Table 1Transition record

journalisttocopy editor

A journalist already meets 56% of what the copy editor role asks for. The move turns on 7 required skills not yet in the profile.

From journalist

56%

Overlap1

To copy editor

18 Skills carried over

7 Required, not held

42.5 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 42.5

This move: 42.5 of 100 · moderate

1 Share of the copy editor role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the journalist 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 18 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 journalist background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held review unpublished articles information skills
already held rewrite manuscripts communication, collaboration and creativity
already held rewrite 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 write headlines communication, collaboration and creativity

All 18 carried skills, including the 6 the copy editor role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 10 missing skills fall into 5 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 4 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held suggest revision of manuscripts required
required, not held consult with editor 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

02 information skills 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held use dictionaries required

optional, not held read manuscripts optional

03 arts and humanities 1 required

required, not held typography required

04 management skills 1 required

required, not held follow work schedule required

05 information and communication technologies (icts) 1 supplementary

optional, not held office software optional

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 18 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held apply grammar and spelling rules skill
already held copyright legislation knowledge
already held digital journalism knowledge
already held grammar knowledge
already held spelling knowledge
already held writing techniques knowledge
already held apply desktop publishing techniques skill
already held consult information sources skill
already held desktop publishing knowledge
already held editorial standards knowledge
already held follow ethical code of conduct of journalists skill
already held follow newspaper house style skill
already held literature knowledge
already held proofread text skill
already held review unpublished articles skill
already held rewrite articles skill
already held rewrite manuscripts skill
already held write headlines skill

3 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held adapt to artists' creative demands optional
optional, not held read manuscripts optional
optional, not held office software optional

101 held skills the copy editor role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role ICT software specifications knowledge
not needed by the target role adapt to changing situations skill
not needed by the target role adapt to type of media skill
not needed by the target role address problems critically skill
not needed by the target role analyse market financial trends skill
not needed by the target role analyse trends in the food and beverage industries skill
not needed by the target role art history knowledge
not needed by the target role ask questions at events skill
not needed by the target role attend book fairs skill
not needed by the target role attend performances skill
not needed by the target role attend trade fairs skill
not needed by the target role audio editing software knowledge
not needed by the target role build contacts to maintain news flow skill
not needed by the target role check correctness of information skill
not needed by the target role communicate by telephone skill
not needed by the target role corporate law knowledge
not needed by the target role court procedures knowledge
not needed by the target role create online news content skill
not needed by the target role criminal law knowledge
not needed by the target role critically reflect on artistic production processes skill
not needed by the target role cultural projects knowledge
not needed by the target role develop film skill
not needed by the target role develop professional network skill
not needed by the target role direct photographic workers skill
not needed by the target role do historical research skill
not needed by the target role document interviews skill
not needed by the target role economics knowledge
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 edit recorded sound skill
not needed by the target role election law knowledge
not needed by the target role ensure consistency of published articles skill
not needed by the target role evaluate writings in response to feedback skill
not needed by the target role film studies knowledge
not needed by the target role financial jurisdiction knowledge
not needed by the target role follow directions of on-site director skill
not needed by the target role follow the news skill
not needed by the target role food hygiene rules knowledge
not needed by the target role food materials knowledge

61 further entries not listed here

2 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 typography required
optional, not held office software optional

Index

Other moves recorded from journalist

Full index of moves from journalist

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.