the publication. They are also responsible for filling the text with photographs and other images.
Professionals with extensive experience occupy leadership positions. We are talking about issuers and editors-in-chief. Their job list includes many tasks, and they earn much more than their colleagues.
Responsibilities
Many people mistakenly believe that the editor's job is only to correct the text. However, the job description includes many responsibilities, depending on the place of work and direction. An experienced editor does the job in several ways at once.
Experienced professionals who have been working in various publishing houses or media for a long time talk about the versatility of the vacancy. Literacy and responsibility are not enough to become a high-level specialist. In this business, you cannot do without a sense of style, creativity and creativity.
Employers have compiled a list of current responsibilities.
- Preparing printed material for publication... The process includes proofreading and revision, taking into account the genre and customer requirements. The editor "cleans" the text not only from errors, but also removes unnecessary words, paraphrases individual sections and makes other edits.
- Selection of thematic images. If necessary, they are corrected (improving the quality of images, removing unnecessary inscriptions, cropping).
- Control over the implementation of the project... If the editor holds a high position, his duties include control over the work of the rest of the team members: journalists, copywriters, rewriters. He also monitors the implementation of the deadlines for a specific project.
- Resolving controversial issues. If conflicts arise during the workflow, they need to be resolved as quickly and efficiently as possible.
- Organization of the workflow. Due to the high responsibility, the editor often becomes the leading link.He acts as an organizer for the rest of the band. Otherwise, the integrity of the project may be compromised.
These are just the main responsibilities of a specialist. This list can be expanded or curtailed, depending on the following factors: the scale of the project, the timing, the work team, the tasks and goals of the content, the wishes of the customer.
Knowledge and skills
The first thing a real specialist should be able to do is work in a team. This is especially true for those who work in large companies. The editor assigns tasks to the rest of the staff with whom he works on a specific project. We are talking about photographers, article authors, designers and other employees. If you incorrectly explain the final task, you will not be able to achieve the optimal result. Also editor interacts not only with colleagues, but also with the customer. To have regular customers, you need to be able to communicate with people competently and take into account the interests of each party.
Mindfulness and concentration helps to find small blots in the dough and other defects. Meticulous professionals pay attention to the little things. In this case, you can be sure of the high quality of the released content. For the published material to be relevant and interesting to the reader, you need to understand many topics. Editors follow current events in the region and the world. A big plus would be economic and political awareness. All of these changes affect the mood of the readers.
When working with selling texts, a big plus will be knowledge in the field of marketing. This is the only way to realize profitable commercial projects. Generating profit is the main goal of advertising content, and you cannot do without knowledge in this area. Expanded horizons will help to make the released material as interesting and varied as possible. This characteristic also has a positive effect on creativity and creativity. In order for the text to stand out among many other options, it must be original and unique.
Knowledge of foreign languages help you find a job in a foreign company. If it is not possible to go abroad, you can work remotely. Many editors make good money translating texts. Working for large foreign companies opens up great prospects. A mandatory requirement for every professional editor is considered perfect literacy... It is not enough just to know the rules of the language and be able to apply them. You also need to have a special flair that allows you to beautifully compose sentences and use all the features of a particular language. When working on large projects, you need to be able to handle a lot of responsibilities. Multitasking shouldn't compromise the quality and originality of your content. Editors with many years of experience can manage several projects at the same time.
Education
To become a professional editor, you need to start by learning the basics. Without a proper portfolio, it will not be possible to get a job in this specialty. Experienced professionals recommend starting with the profession of a copywriter. He is an article writer who writes on a variety of topics. Aspiring writers don't make a huge salary, but it's a great way to get the experience you need and find your own clients. If work in this direction begins to bring success, you can get a job as a copywriter in an office or company. Many employees get the experience they need remotely.
You can gain knowledge in this specialty with the help of special courses.... They are led by professionals who have achieved great success in their position. Many tutorials are paid, but sometimes you can find free courses or introductory classes for beginners. The main option to enter the profession is to obtain a diploma of higher education in the specialty "journalism"... You can enter the Faculty of Philology, as well as choose the specialty of screenwriting. During classes, teachers teach how to write texts and work with large amounts of information.
To find out what subjects must be taken for admission, you need to contact the selected educational institution. It is recommended to visit the university during the open day and get all the information of interest. The path to success in this profession is not easy.
To become a sought-after specialist, you need to constantly develop and work on yourself. An editor with extensive experience will always be able to attract the attention of the employer and reach a decent level of salary.
Place of work
Editors can work in various fields.
- The main field of activity is television, radio, newspapers, magazines.
- Experienced professionals are required in publishing houses. These can be both stationary companies and Internet companies operating in a remote format.
- Having received basic knowledge and skills, you can try yourself as a private editor. They are often hired by website owners who are interested in quality and engaging content. You can also find work on thematic exchanges.
- To find early clients, you can go to social networking communities or visit job search sites.