Table 1Transition record

journalisttofact checker

A journalist already meets 58% of what the fact checker role asks for. The move turns on 5 required skills not yet in the profile.

From journalist

58%

Overlap1

To fact checker

12 Skills carried over

5 Required, not held

37.9 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 37.9

This move: 37.9 of 100 · moderate

1 Share of the fact checker 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 12 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A fact checker 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already held review unpublished articles information skills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 media and information literacy social sciences, journalism and information
already held rewrite manuscripts communication, collaboration and creativity
already held press law business, administration and law
already held writing techniques arts and humanities
already held interview techniques social sciences, journalism and information

All 12 carried skills, including the 5 the fact checker role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 6 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 information skills 2 required

required, not held perform background research on writing subject required
required, not held read manuscripts required

02 education 1 required

required, not held scientific research methodology required

03 social sciences, journalism and information 1 required

required, not held search engines required

04 working with computers 1 required

required, not held search databases required

05 communication, collaboration and creativity 1 supplementary

optional, not held consult with editor optional

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a fact checker 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 12 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held communicate by telephone skill
already held consult information sources skill
already held develop professional network skill
already held proofread text skill
already held review unpublished articles skill
already held interview people skill
already held interview techniques knowledge
already held media and information literacy knowledge
already held press law knowledge
already held rewrite manuscripts skill
already held use word processing software skill
already held writing techniques knowledge

1 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held consult with editor optional

107 held skills the fact checker 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 apply desktop publishing techniques skill
not needed by the target role apply grammar and spelling rules 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 copyright legislation knowledge
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 desktop publishing knowledge
not needed by the target role develop film skill
not needed by the target role digital journalism knowledge
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 editorial standards knowledge
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

67 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 search engines required
required, not held scientific research methodology required

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.