Career Profiles Editorial Assistant
The role of an editorial assistant can be quite a varied and challenging job. However, if you want to get a job in the world of publishing and dream of one day becoming a senior editor, then becoming an editorial assistant can be a good way of gaining influence and getting your foot on to the publishing career ladder. But if you have only just recently graduated, how exactly do you become an editorial assistant?
What qualifications and experience do I need to become an editorial assistant?
Whether you decide you want to be an editorial assistant for a newspaper, book publisher, journal, or magazine, to get a job as an editorial assistant it is often important that you have a good quality degree in journalism, communication, or a similar field. However, while a degree in journalism or communications is preferred, there are still many editorial assistants out there that hold a degree which is not related to the work they do as an editorial assistant. This suggests that while having a degree is important, experience and confidence are also very important traits needed to become an editorial assistant.
For example, if you are applying to become an editorial assistant for a newspaper, a candidate with an unrelated degree who has carefully researched how the newspaper is run, and has previous experience working in the newspaper industry, is far more likely to get a job as an editorial assistant than a candidate who just has the desired degree. In the book publishing and magazine world, applying for positions that relate to your own personal knowledge and hobbies will also give you an edge over other candidates, as you will be able to show your passion for the particular topics that the specific publication deals with.
However, whatever degree you have you will be expected to display excellent English and grammar skills and have some experience or background knowledge in writing and editing.
What does an editorial assistant do?
The most common job description of an editorial assistant is proof reading articles, books and journals, communicating with writers, assisting senior editors in decision-making responsibilities, and carrying out other administrative tasks that senior editors require. However, what work you actually carry out as an editorial assistant will depend on what type of publication you work for and the type of assistance your senior editor requires.
For example, because of the fast-paced nature of newspaper publishing, an editorial assistant for a newspaper may find that their job is a lot more demanding and stressful than an editorial assistant who works for a bi-monthly magazine. Also, while an editorial assistant who works for a newspaper may be required to work with multiple reporters on a daily basis, an editorial assistant for a book publisher may find themselves working with only a few authors over a much longer period of time. Therefore, the pace and work-load of an editorial assistant does vary quite significantly from job to job.
Is it the right job for me?
To conclude, while becoming an editorial assistant can be quite a stressful and demanding job at times, for those who do succeed it also offers a great opportunity for increasing their career prospects and doing work that they thoroughly enjoy. Being an editorial assistant is a great career choice for those who love to socialise and have a passion for the written word.
If you do decide that becoming an editorial assistant is the right career move, for you then joining theSociety for Young Publisherscan be a good starting point for gaining invaluable insight into this area of work.
