Advertising copywriter to desktop publisher
An advertising copywriter already meets 31% of what the desktop publisher role asks for. The move turns on 13 required skills not yet in the profile.
70.6/ 100
1 How much of what a desktop publisher 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 desktop publisher role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A desktop publisher role treats 7 of its required skills as things an advertising copywriter already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- apply desktop publishing techniques
- copyright legislation
- desktop publishing
- develop digital content
- follow a brief
- printing techniques
What stands in the way is 13 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 12 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A desktop publisher 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 develop digital content working with computers
- already held apply desktop publishing techniques working with computers
- already held printing techniques arts and humanities
All 12 carried skills, including the 7 the desktop publisher role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 32 missing skills fall into 6 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 digital media required
- still to learn graphic design required
- still to learn multimedia systems required
- still to learn prepress processes required
- optional, not held grammar optional
- optional, not held interactive media optional
- optional, not held post-processing of photographs optional
- optional, not held reprography optional
- optional, not held spelling optional
- still to learn adapt to artists' creative demands required
- still to learn adapt to type of media required
- still to learn align content with form required
- still to learn translate requirements into visual design required
- optional, not held work closely with news teams optional
- optional, not held consult with editor optional
- still to learn ICT software specifications required
- still to learn computer graphics required
- optional, not held adobe creative suite optional
- still to learn finish project within budget required
- still to learn follow work schedule required
- still to learn search databases required
- optional, not held digital content creation optional
- optional, not held edit negatives optional
- optional, not held edit photographs optional
- optional, not held perform backups optional
- optional, not held problem-solving with digital tools optional
- optional, not held scan photos optional
- optional, not held digitise documents optional
- optional, not held perform image editing optional
- optional, not held use presentation software optional
- optional, not held use spreadsheets software optional
- optional, not held assist customers optional
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a desktop publisher role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 ICT software specifications study this
- 02 adapt to artists' creative demands practise this
- 03 adapt to type of media 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 12 skills that carry over
- already held apply desktop publishing techniques skill
- already held copyright legislation knowledge
- already held desktop publishing knowledge
- already held develop digital content skill
- already held follow a brief skill
- already held printing techniques knowledge
- already held typography knowledge
- already held apply grammar and spelling rules skill
- already held develop creative ideas skill
- already held identify customer's needs skill
- already held proofread text skill
- already held use word processing software skill
19 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held adobe creative suite optional
- optional, not held assist customers optional
- optional, not held digital content creation optional
- optional, not held edit negatives optional
- optional, not held edit photographs optional
- optional, not held perform backups optional
- optional, not held problem-solving with digital tools optional
- optional, not held scan photos optional
- optional, not held work closely with news teams optional
- optional, not held consult with editor optional
- optional, not held digitise documents optional
- optional, not held grammar optional
- optional, not held interactive media optional
- optional, not held perform image editing optional
- optional, not held post-processing of photographs optional
- optional, not held reprography optional
- optional, not held spelling optional
- optional, not held use presentation software optional
- optional, not held use spreadsheets software optional
23 held skills the desktop publisher 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 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 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 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 write to a deadline skill
12 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 ICT software specifications required
- still to learn computer graphics required
- still to learn digital media required
- still to learn graphic design required
- still to learn multimedia systems required
- still to learn prepress processes required
- optional, not held adobe creative suite optional
- optional, not held grammar optional
- optional, not held interactive media optional
- optional, not held post-processing of photographs optional
- optional, not held reprography optional
- optional, not held spelling 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
- advertising media planner 30% covered · substantial
- copy editor 28% covered · substantial
- graphic designer 26% covered · career change
Common questions about this move
Can an advertising copywriter become a desktop publisher?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. An advertising copywriter already covers 31% of what a desktop publisher is expected to do: 12 skills carry over, 7 of which the desktop publisher role treats as required.
What skills does an advertising copywriter need to become a desktop publisher?
13 required skills are missing, plus 19 optional ones. They fall into 6 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by arts and humanities. The single most important is ICT software specifications.
How hard is the move from advertising copywriter to desktop publisher?
Its learning distance is 70.6 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.