1. Home
  2. Careers
  3. Editors
  4. Required Skills Responsibilities Activities

Editors Occupation Detailed Description

Editors career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Editors

The main tasks and work activities of Editors are to edit written materials, design layouts for print publications, verify accuracy of data, determine presentation subjects or content. In general, for the Editors, reading Comprehension, writing, critical Thinking, active Listening and other 15 skills are required.
Editors Job Description
EducationMost of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Related ExperienceA considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Job TrainingEmployees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
ExampleMany of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include real estate brokers, sales managers, database administrators, graphic designers, chemists, art directors, and cost estimators.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Editors jobs.
Less than a High School Diploma
0.00%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
0.00%
Post-Secondary Certificate
0.00%
Some College Courses
0.00%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
0.00%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
100.00%

Tasks and Work Activities of Editors

  • Prepare, rewrite and edit copy to improve readability, or supervise others who do this work.
  • Read copy or proof to detect and correct errors in spelling, punctuation, and syntax.
  • Allocate print space for story text, photos, and illustrations according to space parameters and copy significance, using knowledge of layout principles.
  • Plan the contents of publications according to the publication's style, editorial policy, and publishing requirements.
  • Verify facts, dates, and statistics, using standard reference sources.
  • Review and approve proofs submitted by composing room prior to publication production.
  • Develop story or content ideas, considering reader or audience appeal.
  • Oversee publication production, including artwork, layout, computer typesetting, and printing, ensuring adherence to deadlines and budget requirements.
  • Confer with management and editorial staff members regarding placement and emphasis of developing news stories.
  • Assign topics, events and stories to individual writers or reporters for coverage.
  • Read, evaluate and edit manuscripts or other materials submitted for publication and confer with authors regarding changes in content, style or organization, or publication.
  • Monitor news-gathering operations to ensure utilization of all news sources, such as press releases, telephone contacts, radio, television, wire services, and other reporters.
  • Meet frequently with artists, typesetters, layout personnel, marketing directors, and production managers to discuss projects and resolve problems.
  • Supervise and coordinate work of reporters and other editors.
  • Make manuscript acceptance or revision recommendations to the publisher.
  • Select local, state, national, and international news items received from wire services, based on assessment of items' significance and interest value.
  • Interview and hire writers and reporters or negotiate contracts, royalties, and payments for authors or freelancers.
  • Direct the policies and departments of newspapers, magazines and other publishing establishments.
  • Arrange for copyright permissions.
  • Read material to determine index items and arrange them alphabetically or topically, indicating page or chapter location.
  • Interacting With ComputersUsing computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Thinking CreativelyDeveloping, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
  • Communicating with Persons Outside OrganizationCommunicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
  • Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Processing InformationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
  • Updating and Using Relevant KnowledgeKeeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and EventsIdentifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsDeveloping constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Edit written materials.
  • Design layouts for print publications.
  • Verify accuracy of data.
  • Determine presentation subjects or content.
  • Coordinate activities of production personnel.
  • Discuss production content and progress with others.
  • Coordinate reporting or editing activities.
  • Manage content of broadcasts or presentations.
  • Select staff, team members, or performers.
  • Audition or interview potential performers or staff members.
  • Negotiate for services.
  • Manage operations of artistic or entertainment departments or organizations.
  • Obtain copyrights or other legal permissions.
  • Write informational material.

Skills and Abilities for Editors

  • Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • WritingCommunicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • Quality Control AnalysisConducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Active LearningUnderstanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Systems AnalysisDetermining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
  • Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Management of Personnel ResourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • InstructingTeaching others how to do something.
  • NegotiationBringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
  • PersuasionPersuading others to change their minds or behavior.
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Fluency of IdeasThe ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • OriginalityThe ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
  • Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Flexibility of ClosureThe ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
  • Selective AttentionThe ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Desktop computerse.g. Desktop computers
  • Digital camerase.g. Digital still cameras
  • Digital camcorders or video camerase.g. Digital video cameras
  • Notebook computerse.g. Laptop computers
  • Special purpose telephonese.g. Multi-line telephone systems
  • Personal computerse.g. Personal computers
  • Rulerse.g. Precision rulers
  • Teleconference equipmente.g. Teleconferencing equipment
  • Flash memory storage carde.g. Universal serial bus USB flash drives
  • Video editorse.g. Video editing equipment
  • Videoconferencing systemse.g. Videoconferencing equipment
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Communications and MediaKnowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
  • Administration and ManagementKnowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • ClericalKnowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
  • Education and TrainingKnowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  • Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Computers and ElectronicsKnowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.