Assistant Editor Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of an assistant editor. Feel free to use our assistant editor job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as an assistant editor.
Who is an Assistant Editor?
Assistant Editor refers to a person who routinely supports the Editor with the performance of his tasks, including writing loaders and possibly other text regarding the review, comment, or critique.
For example, an assistant editor assists the editor-in-chief or editor-at-large of a newspaper, magazine, radio program, or website. His role is helpful, but he also has authority over his editorial area, which includes international news, feature pieces, and sports. Working as an assistant editor entails balancing tasks, prioritizing deadlines, and fulfilling demands in a fast-paced setting to ensure that written text is always precise, unique, and timely.
On a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, an assistant editor is responsible for coming up with new, unique content. This might be a new take on an old narrative or a brand-new story that has to be discovered. He meets with staff writers for brainstorming sessions and contacts freelance writers to provide articles or assignments. He checks in along the process to make sure the right sources are contacted, stories are directed in the right direction, and facts are correct.
Assistant editors work for many sorts of magazines, including film, digital, print, fashion, and interior design, and report directly to the editors-in-chief. In addition, they may be in charge of their editorial divisions, projects, deadlines, and demands.
The primary responsibility of an Assistant Editor is to aid the publisher and the commissioning editor in the preparation and delivery of a manuscript.
Assistant Editors collaborate closely with authors and editors, providing administrative support and working with other departments like sales and production. They can be in charge of ‘author care,’ which entails making sure the author is heard and respected.
On some projects, their editorial responsibilities may involve structural or line edits. A structural edit reorganizes the book’s structure to make it read better, while a line edit ensures that the story’s use of language is as effective as possible.
They also produce content (such as the blurb on the back of a book) and proofread manuscripts, collaborating with the author to ensure that any comments or corrections are communicated to the production team and reflected in new proofs. They also collaborate closely with colleagues in design or freelance designers when writing cover design briefs. A writer or reporter submits an assignment to the assistant editor for evaluation before the deadline. The assistant editor checks the piece for clarity, accuracy, readability, and content. If a story appears to be lacking in sources and the writer needs more, the assistant editor will provide recommendations on who to interview.
During this phase, he also checks facts and ensures that the writer has the necessary paperwork to back up his claims. This person is in charge of proofreading at the final stage before manufacturing to ensure that spelling and syntax are correct.
An assistant editor decides what additional material is needed to complement a written piece throughout the layout stages of editorial copy. A graph, illustration, chart, or graphic, for example, may aid in the reader’s comprehension of a topic.
Either he directs the writer to locate the required resources or he conducts the research and adds new sources to the essay. This can be a section at the end of a work that tells a reader where to get more information, or it can be a sidebar that provides additional, pertinent information.
An assistant editor conducts research, and interviews, and organizes data to produce an entertaining, informative, and factually accurate story or program. His work is read by the editor-in-chief.
An assistant editor is also responsible for utilizing additional media methods to support a story or topic. His media responsibilities might range from using widely-known social media apps like Twitter and Facebook, as well as other more niche social media venues, to bringing attention to an item or cause, for example. Video clips that accompany web articles are also chosen or approved by an assistant editor. His search engine optimization or SEO, staff assists with the writing of material so that readers can quickly identify topics of interest and advertising that may readily be found in a magazine.
Assistant Editor Job Description
Below are the assistant editor job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write an assistant editor job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of an assistant editor include the following:
- Collaborate with the editor-in-chief on new article research and planning.
- Authorize articles
- Communicate with team members (e.g. writers, reporters, and photographers) ensuring that timelines are adhered to
- Compose and edit articles
- Select supplementary materials, such as photos and illustrations.
- Keep up with current events and advancements, and come up with new ideas.
- Drive attention to articles, using social media, and SEO.
- Check for accuracy and proofread articles.
- Assist the editor-in-chief with administrative tasks.
- Oversee writing projects to guarantee correct data and coherent narratives.
- Evaluate written material for accuracy, logic, content, and readability, as well as give recommendations for improvement.
- Assign articles and projects to staff and freelance writers, as well as work with team members.
- Co-operate with the editor-in-chief to create new and unique content.
- Select supporting material to go with the written content, such as graphs, photos, and charts.
- Conduct research, interviews, and accumulate data to generate stories that are captivating, informative, and engaging.
- Confirm articles and projects are free of errors by proofreading them.
- Support textual content with social media and online video clips.
- Use search engine optimization (SEO) to help team members come up with interesting subjects.
- Recommend new content, to keep up with current events and news.
- Attend seminars, interview experts, publish pertinent news, cultivate relationships, and all things that require travel.
- Keep up with the latest news and trends.
- Develop a strong relationship with social influencers and a large social media following.
- Work collaboratively with the sales and marketing teams to develop content for specific resource centers that can be used across several platforms, including the online, print, and newsletter.
- Make long and short-term content adjustments.
- Capture and Import all relevant elements in the correct format.
- Produce and transmit digital files to producers and editors.
- Collaborate with editors on innovative initiatives
- Prepare, import, and distribute picture media
- Prepare audio files, split down dialogue, and look for music and effects.
