Proofreaders - A Look at What They Do

Many a time, you may have noticed a missing letter in a word or a misspelled word, or a sentence that just does not look right in a book or any piece of printing. These mistakes are the result of poor proofreading, and you should know that it is the work of proofreaders to catch these mistakes and rectify them. If you chance upon a book in which you cannot find a single error in spelling or you notice that every sentence is perfectly formed, you can be sure that a proofreader has done a good job. Proofreading is a process of ensuring that a manuscript is free of readable errors. This is to be done in the final copy before it is published or printed for the public. The role of the proofreaders is not just limited to one or two stages but in all the stages when the manuscript is being converted to a printed format. It is the duty of the proofreader to read the ads and the text in the material and check if there are mistakes in it.

Job Profile of a Proofreader

A manuscript is also called a copy and before the type is set, the proofreaders have to go through it and find if there are some mistakes in the copy. The proofreaders read the galleys or the lines once they have been set by the typesetters. The proofreader has to see the galleys and match it with the original copy to see the typos. The font size, type size and the spacing is also to be verified. This is done to ensure that the planned pages are the same as what the designers wanted them to be. The proofreaders also check the charts, pictures and page numbers to confirm they are accurate.



Requirements

Education and Training Requirements

To be a good proofreader, a high school education is necessary along with a good command over the required language. Anyone who opts for this job should have good knowledge about punctuation, grammar and spelling. The proofreaders have to spend time in reading the text slowly and carefully so that no mistake gets overlooked. The publishers look for people who are good at technical language so that they can work on specific subjects like medical books and foreign language books. The proofreaders are trained while they are working in the company or publishing house.

If you want to apply for the post of a proofreader, you will have to take up a test to check your aptitude. This is done to check if they are good at finding mistakes. One should know the proofreader's symbols that are used for the purpose of editing. It is good if you have good eyesight to read the text properly.

Skill sets

The proofreaders have to be skilled enough to find the mistakes. It is important to have a good hold over the written format of the language so that you can find mistakes. Knowledge of symbols and foreign language is also necessary.

Prior Experience

Some publishing houses may expect you to have some prior experience in writing and editing. Even if you don't have an experience, it is likely that you will get a good job and will be able to get on-the-job training.

Employment Outlook

Career Prospects (globally)

In this career, the more experience you have, the better job prospects you have. Your education and the company you are working with will also help you in advancing your career with your talent set towards a great future. Once you know how to do this work properly, you can get into jobs like that of copy editors and production assistants.

Salaries

The salaries vary according to the company or the publishing house you are working with. The experience that you have in the field will also make a big difference to your salary.

Concluding Paragraph

If you are looking for a job as a proofreader, you can place applications in newspapers, publishing houses and magazines. The work is good and if you get to work with a big company, you can pretty much ensure that your career prospects take a turn for the better.