You need to have a passion for the work. Copy editors need to care about their jobs, whether they are in newspapers, magazines, or book publishing, or even if they are copy editors for Web publications. Find out not just about the basics of the job, but about what is going on elsewhere at your firm, and you will be a great copy editor. You have to be enthusiastic about your job.
You will also need to have a solid, basic education. That means knowing editing, writing, reporting, style, spelling, grammar, and all the other components of a good publishing employee. Of course, if you do not have some of these skills but do have the drive to learn, picking them up is extremely easy. Do not be too discouraged by ads that ask for skills with specific programs; not every position requires them, and you can learn these tools as you go, if needed. Just make sure that you are clear and up front about what you know and what you do not.
Experience is important, too. You may wonder how you are supposed to get experience if every job needs it. The answer is through less-traditional means. Take a stint on the local or college paper as a volunteer or part-time worker. Choose an internship. Experience is far more important than the GPA you had in college when it comes to getting hired and doing well as a copy editor.
Do not forget about creativity. You will need to be able to exercise it in any publishing job. That does not mean you need to be a novelist, but it does mean that you need to be able to think about where to do research and come up with new ways to solve problems. Do not just send your resume to the human resources department—find out who does the hiring for copy editors and send it to him or her personally. That shows you have the ability to research and that you care enough to look into the company in depth.
Remember that your cover letter is your opportunity to sell yourself. Do not just say you want to talk about opportunities with the publisher. Show the employer what you would be like in this position. Let them know you are passionate about the work and that you know what you are doing.
Know as much as you can about the publisher in question. It looks bad to go in knowing next to nothing about a paper that is available at major news stands. You do not have to be able to write a book on your potential employer, but you should show a basic understanding of what they do and produce and be able to answer questions about the job intelligently. Know what makes this publisher stand out from the rest, and be prepared to ask smart questions.
Flexibility is important, too, and you will need to have realistic expectations. You should know that not everyone starts in the job they want or at the most prestigious publishing house. Be willing to accept entry-level positions if you are just starting out; then work your way up. Absorb knowledge like a sponge and show willingness to work on anything you are asked to. Show flexibility and you become incredibly valuable. After all, that means you can be trusted to do all kinds of jobs.
Attention to detail is a must. If you want to be a copy editor, you had better make sure that there are no spelling, style, or grammar errors in your resume or cover letter. You may be in a hurry, but there is nothing like a first impression, so make sure that what you submit is perfect in every detail. Copy editors have to catch the tiniest flaws, and that requires them to be extremely detail oriented.
You also need common sense. This separates leaders from followers in publishing, since following every rule to the letter can have bad results. You need to pay attention to situations, be able to make decisions on the fly, and intuitively know what needs to be done. This will make you not just a good copy editor, but a great one. Sometimes you need to break a rule a little, but it is vital to know when and how to do it.
These tips could help you perform your duties as a copy editor better than before and really stand out. Whether you are trying to get hired or you already work in one of these editor publishing jobs, paying attention to the above details could make a big difference. See if any of them can be applied to your job or your job search. You could have that great publishing job you have been waiting for.
