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How to Land Proofreading Jobs

Five easy steps to help you land exciting proofreading jobs

Have you recently wondered how to become a proofreader? Many proofreading jobs are offered both online and offline. However, before discussing the type of work available and how you can land a proofreading job, let’s briefly discuss the definition of a professional proofreader and what the work entails.

Professional proofreader is a generic term for someone who ensures that the final version of any written work is grammatically correct and free of spelling and punctuation errors. Proofreaders check a written text after it has been edited and before it is printed or published, providing a final quality check to make sure that the copy editor didn’t miss anything. A proofreader must be accurate, pay close attention to detail, and be sufficiently self-motivated to meet deadlines. This is a very general definition; there are many different levels of proofreading, just as there are many different fields and industries that offer proofreading jobs.

1. Qualifications

You do not need any particular qualifications to land a proofreading job. Employers will usually be more interested in your experience than your qualifications. However, proofreaders are often graduates, so it could be an advantage if you have a degree in English or in a subject in which you would like to concentrate your proofreading efforts. For example, a science degree would be useful for proofreading scientific textbooks or manuals.

Technically, a professional proofreader is someone who has taken and passed an approved proofreading course. Many college or online courses are available to give you a leg up on the competition and help you get hired for proofreading jobs.

2. How to Get Started

To begin your search for proofreading jobs, start by sending inquiry letters. Start small, perhaps by contacting local newspapers or classified ad papers. Even though you might consider yourself an expert proofreader, have someone else proofread your letter and resume. Nothing kills your chances of getting a proofreading job faster than a typo on a resume!

If you need to accumulate some experience, look around and offer to do free proofreading for school newsletters or small business web sites. Perhaps your neighborhood association or favorite hobby could open doors to some proofreading experience.

Build and maintain a strong network of colleagues, acquaintances, and friends. You never know who may be able to give you a good lead on a proofreading job.

It might be beneficial to join or obtain certification from a professional body, such as the Editors’ Association of Canada, the American Copy Editors Society, or the UK Society for Editors and Proofreaders (SfEP).

Looking for work has become much easier due to the advent of search engines (which you can set up to alert you automatically when a specific company has openings). You can use both LinkedIn and Twitter to craft the image you wish to project (truthfully, of course!). There are quite a few LinkedIn groups that specialize in different types of editing and editors/proofreaders. These groups have archives that will answer many of your questions about proofreading jobs. On Twitter, you can also follow the tweets of people, companies, and industries that interest you.

3. Freelancing

Freelance proofreading jobs are another great option. If you are detail oriented, able to meet deadlines, and have excellent grammar and spelling skills, you’re well on your way to making a living from your home office.

Web sites such as Freelancewritinggigs.com find freelance proofreading jobs for you. These listings come from multiple sources, and employers can post job ads as well. Check the jobs and comments on such sites daily as the jobs tend to close fast due to the large number of applicants.

Register with directories that provide lists of proofreaders to the public, such as Findaproofreader.com or the Editorial Freelancers Association.

4. Advertise Yourself

Advertising yourself means building your own web site. Some free platforms exist; some cost extra for security or other built-in features. It’s a good idea to look at other proofreaders’ web sites to see what information they include and how they display it. Potential clients like to see details about a proofreader’s background and experience. Testimonials from previous clients are always good. You may also want to include information about how you charge for your services: by the word, by the page, by the project, or by the hour.

5. Job Listings

Here are some web sites where you may be able to find proofreading jobs and gather a group of satisfied clients:

  • Louise Harnby lists job directories for editors and proofreaders, divided by nation.
  • The American Copy Editors Society provides a list of proofreading jobs.
  • If you are interested in doing academic proofreading, “Working for Academic Editing Agencies” discusses working with academic agencies.
  • Katharine O’Moore-Klopf has been in publishing for several decades, and she has a long list of job boards.
  • Wordy.com contracts copyediting and proofreading jobs.
  • MediaBistro lists members in its Freelancer Marketplace.

