Career Overlap Transition record Edition 1 · ESCO v1.2.1
Table 1Transition record

writertocopy editor

A writer already meets 39% of what the copy editor role asks for. The move turns on 7 required skills not yet in the profile.

From writer
39%
Overlap1
To copy editor
9 Skills carried over
7 Required, not held
58.4 Difficulty2
Career overlap Distant match

39%

Learning distance Substantial retraining

58.4/ 100

1 Share of the copy editor role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the writer 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

Why this move works

A copy editor role treats 6 of its required skills as things a writer already does. These are the ones it depends on most.

  • apply grammar and spelling rules
  • consult with editor
  • copyright legislation
  • grammar
  • spelling
  • writing techniques

What stands in the way is 7 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 9 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 writer background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area
  • already held consult with editor communication, collaboration and creativity
  • already held literature arts and humanities
  • already held writing techniques arts and humanities
  • already held spelling arts and humanities
  • already held proofread text communication, collaboration and creativity
  • already held consult information sources information skills

All 9 carried skills, including the 6 the copy editor role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 19 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 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 information skills 1 required, 2 supplementary
  • required, not held use dictionaries required
  • optional, not held read manuscripts optional
  • optional, not held review unpublished articles optional
03 social sciences, journalism and information 1 required, 1 supplementary
  • required, not held digital journalism required
  • optional, not held editorial standards optional
04 arts and humanities 1 required
  • required, not held typography required
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

2 further areas 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 9 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 writing techniques knowledge
  • already held consult information sources skill
  • already held literature knowledge
  • already held proofread text skill
The 2 learning areas not shown above
Skill to acquire Tier
07 information and communication technologies (icts) 2 supplementary
  • optional, not held desktop publishing optional
  • optional, not held office software optional
08 working with computers 1 supplementary
  • optional, not held apply desktop publishing techniques optional
12 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 read manuscripts 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 apply desktop publishing techniques optional
  • optional, not held desktop publishing optional
  • optional, not held editorial standards optional
  • optional, not held office software optional
23 held skills the copy editor role does not ask for
Skill Type
  • not needed by the target role attend book fairs skill
  • not needed by the target role critically reflect on artistic production processes skill
  • not needed by the target role critique other writers skill
  • not needed by the target role develop an artistic framework skill
  • not needed by the target role develop creative ideas skill
  • not needed by the target role evaluate writings in response to feedback skill
  • not needed by the target role liaise with book publishers skill
  • not needed by the target role linguistics knowledge
  • not needed by the target role manage writing administration skill
  • not needed by the target role negotiate artistic productions skill
  • not needed by the target role negotiate publishing rights skill
  • not needed by the target role perform background research on writing subject skill
  • not needed by the target role promote one's writings skill
  • not needed by the target role publishing industry knowledge
  • not needed by the target role publishing market knowledge
  • not needed by the target role respect publication formats skill
  • not needed by the target role select subject matter skill
  • not needed by the target role teach writing skill
  • not needed by the target role types of literature genres knowledge
  • not needed by the target role use specific writing techniques skill
  • not needed by the target role write dialogues skill
  • not needed by the target role write storylines skill
  • not needed by the target role write to a deadline 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
  • optional, not held desktop publishing optional
  • optional, not held editorial standards optional
  • optional, not held office software optional
Index

Other moves recorded from writer

Full index of moves from writer

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.