Copy Editor
(Female, Age 27) from Ballston Spa, NY
This is a REAL-LIFE job profile written by a Female aged 27 who works as a Copy Editor in Ballston Spa, NY. We have removed all names and personal information in order to protect privacy. This professional kindly spent a bit of their time to complete one of our job profile surveys so that prospective job seekers like you could read their insights. Please excuse any punctuation or grammatical errors in this profile.
At a Glance
Current Job
Basic data on your current job
| Job Title | Copy Editor |
|---|---|
| Salary | $32,000 |
| Other Compensation | None Set |
| Hours/Week | 38 |
| Company Size | (not answered) |
| Location | Ballston Spa, NY |
| Years Experience | 1 year |
Career Ratings
Opinions on your CAREER overall (i.e. not just your current job)
| Years in Career | 0 |
|---|---|
| Education | (not answered) |
| Income Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Interest Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Work-Life Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Fulfilment Rating | 0 / 10 |
Current job Q&A
Describe the type of organization you work for.
I work at a 30K-circulation newspaper in a medium-sized city.
Describe your job role and responsibilities.
I edit stories for clarity and to conform to AP style, and I design and assemble pages
Please list an additional benefits (beyond compensation) that you receive.
heath insurance, dental insurance, vacation and sick time
Do you feel you are under/over or well/fairly compensated at your current position?
I’m fairly compensated, I think.
Does your job entail you working with others on a daily basis? Is this something you like/dislike about your job? Please explain.
I mostly keep to myself and my duties, but I do need to interact with my bosses to get their approval on pages I’m doing. I don’t love this aspect, but it’s a necessary evil here. I’d rather just be left to my own devices, though.
Do you work collaboratively with supervisors/managers?
Yes
Do you work collaboratively with your co-workers?
Yes
Describe your work location (e.g., office, home, theatre, in the field) and what you like/dislike about working in it.
The newsroom is nice because I have my own desk and it’s grouped with everyone else who does a similar job, but it’s not so nice because it’s really big and people have different shifts, so that I still don’t know a lot of the people here even though I’ve been here a while.
Please rate each of the following aspects of your current job on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest/best):
Income: 8
Benefits: 7
Hours: 5
Co-Workers: 3
Supervisors: 2
Job Title: 1
Level of Responsibility: 4
The Actual Work: 6
Table of Contents
How you got your job
How did you get your current job?
I sent a resume cold, no listing, and they happened to have an opening soon after.
What was the application process?
I sent a resume and cover letter through the mail.
Did you have to interview for your current job? If yes, what did the interview process entail?
I had one interview with the overall boss, then an editing test, then a short interview with the department boss.
If you can remember, what questions were you asked during the interview?
Mostly the usual stuff — what are your strengths, what did you learn in your old job, what did you accomplish, why are you applying here, etc.
Do you feel your employer properly prepared you for your job? Explain.
Yes — I’m a quick learner, and I got enough training.
Was there training for your current position? If yes, what did it entail?
Yes — I sat through classes to learn the software that they use here.
Do you feel your educational background prepared you for your job? Explain.
Yes — I learned basic skills in college that I use every day at work.
If applicable, do you feel your internship experience helped you prepare for your job?
n/a
If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?
Get a degree in English and take journalism courses, so you know how to proofread and have an idea of what makes for good design.
What skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a position like yours?
Attention to detail is very important, as is the ability to ration your time so you get everything done before deadline.
Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?
Yes — you need to know AP style inside and out, and you need a broad knowledge of a lot of things to be able to catch mistakes in copy.
What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?
Be meticulous but efficient, and don’t think you’re going to get six figures.
Long-term career plans
Is your current employment part of your overall career plan? Why or why not?
Yes, this is where I had hoped to be.
What are your current career goals?
I’m pretty happy with where I am, other than moving up the pay scale.
Is there anything else you would like to share about your career?
n/a
Prior work history
Please list your most recent jobs prior to this current job:
| Title | Length | Salary | Description | |
| Prior Job 1 | News Editor | 1 year | $26K | The same stuff I do now, but with some managerial duties and a smaller paycheck. |
| Prior Job 2 | Copy Editor | 4 years | $21K | The same stuff I do now, but for even less money. |
Educational background
Please list your educational background:
High School GPA:3.74
| GPA | School | Degree | |
| College (Undergraduate) or Technical/Vocational |
3.82 | Russell Sage College | English/Secondary Education |
| Graduate or Professional (Masters or Doctorate) |
Ask a Question of this Mentor
This mentor has opted to receive questions from people interested in this career or job position. Please be respectful of their time and willingness to help. Include some basic relevant background so they can intelligently answer your question.