Editors
Career Overview
Editors review, evaluate and edit manuscripts, articles, news reports and other material for publication, broadcast or interactive media and co-ordinate the activities of writers, journalists and other staff.
Editors work for:
- Publishing firms
- Magazines
- Journals
- Newspapers
- Radio and television networks and stations
- Companies and government departments that produce publications such as newsletters, handbooks, manuals and websites
They may also work on a freelance basis.
Editors must have excellent writing and communication skills. They must also have highly developed computer skills, be adaptable and able to work with online content.
Job Titles
Duties
Editors:
- Evaluate the suitability of manuscripts, articles, news copy and wire service dispatches for publication, broadcast or electronic media and recommend or make changes in content, style and organization
- Read and edit copy to be published or broadcast to identify and correct errors in spelling, grammar and syntax, and shorten or lengthen copy as required
- Talk to authors, staff writers, reporters or freelance writers about copy revisions
- Plan and do copy layout according to space or time allocations and the copy significance
- Plan and coordinate staff activities and make sure productions deadlines are met
- Collaborate with senior staff, freelance photographers and writers, graphic designers, advertising sales representatives and printing companies
- Plan coverage of coming events and assign work accordingly
- Write or prepare introductions, marketing and promotional materials, biographical notes, indexes and other text
- May negotiate royalties with authors and arrange payment of freelance staff
Special duties
Editors may specialize in a particular subject area or type of publication, such as: news, sports or features, books, magazines, newspapers or manuals.
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
1,805% Employed Full Time
43%Editors typically work in office buildings, while freelance and contract editors often work from home offices. Editors work for a wide range of employers, including newspapers, television newsrooms, government and publishing firms.
A 35 to 40 hour workweek is common, however, editors may be required to work extra hours, sometimes on evenings or weekends, in order to meet deadlines. Looming deadlines may cause stress.
Editing is usually done using computers so eye and wrist strain are possible.
Career Pathways
Workers entering this field typically begin their employment in entry-level positions. These positions may involve work in public relations, marketing publicity, website editing or writing in the public sector or non-governmental organizations.
With experience, workers may progress to supervisory and management positions, such as editor-in-chief or managing editor at large newspapers, magazines or publishing houses.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
A bachelor's degree in English, French, journalism or a related discipline is often the minimum education requirement. Other requirements may include:
- Membership in the Editors' Association of Canada
- Several years of experience in journalism, writing, publishing or a related field
- A Master's or PhD in English Literature or World Literature
- Experience with desktop publishing for some jobs
In addition, workers in this field can improve their chances of getting a job with certification through the Editors' Association of Canada. After passing a series of exams, editors can earn the right to designate themselves a Certified Professional Editor (CPE).
Training in computer programs such as Photoshop, Adobe InDesign or Quark may also be helpful since it allows editors to work with design issues and use contemporary printing and website applications.
Education programs in B.C.
Top Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Understanding how new information could be used to solve current and future problems in making decisions.
Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
1,805Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 15 | 0.8% |
| Kootenay | 50 | 2.8% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 1,120 | 62.0% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 10 | 0.6% |
| Northeast | 0 | 0.0% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 130 | 7.2% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 460 | 25.5% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
850Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | Not available | Not available |
| Kootenay | 10 | -0.2% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 550 | 1.4% |
| North Coast and Nechako | Not available | Not available |
| Northeast | Not available | Not available |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 60 | 1.0% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 230 | 1.0% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Information, Culture and Recreation | 390 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 190 |
| Business, Building and Other Support Services | 80 |
| Educational Services | 60 |
| Public Administration | 40 |
Insights from Industry
Job opportunities in the next few years are expected to come from new job creation and the need to replace retiring workers.
Industry sources report that there is currently a large supply of recent graduates seeking work in addition to an already good supply of experienced editors. As demand for editors is expected to be average, future jobs for new graduates will be limited due to tough competition from more experienced editors.
Many editors work in the traditional areas of newspaper and printed publications, which have seen little expansion. Advances in technology have affected this field of work, and the internet is having a noticeable impact on traditional media. As a result, editors need to be fluent in both traditional and new media in order to perform effectively. As well, there will be greater opportunities for editors with specialized training (e.g., legal editing, editing of technology websites, editing jobs requiring medical or science background).
In recent years, the Canadian book industry has experienced economic challenges. As a result, many book editors have turned to freelance or contract-based work as opposed to full-time employment at one firm.
Education and certification will likely become more important, and applicants looking for work in book editing will benefit from taking a university publishing program or earning a Master's degree in publishing. Membership in the Editors' Association of Canada will likely become more important to employers in the coming years.
Resources
Resource information is currently not available.
Career Videos
Watch the video below to learn what a typical day is like for a managing editor.
Watch the video below to learn what a typical day is like for a managing editor.
