Profession editor: education, requirements, salary

Many people dream of having a prestigious profession. The editor is one of the best options, able to satisfy the ambitions of the humanities. But what you need to know about this post, in advance to prepare yourself for professional duties? What skills do I need to learn during my studies? And how to properly build your career?

Who is the editor?

To begin with, this is a very important profession. The editor is the specialist responsible for preparing the material for printing. That is, it is he who "flies in the header" if the final version of the article contains errors or false information. Therefore, the editor, like a teacher in a kindergarten, is constantly watching to ensure that his wards are skilfully performing their work.

It should also be noted that there may be several specialists in the same publication. So, the editor in chief is responsible for creating the basic concept, selecting topics for articles and authors. But the art editor is engaged exclusively in the design of the pages, improves the quality of photographs and color design of the magazine.

Classification of editors

Considering the foregoing, let's look at what kinds of editors exist. After all, thanks to this information, the future specialist will be able to determine the specific direction and focus on its development.

So, for today we know about such varieties of the profession:

• Art editor;
• Scientific editor;
• Technical editor;
• The editor of telecasting;
• literary editor.

It should also be warned that each direction has its own characteristics. Because of this it can be difficult to move from one category to another.

Where can I learn?

This specialty requires a higher level of humanities education. At the same time, the closer it is to the specifics of the profession, the more likely it is to get such a desired position. Therefore, if a newspaper editor does not like the person, he is counting on something more, then he needs to master one of the following specialties:

• editing;
• publishing;
• Literary creativity;
• philology;
• journalism;
• linguistics.

Fortunately, most Russian universities have such chairs. So do not worry about the fact that the education editor will certainly have to go to the capital.

What qualities should a good specialist have?

Alas, this profession does not suit everyone. The editor is a position that requires certain qualities, without which success can not be achieved here. Let's look at them in more detail.

In the first place is the responsibility. Whether it's the editor-in-chief or the usual one, he should be able to "keep in check" both his charges and himself. After all, he is the person who is responsible for the quality of the material and the project as a whole.

Therefore it is quite logical that the editor should have excellent organizational skills. Only in this way he can create the atmosphere necessary for work and correctly distribute duties between his subordinates. In addition, he will have to constantly push his colleagues to self-improvement, otherwise they will not be able to grow professionally.

And, of course, endurance. Without it, the editor is nowhere, especially before the delivery of the project. At the same time, you need to be prepared for what will have to be tired both physically and psychologically. Mountains of unchecked material, lack of sleep, responsibility for the result of the work of the whole team ... And this is not all.

The main duties of the editor

Naturally, one can not predict the full range of responsibilities, since this is a very multifaceted profession. The editor of the magazine, for example, is more loaded than a specialist working in a small newspaper. Therefore, we will only have to confine ourselves to the basic functions of the profession, without going deep.

So, what does the editor do?

He creates the main concept of the project, up to the title of the articles, issues an assignment to the authors and specifies the deadlines for handover, controls. Analyzes the material received from writers and decides his future destiny. If necessary, returns the articles for revision, while indicating the errors or inaccuracies. Checks the quality of the printed material and makes corrections.

In addition, the editor can participate in all stages of writing articles. He can also train the authors, and, if necessary, send them for further training. If we talk about the main editor, then his responsibilities are even wider. Therefore, often in large publications there is a whole group of specialists who are distributed throughout the organization, and each is responsible for his work site.

Where to look for work?

The editorial staff of the newspaper is the ideal place to start the career of any editor. First, you can get invaluable work experience here, and secondly, it's much easier to find a job here than in a glossy magazine. In the rest, when looking for work, it is necessary to build on available vacancies and requirements for them.

Also, remember that at first you can work as a freelancer. So, many electronic editions are recruiting editors, ready to perform their duties remotely. In general, this is a good chance for those who live in a small city with a limited number of opportunities.

Labor remuneration and competition

The editor is a profession whose salary in many respects depends on the place of work. So, in small newspapers these specialists receive no more than 20-25 thousand rubles. But glossy magazines and popular publications offer amounts an order of magnitude higher. For example, the average salary in Moscow varies between 40-50 thousand rubles.

Now about competition. If small newspapers and electronic publications are arranged fairly easily, then it is much more difficult to get to more prestigious places. First, all ambitious professionals are trying to settle there, and secondly, often the companies themselves are toughening the struggle for free posts. And yet, having a good baggage of knowledge and self-confidence, the editor will never remain without a piece of bread.