1. Employment Profile: What exactly does a n Editor do? |
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 What field is your job in?
Publishing
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What is your job title?
Editor
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Please provide a brief description of the firm or organization that you currently work for
(size and general description of what type of organization it is)
My company employs about 300 people, and we're split into two locations. We publish everything from auto guides to cookbooks, history books, craft books, etc.
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How long have you been employed in this position?
Three years
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How many hours do you work a week on average?
40
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Please provide a BRIEF description of your duties and responsibilities. (job description)
As an editor, I edit manuscript for any given project. I also help plan the book, hire the writers, help figure out any art needed, attend photo shoots if needed, and continue to edit the book through each stage.
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What was your gross income last year? Please include any bonuses or incentives received.
33,000
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What is your expected gross income for this year? Please include any bonuses or incentives you expect to receive.
35000
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Please
list any benefits you have (Please include number of weeks vacation,
sick leave and type of health insurance, retirement plan 401k)
PPO insurance, 401K, 15 days vacation, eight "1-3" periods (where we can be absent from work up to three hours), summer hours
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Do you feel you are under/well/over compensated at your current position?
It's fair, I suppose. You don't go into publishing to make money.
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2. Work environment! |
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Does
your job entail you working with others on a daily basis? Is this
something you like/dislike about your job? Explain
I do work with others, but the level varies daily, and depending on what sort of book we're doing. Each book involves a team of people - writers, editors, production editors, acquisitions editors, art directors, etc. - who I have to corral every so often, to make sure we're on the same page. Sometimes I meet with team members several times a day, sometimes I won't talk to any of them for a week.
I actually really like the level of interaction. It's not overbearing.
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Do you work collaboratively with supervisors/managers?
Yes
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Do you work collaboratively with your co-workers?
Yes
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Describe
your work location (e.g., office, home, theatre, in the field) and what
you like/dislike about working in it
The previous answer was an explanation. I work closer with my coworkers than with the outside public. Unless a writer really screwed up or needs guidance, my interaction with them is limited. Same with illustrators.
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Please rank in order of importance from 1-8 (1- most important 8- least important) Assign each number once.
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3 Income
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2 Work Environment - co-workers
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5 Work Environment - supervisors
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6 Benefits
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7 Hours
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8 Level of responsibility
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1 The actual "work" you do at your job
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4 Job Title
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3. How should someone new to the workforce get a J-O-B like yours? |
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If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?
Frankly, while a B.A. in the field (English, journalism, communications) is nice, I've found that experience goes way further. If you can't get an internship, freelance for anyone you can - even web sites that can't afford to pay. Build up the resume to show that you're capable of doing the work. Join publishing groups and organizations to reap the rewards of their job listings and word-of-mouth.
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What
skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a
position like yours? Please be specific and explain why (e.g., social
skills, organization skills, technical skills)
Obviously, you need to know what makes good writing and what doesn't. This includes basic grammar skills. I don't know a dangling participle from a gerund, but I know when something is wrong with a sentence and how to fix it.
From there, organizational skills are a must. We handle several projects at a time, and each require their own level of babysitting. Multitasking is key.
It's also important to be able to get along with other people - your coworkers are your support staff. Plus, publishing is an industry where "who you know" really matters (especially when job hunting). Schmooze away.
Finally, it's really important to know how to get over any hurdle thrown your way without it flipping you out. Because, inevitably, things WILL go wrong at some point.
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Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?
I think i already answered this: A degree certainly helps, but experience speaks leagues.
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What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?
Brush up on basic skills - you'll probably have to take an editing test at some point.
Meet people, talk to others in the field, don't be afraid to network.
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