Advertising copywriter to copy editor
An advertising copywriter already meets 28% of what the copy editor role asks for. The move turns on 9 required skills not yet in the profile.
67/ 100
1 How much of what a copy editor is expected to do is already part of an advertising copywriter’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the copy editor role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A copy editor role treats 4 of its required skills as things an advertising copywriter already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- apply grammar and spelling rules
- copyright legislation
- follow a brief
- typography
What stands in the way is 9 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 7 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A copy editor role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of an advertising copywriter background worth leading with.
- already held typography arts and humanities
- already held follow a brief communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held desktop publishing information and communication technologies (icts)
- already held apply desktop publishing techniques working with computers
- already held proofread text communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held apply grammar and spelling rules communication, collaboration and creativity
All 7 carried skills, including the 4 the copy editor role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 21 missing skills fall into 7 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn suggest revision of manuscripts required
- still to learn consult with editor required
- still to learn track changes in text editing required
- optional, not held adapt to artists' creative demands optional
- optional, not held rewrite articles optional
- optional, not held rewrite manuscripts optional
- optional, not held write headlines optional
- still to learn grammar required
- still to learn spelling required
- still to learn writing techniques required
- optional, not held literature optional
- still to learn use dictionaries required
- optional, not held read manuscripts optional
- optional, not held review unpublished articles optional
- optional, not held consult information sources optional
- still to learn digital journalism required
- optional, not held editorial standards optional
- still to learn follow work schedule required
- optional, not held follow ethical code of conduct of journalists optional
- optional, not held follow newspaper house style optional
1 further area in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a copy editor role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 digital journalism study this
- 02 suggest revision of manuscripts practise this
- 03 consult with editor practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 7 skills that carry over
- already held apply grammar and spelling rules skill
- already held copyright legislation knowledge
- already held follow a brief skill
- already held typography knowledge
- already held apply desktop publishing techniques skill
- already held desktop publishing knowledge
- already held proofread text skill
The 1 learning area not shown above
- optional, not held office software optional
12 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held adapt to artists' creative demands optional
- optional, not held follow ethical code of conduct of journalists optional
- optional, not held follow newspaper house style optional
- optional, not held read manuscripts optional
- optional, not held review unpublished articles optional
- optional, not held rewrite articles optional
- optional, not held rewrite manuscripts optional
- optional, not held write headlines optional
- optional, not held consult information sources optional
- optional, not held editorial standards optional
- optional, not held literature optional
- optional, not held office software optional
28 held skills the copy editor role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role advertising techniques knowledge
- not needed by the target role analyse consumer buying trends skill
- not needed by the target role analyse cultural trends skill
- not needed by the target role brainstorm ideas skill
- not needed by the target role conduct search engine optimisation skill
- not needed by the target role coordinate advertising campaigns skill
- not needed by the target role create advertisements skill
- not needed by the target role create storyboards skill
- not needed by the target role develop creative ideas skill
- not needed by the target role develop digital content skill
- not needed by the target role develop media strategy skill
- not needed by the target role draft press releases skill
- not needed by the target role evaluate advertising campaign skill
- not needed by the target role evaluate writings in response to feedback skill
- not needed by the target role give live presentation skill
- not needed by the target role identify customer's needs skill
- not needed by the target role lay out digital written content skill
- not needed by the target role manage budgets skill
- not needed by the target role meet expectations of target audience skill
- not needed by the target role perform market research skill
- not needed by the target role perform media outlets research skill
- not needed by the target role practice humour skill
- not needed by the target role printing techniques knowledge
- not needed by the target role product comprehension knowledge
- not needed by the target role social media marketing techniques knowledge
- not needed by the target role types of media knowledge
- not needed by the target role use word processing software skill
- not needed by the target role write to a deadline skill
7 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn digital journalism required
- still to learn grammar required
- still to learn spelling required
- still to learn writing techniques required
- optional, not held editorial standards optional
- optional, not held literature optional
- optional, not held office software optional
Other moves recorded from advertising copywriter
- advertising specialist 53% covered · moderate
- creative director 48% covered · moderate
- advertising assistant 36% covered · substantial
- advertising media buyer 34% covered · substantial
- speechwriter 34% covered · substantial
- desktop publisher 31% covered · substantial
- advertising media planner 30% covered · substantial
- graphic designer 26% covered · career change
Common questions about this move
Can an advertising copywriter become a copy editor?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. An advertising copywriter already covers 28% of what a copy editor is expected to do: 7 skills carry over, 4 of which the copy editor role treats as required.
What skills does an advertising copywriter need to become a copy editor?
9 required skills are missing, plus 12 optional ones. They fall into 7 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by communication, collaboration and creativity. The single most important is digital journalism.
How hard is the move from advertising copywriter to copy editor?
Its learning distance is 67 out of 100, which is the substantial band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.