editor-in-chieftocolumnist
A editor-in-chief already meets 67% of what the columnist role asks for. The move turns on 5 required skills not yet in the profile.
67%
39.9/ 100
1 Share of the columnist role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the editor-in-chief 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.
Why this move works
A columnist role treats 15 of its required skills as things a editor-in-chief already does. These are the ones it depends on most.
- apply grammar and spelling rules
- build contacts to maintain news flow
- consult information sources
- copyright legislation
- develop professional network
- digital journalism
What stands in the way is 5 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 27 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A columnist role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a editor-in-chief background worth leading with.
- already held ensure consistency of published articles communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held follow newspaper house style assisting and caring
- already held digital journalism social sciences, journalism and information
- already held build contacts to maintain news flow communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held follow ethical code of conduct of journalists assisting and caring
- already held create online news content communication, collaboration and creativity
All 27 carried skills, including the 15 the columnist role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you would need to learn
The 18 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.
- required, not held evaluate writings in response to feedback required
- required, not held present arguments persuasively required
- optional, not held promote one's writings optional
- optional, not held rewrite articles optional
- optional, not held write captions optional
- optional, not held write headlines optional
- optional, not held provide written content optional
- required, not held stay up to date with social media required
- required, not held study topics required
- optional, not held manage writing administration optional
- required, not held rhetoric required
- optional, not held economics optional
- optional, not held political parties optional
- optional, not held political science optional
- optional, not held multimedia systems optional
- optional, not held stock market optional
- optional, not held ICT software specifications optional
1 further area in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a columnist role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 evaluate writings in response to feedback skill · sector specific
- 02 stay up to date with social media skill · sector specific
- 03 study topics skill · sector specific
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 27 skills that carry over
- already held apply grammar and spelling rules skill
- already held build contacts to maintain news flow skill
- already held consult information sources skill
- already held copyright legislation knowledge
- already held develop professional network skill
- already held digital journalism knowledge
- already held editorial standards knowledge
- already held follow ethical code of conduct of journalists skill
- already held follow the news skill
- already held grammar knowledge
- already held participate in editorial meetings skill
- already held spelling knowledge
- already held use specific writing techniques skill
- already held write to a deadline skill
- already held writing techniques knowledge
- already held adapt to type of media skill
- already held apply desktop publishing techniques skill
- already held check correctness of information skill
- already held create online news content skill
- already held desktop publishing knowledge
- already held document interviews skill
- already held ensure consistency of published articles skill
- already held follow newspaper house style skill
- already held interview people skill
- already held interview techniques knowledge
- already held press law knowledge
- already held proofread text skill
The 1 learning area not shown above
- optional, not held manage personal finances optional
13 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held ICT software specifications optional
- optional, not held manage personal finances optional
- optional, not held manage writing administration optional
- optional, not held promote one's writings optional
- optional, not held rewrite articles optional
- optional, not held write captions optional
- optional, not held write headlines optional
- optional, not held economics optional
- optional, not held multimedia systems optional
- optional, not held political parties optional
- optional, not held political science optional
- optional, not held provide written content optional
- optional, not held stock market optional
18 held skills the columnist role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role adapt to changing situations skill
- not needed by the target role check stories skill
- not needed by the target role create editorial board skill
- not needed by the target role edit digital moving images skill
- not needed by the target role edit negatives skill
- not needed by the target role edit photographs skill
- not needed by the target role graphic design knowledge
- not needed by the target role implement strategic planning skill
- 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 staff skill
- not needed by the target role meet deadlines skill
- not needed by the target role perform image editing skill
- not needed by the target role perform video editing skill
- not needed by the target role photography knowledge
- not needed by the target role recruit employees skill
- not needed by the target role study relevant writing skill
- not needed by the target role work closely with news teams skill
7 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- required, not held rhetoric required
- optional, not held ICT software specifications optional
- optional, not held economics optional
- optional, not held multimedia systems optional
- optional, not held political parties optional
- optional, not held political science optional
- optional, not held stock market optional
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.