columnisttoforeign correspondent
A columnist already meets 79% of what the foreign correspondent role asks for. The move turns on 5 required skills not yet in the profile.
This move: 27.8 of 100 · adjacent
1 Share of the foreign correspondent role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the columnist profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 37 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A foreign correspondent role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a columnist background worth leading with.
- already held rewrite articles communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held promote one's writings communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held write captions communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held stay up to date with social media information skills
- already held manage personal finances management skills
- already held write headlines communication, collaboration and creativity
All 37 carried skills, including the 20 the foreign correspondent role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you would need to learn
The 11 missing skills fall into 3 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.
- required, not held provide context to news stories required
- required, not held show intercultural awareness required
- required, not held speak different languages required
- optional, not held follow directions of on-site director optional
- optional, not held present during live broadcasts optional
- optional, not held adapt to changing situations optional
- optional, not held communicate by telephone optional
- required, not held observe new developments in foreign countries required
- required, not held study cultures required
- optional, not held do historical research optional
- optional, not held pronunciation techniques optional
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a foreign correspondent role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 provide context to news stories skill · sector specific
- 02 observe new developments in foreign countries skill · cross sector
- 03 show intercultural awareness skill · cross sector
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 37 skills that carry over
- already held apply grammar and spelling rules skill
- already held build contacts to maintain news flow skill
- already held consult information sources skill
- already held copyright legislation knowledge
- already held develop professional network skill
- already held editorial standards knowledge
- already held evaluate writings in response to feedback skill
- already held follow ethical code of conduct of journalists skill
- already held follow the news skill
- already held grammar knowledge
- already held interview people skill
- already held interview techniques knowledge
- already held participate in editorial meetings skill
- already held rhetoric knowledge
- already held spelling knowledge
- already held stay up to date with social media skill
- already held study topics skill
- already held use specific writing techniques skill
- already held write to a deadline skill
- already held writing techniques knowledge
- already held ICT software specifications knowledge
- already held adapt to type of media skill
- already held apply desktop publishing techniques skill
- already held check correctness of information skill
- already held create online news content skill
- already held desktop publishing knowledge
- already held document interviews skill
- already held manage personal finances skill
- already held manage writing administration skill
- already held multimedia systems knowledge
- already held press law knowledge
- already held promote one's writings skill
- already held proofread text skill
- already held provide written content skill
- already held rewrite articles skill
- already held write captions skill
- already held write headlines skill
6 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held do historical research optional
- optional, not held follow directions of on-site director optional
- optional, not held present during live broadcasts optional
- optional, not held adapt to changing situations optional
- optional, not held communicate by telephone optional
- optional, not held pronunciation techniques optional
8 held skills the foreign correspondent role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role digital journalism knowledge
- not needed by the target role economics knowledge
- not needed by the target role ensure consistency of published articles skill
- not needed by the target role follow newspaper house style skill
- not needed by the target role political parties knowledge
- not needed by the target role political science knowledge
- not needed by the target role present arguments persuasively skill
- not needed by the target role stock market knowledge
1 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- optional, not held pronunciation techniques optional
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.