subject: All You Need To Know About Editorial Jobs [print this page] Most of us don't have a clue as to what an editorial job entails. We get our ideas from the television shows or movies that we see. The Devil Wears Prada gave us the notion that some editors are mean, and demanding persons that are so ruthless they do whatever it takes. If you are thinking about a job in the editorial field and you want a bit more information there are only really four things that you need to be concerned about.What industry do you want to work in? You can work on magazines or in the book publishing field. Most positions will generally be the same. The type of magazine will have a specific niche that they concentrate on. Be certain that you pick an area that you will want to stay in as the topics will center on this niche.Entry level jobs are where it all begins. You can start out as a writer or editorial assistant. Neither of these positions pays a lot of money. But if you want to get to the top where the big bucks are you have to start at the bottom. You will have to work your way up. You can be a staff writer or a freelance writer. You might not need to have a college degree, but you will need to have excellent writing skills. You could also become a proofreader and check the grammar and spelling mistakes of others. It may not sound too exciting but it will give you some experience to proceed to the next level.Editor positions are the next rung on the ladder. Though there are many sublevels of editor jobs. You can be a senior associate or assistant editor. You might have to still do some writing for the magazine that you work for. There may also be some editing involved. Managing editors will supervisor the other staff members on and offsite. They are what are considered the number two position. The big kahuna is the editor or editor - in -chief. They are responsible for the entire magazine. If the circulation drops or flops they will be the one held responsible. They determine the direction that a magazine takes. They must answer to the owner. So how do you get your foot in the door? You can be an unpaid intern just for the experience. You can do some freelance writing and report directly to the managerial editor. You will need to build up a portfolio of your writing to showcase. These are called clips or samples. You will need to find out what the qualifications are for acceptance of work. If you live in a small area then you should try and contact as many local magazines and newspapers to try and submit your work. What you want to do is get experience. You will need this to provide as references of your work. Many times once you get published you will have an easier time to get another job. You also must be willing to move to a location where the editorial jobs are located. If you do this then you'll be on your way to getting the editorial job that you want.
