Journalists, designers and photojournalists can all make vivid portfolios to showcase their work. For an editor, however, more specifically a copy editor, it's much harder to show your skills. You can show an article that is grammatically sound and all the facts check up, but couldn't the writer have done that on his own? How can you show what you can offer?
I think a lot of this links back to how copy editors can be the unsung heroes of a publication. They don't get a lot of credit for their work and you only really hear about them when they let an error slip through. So are copy editors stuck to having a storied resume and a good reviews from the editor in chief to prove their mettle? That sounds a little less appealing than having a resume full of eye-grabbing layouts or infographics. But perhaps that's just the nature of the industry and good managing editors will still be able to see a good copy editor when one comes along, despite there being little to show for it.
4 comments:
When I called the Chicago Tribune looking for a copy editor to talk to for my project, there was a long silence from the person on the other line. She had no idea how to track down a copy editor; she made me call reporters to ask if they remembered who copy edited their stories.
I think there should be at least an electronic tag on each story that tells you who worked on it other than the reporter.
You can showcase your skills as an editor. You can keep a "track changes" portfolio and analyze news judgment or word choice in a blog. News organizations still give tests to editors. You can demonstrate editing skills on the spot, any time, any place. And you can have error-free posts on your own Web presence. If you make mistakes online, you hurt your credibility as an editor of others.
Copy editors will always have a job in journalism. They are the ones who know the grammar, how to check the facts, and they put in a lot more work than most expect. I am a night editor on Tuesday at The Daily Illini, and they check everything. It is a lot of work, and they truly are the unsung heroes.
In response to Professor Follis' comment, I never thought of taking an already published story and making it better. We've done this countless times in class and it comes to show that stories can always be edited, cut, repackaged, etc. I have found myself reading articles and wishing a sentence was clearer or questions were answered. Making these changes could show a potential employer that I take interest in the way a story is presented and can critically analyze the way something has been edited.
Thanks for the tip!
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