Table 1Transition record

book publishertocopy editor

A book publisher already meets 39% of what the copy editor role asks for. The move turns on 8 required skills not yet in the profile.

From book publisher

39%

Overlap1

To copy editor

11 Skills carried over

8 Required, not held

58 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 58

This move: 58 of 100 · substantial

1 Share of the copy editor role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the book publisher profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 11 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A copy editor role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a book publisher background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held read manuscripts information skills
already held consult with editor communication, collaboration and creativity
already held literature arts and humanities
already held desktop publishing information and communication technologies (icts)
already held apply desktop publishing techniques working with computers
already held spelling arts and humanities

All 11 carried skills, including the 5 the copy editor role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 17 missing skills fall into 7 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 communication, collaboration and creativity 3 required, 4 supplementary

required, not held suggest revision of manuscripts required
required, not held follow a brief required
required, not held track changes in text editing required

optional, not held adapt to artists' creative demands optional
optional, not held rewrite articles optional
optional, not held rewrite manuscripts optional
optional, not held write headlines optional

02 arts and humanities 2 required

required, not held typography required
required, not held writing techniques required

03 information skills 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held use dictionaries required

optional, not held review unpublished articles optional

04 social sciences, journalism and information 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held digital journalism required

optional, not held editorial standards optional

05 management skills 1 required

required, not held follow work schedule required

06 assisting and caring 2 supplementary

optional, not held follow ethical code of conduct of journalists optional
optional, not held follow newspaper house style optional

1 further area in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a copy editor role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 11 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held apply grammar and spelling rules skill
already held consult with editor skill
already held copyright legislation knowledge
already held grammar knowledge
already held spelling knowledge
already held apply desktop publishing techniques skill
already held consult information sources skill
already held desktop publishing knowledge
already held literature knowledge
already held proofread text skill
already held read manuscripts skill

The 1 learning area not shown above

Skill to acquire Tier

07 information and communication technologies (icts) 1 supplementary

optional, not held office software optional

9 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held adapt to artists' creative demands optional
optional, not held follow ethical code of conduct of journalists optional
optional, not held follow newspaper house style optional
optional, not held review unpublished articles optional
optional, not held rewrite articles optional
optional, not held rewrite manuscripts optional
optional, not held write headlines optional
optional, not held editorial standards optional
optional, not held office software optional

28 held skills the copy editor role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role apply social media marketing skill
not needed by the target role assess financial viability skill
not needed by the target role attend book fairs skill
not needed by the target role brand marketing techniques knowledge
not needed by the target role check correctness of information skill
not needed by the target role conserve new media skill
not needed by the target role content marketing strategy knowledge
not needed by the target role develop professional network skill
not needed by the target role digital marketing techniques knowledge
not needed by the target role execute marketing plan skill
not needed by the target role graphic design knowledge
not needed by the target role manage budgets skill
not needed by the target role manage contracts skill
not needed by the target role manage distribution channels skill
not needed by the target role manage staff skill
not needed by the target role marketing principles knowledge
not needed by the target role perform market research skill
not needed by the target role perform project management skill
not needed by the target role plan event marketing for promotional campaigns skill
not needed by the target role plan marketing strategy skill
not needed by the target role present publishing plan skill
not needed by the target role project management principles knowledge
not needed by the target role publishing market knowledge
not needed by the target role sales activities knowledge
not needed by the target role sales argumentation knowledge
not needed by the target role sales strategies knowledge
not needed by the target role select manuscripts skill
not needed by the target role supervise sales activities skill

5 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held digital journalism required
required, not held typography required
required, not held writing techniques required
optional, not held editorial standards optional
optional, not held office software optional

Index

Other moves recorded from book publisher

Full index of moves from book publisher

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.