Career Overlap Transition record Edition 1 · ESCO v1.2.1
Table 1Transition record

composertolyricist

A composer already meets 24% of what the lyricist role asks for. The move turns on 9 required skills not yet in the profile.

From composer
24%
Overlap1
To lyricist
7 Skills carried over
9 Required, not held
71.6 Difficulty2
adjacent 0–30
moderate 30–55
substantial 55–75
career change 75–100
this move, 71.6

This move: 71.6 of 100 · substantial

1 Share of the lyricist role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the composer 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

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 7 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A lyricist role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a composer background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area
  • already held film music techniques arts and humanities
  • already held transcribe ideas into musical notation communication, collaboration and creativity
  • already held create musical forms communication, collaboration and creativity
  • already held write musical scores communication, collaboration and creativity
  • already held study music information skills
  • already held record music communication, collaboration and creativity

All 7 carried skills, including the 2 the lyricist role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 18 missing skills fall into 5 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.

Skill to acquire Tier
01 communication, collaboration and creativity 3 required, 9 supplementary
  • required, not held create a rhyme scheme structure required
  • required, not held match lyrics to mood of melody required
  • required, not held write songs required
  • optional, not held adapt to artists' creative demands optional
  • optional, not held advise on music pedagogy optional
  • optional, not held attend music recording sessions optional
  • optional, not held compose music optional
  • optional, not held consult with sound editor optional
  • optional, not held sing optional
  • optional, not held transcribe musical compositions optional
  • optional, not held work with composers optional
  • optional, not held practise singing optional
02 arts and humanities 3 required
  • required, not held musical theory required
  • required, not held musical genres required
  • required, not held musical notation required
03 business, administration and law 1 required
  • required, not held copyright legislation required
04 information skills 1 required
  • required, not held study musical scores required
05 management skills 1 required
  • required, not held write to a deadline required
Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a lyricist role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 7 skills that carry over
Skill Type
  • already held music literature knowledge
  • already held study music skill
  • already held create musical forms skill
  • already held film music techniques knowledge
  • already held record music skill
  • already held transcribe ideas into musical notation skill
  • already held write musical scores skill
9 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
Skill to acquire Tier
  • optional, not held adapt to artists' creative demands optional
  • optional, not held advise on music pedagogy optional
  • optional, not held attend music recording sessions optional
  • optional, not held compose music optional
  • optional, not held consult with sound editor optional
  • optional, not held sing optional
  • optional, not held transcribe musical compositions optional
  • optional, not held work with composers optional
  • optional, not held practise singing optional
17 held skills the lyricist role does not ask for
Skill Type
  • not needed by the target role complete final musical scores skill
  • not needed by the target role create musical structures skill
  • not needed by the target role define creative components skill
  • not needed by the target role describe artistic experience skill
  • not needed by the target role develop an artistic framework skill
  • not needed by the target role develop musical ideas skill
  • not needed by the target role edit recorded sound skill
  • not needed by the target role evaluate musical ideas skill
  • not needed by the target role organise compositions skill
  • not needed by the target role play musical instruments skill
  • not needed by the target role read musical score skill
  • not needed by the target role rewrite musical scores skill
  • not needed by the target role select elements for a composition skill
  • not needed by the target role supervise music groups skill
  • not needed by the target role transpose music skill
  • not needed by the target role use digital instruments skill
  • not needed by the target role work out orchestral sketches skill
4 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier
  • required, not held musical theory required
  • required, not held copyright legislation required
  • required, not held musical genres required
  • required, not held musical notation required
Index
Note

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.