Career Overlap Occupation record
RecordJob

Where a lyricist can go next

5 destinations recorded, ranked by how much of the target role a lyricist already meets. The closer to the top of Table 1, the less there is to learn.

Lyricists interpret the style of a music piece and write words to accompany the melody. They work together with the music composer.

Also known as songwriter, composer-lyricist, lyric writer, libretist, copywriter & lyricist, singer-lyricist, lyric songwriter.

Professionals 25 skills on file 5 career moves 0 above 60% overlap Closest: composer, 27%

Fig. 2 · Career map 5 nearest · ESCO v1.2.1
composer 27% covered sound editor 27% covered music arranger 26% covered musical conductor 25% covered music director 25% covered lyricist You are here
  • 70% and above · short step
  • 50 to 70% · real move
  • Below 50% · substantial retraining
The 5 nearest destinations from lyricist, each one a link to that move’s record. Distance from the centre is how much retraining the move takes; the figure on each is how much of that role a lyricist already covers. All 5 are listed in the tables below.
Table 1

Table 1 · A bigger jump

Possible, but expect real retraining rather than a sideways step.

Table 2

Table 2 · What the job itself asks for

A lyricist needs 11 required skills and areas of knowledge. These 10 are the ones fewest other jobs share, so they say the most about the work.

Required skill Area
  • create a rhyme scheme structure communication, collaboration and creativity
  • match lyrics to mood of melody communication, collaboration and creativity
  • write songs communication, collaboration and creativity
  • study musical scores information skills
  • musical notation arts and humanities
  • study music information skills
  • music literature arts and humanities
  • musical theory arts and humanities
  • write to a deadline management skills
  • musical genres arts and humanities
Table 3

Table 3 · Jobs that lead here

The reverse view: occupations whose skills already cover much of what a lyricist does. The figure is how much of this job each one brings.

Index

Look up another occupation

Lyricist is filed under Professionals, ISCO major group 2. The full index lists all ten groups.

Note

How these figures were compiled

Overlap is how much of the target role is already part of a lyricist’s work. It is directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. Every entry above opens the full comparison for that move: what carries over, what is missing, and where to start. The full method.