So, there you have it—five easy steps to landing your dream proofreading job. Remember to be careful with web sites that sound too good to be true; investigate before you provide any personal details. And remember, all editors and proofreaders need to brush up on their skills to keep their clients and employers happy.

Filed Under: Editing and Proofreading Tagged With: editing, resources, rw

Is Using an Online Editing Course Helpful?

A guide to choosing an online editing course

Any published writer will tell you that a good editor is not merely helpful but is invaluable in the writing process. Editors help writers communicate by checking facts, ensuring consistency, and improving grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style in the development of everything from books to web pages.

Online education for editors can be a convenient and effective way for busy people to earn various qualifications and upgrade their skill sets. The main advantages of online editing courses include convenience and flexibility. There are a number of online editing courses to choose from. If you are interested in editing as a career or are already an editor and just want to brush up on your skills, online editing courses can be extremely useful.

What to look for in an online editing course

The majority of online editing, copyediting, and proofreading courses are appropriate for most learners. Here are a few to check out:

  • Professional and Technical Editing
  • Proofreading
  • Editing
  • Proofreading and Copyediting
  • Copyediting
  • Copyediting Course

Whether you are learning about editing for the first time or just need a refresher, there are certain things you should look for in an online editing course. Chief among these is that the course is offered by a reputable source. Other things to look for in an online editing course is that it includes certification of some sort, complete coverage, clear learning objectives, a way to measure learning progress, interactivity, learner support, easy navigation, and easy access.

The value of online editing courses

The value of editing is immeasurable. Good editors are worth their weight in gold, and so are good online editing courses. It is thus critical to research all the available options so you can decide which online editing course is the best one for you. Keep the above criteria in mind when shopping around, and happy editing!

Filed Under: Editing and Proofreading Tagged With: editing, education, rw

Do I Need to Take a Proofreading Course?

Who would benefit from a proofreading course?

Anyone who aims for a career in proofreading would be expected to take a proofreading course in one form or another. The traditional path to any job in publishing begins with a university degree in an English-related discipline, such as English literature, journalism, or communications. However, times are changing, and there are many other routes into publishing. Writing and editing are two other jobs that require proofreading skills. You would be unlikely to get far if your finished work in either of these fields failed to meet expected standards in spelling and grammar. So proofreaders are not the only ones who should consider taking a proofreading course.

Proofreaders

The Internet has opened up the possibility of a proofreading career to people from many different backgrounds. For example, many teachers, who are used to correcting their students’ work, find it easy to do proofreading work to supplement their income. Some become so comfortable with the role that they end up quitting their day job to take on proofreading as a full-time career. Anyone edging into proofreading from another profession would need to take a short proofreading course to understand the demands of the job.

Copywriters

Like proofreading, copywriting is a career that is available to people who did not study English in college or university. Websites specializing in advice on medicine, engineering, or technology need writers with knowledge and experience in those fields. Anyone switching from a non-publishing background to a writing career would need to take a proofreading course to ensure that his or her English skills are up to scratch.

Editors

Proofreading is an essential part of editing, so any trainee editor should take a proofreading course. Even editors who come from a university background may be expected to take a proofreading course at several points in their career. This is because the English language is constantly changing, and publishing industry standards change with it.

Academics

The reputation of budding scientists in academia is built on the number and quality of papers they have published in their chosen fields. A limited number of publications are seen as credible outlets for scientific papers in any discipline. Therefore, a young researcher seeking recognition cannot afford a reputation for poor spelling and sloppy grammar. A proofreading course is a good career move for those who hope to establish a name in their chosen academic field.

Take a proofreading course

You may feel that you cannot take time off from work to attend a proofreading course, or perhaps there is no proofreading course within commuting distance. Fortunately, you can take a proofreading course online so you don’t have to be in a particular place at a specific time. An online course lets you acquire proofreading skills without disrupting your daily schedule.

 

Filed Under: Editing and Proofreading Tagged With: proofreading, rw

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