Education · 1 of 5

The path

Nobody hires an editor who has not written. You come in through writing and move sideways.

1. 1

   High school diploma

   Grade 12

   Write constantly and get edited. Work on the school paper, the yearbook or a website where somebody else changes your words.

2. 2

   Bachelor's degree

   4 years

   English, journalism or communications is typical, but a science or history degree plus proven writing is worth more in specialist editing.

3. 3

   Student paper and internships

   During college

   The actual qualification. A summer on a real copy desk or at a publishing house beats any course.

4. 4

   First job: writer or editorial assistant

   1 to 3 years

   Fact checking, proofreading, chasing permissions, writing headlines. This is the apprenticeship and it is badly paid.

5. 5

   Editor

   3 to 5 years in

   Copy editor, section editor, managing editor. From here the ladder runs through specialty or management.