- Set up video conference cameras to record talent; prepare music and sound effects in advance.
- Support the brand’s content delivery across all channels, focusing on the right audience – including the website, email, print, video, podcast, and webinar.
- Write headlines and captions for e-newsletters.
- Manage website content.
- Use HTML and FrontPage, fix broken links and accessibility concerns, document faults, and establish trouble reports to track down problems.
Qualifications
- A bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, or a similar discipline is required.
- familiarity with search engine optimization and social media platforms.
- MS Office, InDesign, or other publishing software experience.
- Understanding QuarkXPress or other desktop publishing software.
- Excellent time management abilities.
- 2-3 years of work experience as an assistant editor.
Essential Skills
- Excellent attention to detail and the ability to balance a range of duties, ensuring that the overall project is completed on time for publication.
- Communication skill: Ability to communicate with writers, their teams, and colleagues from different departments.
- Creativity: Editors must be innovative, curious, and well-versed in a variety of subjects. Some editors are tasked with coming up with interesting story ideas and attention-getting headlines regularly.
- Detail-oriented: One of an editor’s primary responsibilities is to ensure that material is error-free and consistent with the publication’s style.
- Excellent judgment: Editors must determine whether certain tales are ethical or have sufficient proof to be reported.
- Interpersonal abilities: When working with writers, editors must be tactful and can mentor and encourage them.
- Language abilities: Editors must check for correct grammar, punctuation, and syntax in all written content. As a result, a thorough command of the English language is required of an editor.
- Writing abilities: Editors should enjoy writing and be good writers in general. They must be well-versed in language and punctuation rules, as well as able to communicate concepts effectively and coherently.
- Prioritization and multitasking skills.
How to Become an Assistant Editor
- A bachelor’s degree is an excellent method to begin your professional career.
Assistant editor jobs often require a bachelor’s degree in journalism, English, or a closely related subject. Professional and technical editing, advanced writing, digital media, mass communications laws, and media ethics are all covered in a four-year journalism degree program. Weekly writing assignments are common in courses to assist students to improve their writing and communication abilities, which are critical for this role. Students should participate in their student newspapers or other on-campus publications that they are interested in. Early involvement as a writer may progress to editing responsibilities. In book publishing, journalism, technical writing, and trade magazines, assistant editor positions are available. Students can work on gaining the precise abilities required for that particular subject once they have determined their area of interest.
Students should also do courses in other relevant subjects to augment their journalism and English education. Students who wish to write about science, for example, should have a fundamental understanding of chemistry and biology, but students who want to write in economics publications should have a foundation in money. Students will stand out from the crowd if they become subject matter experts
- Get some real-world experience:
A lot of assistant editors start as writers. Once a contributing writer has earned enough expertise, publishing houses and online media businesses frequently promote them to editing roles. Working on a variety of writing assignments with experienced editors provides great exposure to numerous sorts of media. Because feature pieces, breaking news, and other assignments may necessitate rapid turnaround times, the ability to execute projects quickly and accurately is essential for landing editing jobs.
Aspiring assistant editors might join organizations for professional writers and editors, such as the American Society of Magazine Editors or the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors, to expand their job opportunities and network with others in the field. Professional development and continuing education programs, which can cover grammar, headline editors, and other skills used to improve technique, are available to editors who join these organizations.
Editorial positions necessitate the ability to manage and lead a team of authors. Volunteering for leadership roles early on can help you develop and demonstrate these qualities.
- Obtain a Master’s Degree
Some people may want to consider getting an advanced degree, even if it isn’t required. For the majority of jobs, a bachelor’s degree is insufficient. A master’s degree in a specific field such as political, legal, or science writing, on the other hand, may be advantageous. A master’s degree program can also provide advanced internships and networking opportunities that are tough to come by in other ways.
Assistant editors should have writing and editing expertise, as well as a bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject like English, communications, or journalism.
Where to work as an Assistant Editor
An Assistant Editor can work in the following places:
- Tv and media houses
- Digital Media company
- Health Media company
- IT company
Assistant Editor Salary Scale
As of March 29, 2022, the average Assistant Editor salary in the United States is $43,123, however, salaries frequently range from $37,188 to $48,834. Salary ranges rely on a variety of things, including schooling, certifications, supplementary talents, and the number of years you’ve worked in your field. Total cash compensation, which includes base pay and annual incentives, can range from $37,738 to $50,534 each year, with an average of $43,836.
Based on 7 salaries in the UK, an entry-level Assistant Editor with less than 1 year of experience can expect to earn an average total remuneration of £20,378 (including tips, bonus, and overtime pay). Based on 88 salaries, an Assistant Editor in their early career with 1-4 years of experience gets an average total salary of £22,624 per year. Based on 17 salaries, an Assistant Editor in their mid-career gets an average total salary of £27,138. Based on ten salaries, an experienced Assistant Editor with 10-19 years of experience gets an average total salary of £26,054. Employees with a long career (20 years or more) get an average total remuneration of £42,979.