Editorial Assistant Job Description – What Are Their Duties
The Communication industry constantly has evolved over time from radio, television, publishing houses to their respective online versions due to the presence of technology in today’s world. Editorial assistants are needed to improve and oversee the quality of work done by the content team before final approval from the editor.
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Job Profile For Editorial Assistants
Editorial Assistants do not only work as regards editorial work, sometimes they might be required to carry out administrative work such as supervising freelancers for early submission of their works or recommending people for content writing positions.
They may also be required to write articles, or proofread articles before final submission to the editor. Therefore one can say that the actual task of an editorial assistant is dependent on the company that he or she works for. Those working in large organisations would have their tasks being more specific while those working for smaller organisations would most likely have more responsibilities.
Most Assistants usually work full-time jobs with the need for deadlines to be met at all times. Sometimes you may also be required to work over an extended period during public holidays or vacations depending on the type of company you work for
Job Description For Editorial Assistants
As an editorial assistant, your daily activities would involve;
- Providing assistance to the editor
- Carrying out administrative work such as answering phone calls, taking messages and performing other tasks as demanded
- Verify Facts writing in articles and other publications, and also informing editors and writers if there is a problem with the source of information
- Performing basic editing tasks such as checking for grammatical errors before articles are published
- Hire writers that can generate desired content for editors approval
- Give opinions on articles submitted by junior writers or other members on the content team
What Skill Should I Have To Work In An Editorial Assistant?
Some of the relevant skills for a successful career as an Editorial Assistant includes;
- Organizational Skills
- Teamwork
- Great attention to details
- Communication and interpersonal skills
- Language skills -being bilingual can be a plus
- Decision-making skills
- Good writing skills
- Strong understanding of publishing process
Where Can I Work As An Editorial Assistant?
Some of the organisations where you would work as an editorial assistant include;
- Publishing Houses
- Advertising agencies
- Media Organisation
- Academic or professional journals
What Steps Can I Take To Become An Editorial Assistant?
Most times, people who start out as editorial assistants can become editors later on with relevant experience gathered while working on the job. To be considered for a role, you would need to have a degree in journalism, arts or social sciences. But these days people with a degree from other fields but have the relevant experience required may be considered for the job as well.
