Table 1Transition record

magazine editortocolumnist

A magazine editor already meets 59% of what the columnist role asks for. The move turns on 7 required skills not yet in the profile.

From magazine editor

59%

Overlap1

To columnist

24 Skills carried over

7 Required, not held

48.3 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 48.3

This move: 48.3 of 100 · moderate

1 Share of the columnist role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the magazine editor 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 24 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 magazine editor background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held ensure consistency of published articles communication, collaboration and creativity
already held write captions communication, collaboration and creativity
already held write headlines communication, collaboration and creativity
already held follow ethical code of conduct of journalists assisting and caring
already held participate in editorial meetings communication, collaboration and creativity
already held editorial standards social sciences, journalism and information

All 24 carried skills, including the 13 the columnist role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 21 missing skills fall into 8 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 build contacts to maintain news flow required
required, not held evaluate writings in response to feedback required
required, not held present arguments persuasively required

optional, not held create online news content optional
optional, not held promote one's writings optional
optional, not held rewrite articles optional
optional, not held provide written content optional

02 social sciences, journalism and information 2 required, 3 supplementary

required, not held digital journalism required
required, not held rhetoric required

optional, not held economics optional
optional, not held political parties optional
optional, not held political science optional

03 information skills 2 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held stay up to date with social media required
required, not held study topics required

optional, not held manage writing administration optional
optional, not held document interviews optional

04 arts and humanities 1 supplementary

optional, not held multimedia systems optional

05 assisting and caring 1 supplementary

optional, not held follow newspaper house style optional

06 business, administration and law 1 supplementary

optional, not held stock market optional

2 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

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.

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

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 24 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held apply grammar and spelling rules skill
already held consult information sources skill
already held copyright legislation knowledge
already held develop professional network skill
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 desktop publishing knowledge
already held ensure consistency of published articles skill
already held interview people skill
already held interview techniques knowledge
already held press law knowledge
already held proofread text skill
already held write captions skill
already held write headlines skill

The 2 learning areas not shown above

Skill to acquire Tier

07 information and communication technologies (icts) 1 supplementary

optional, not held ICT software specifications optional

08 management skills 1 supplementary

optional, not held manage personal finances optional

14 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held ICT software specifications optional
optional, not held create online news content optional
optional, not held follow newspaper house style 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 document interviews 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

13 held skills the columnist role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role adapt to changing situations skill
not needed by the target role apply organisational techniques 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 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 manage budgets 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 recruit employees skill
not needed by the target role use word processing software skill

8 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 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

Index

Other moves recorded from magazine editor

Full index of moves from magazine editor

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.