Table 1Transition record

copy editortofact checker

A copy editor already meets 39% of what the fact checker role asks for. The move turns on 6 required skills not yet in the profile.

From copy editor

39%

Overlap1

To fact checker

7 Skills carried over

6 Required, not held

52.5 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 52.5

This move: 52.5 of 100 · moderate

1 Share of the fact checker role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the copy editor 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 fact checker role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a copy editor background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held review unpublished articles information skills
already held rewrite manuscripts communication, collaboration and creativity
already held read manuscripts information skills
already held consult with editor communication, collaboration and creativity
already held writing techniques arts and humanities
already held proofread text communication, collaboration and creativity

All 7 carried skills, including the 4 the fact checker role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 11 missing skills fall into 6 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 2 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held communicate by telephone required
required, not held develop professional network required

optional, not held interview people optional

02 social sciences, journalism and information 1 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held search engines required

optional, not held media and information literacy optional
optional, not held interview techniques optional

03 working with computers 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held search databases required

optional, not held use word processing software optional

04 education 1 required

required, not held scientific research methodology required

05 information skills 1 required

required, not held perform background research on writing subject required

06 business, administration and law 1 supplementary

optional, not held press law optional

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a fact checker 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 consult information sources skill
already held proofread text skill
already held read manuscripts skill
already held review unpublished articles skill
already held consult with editor skill
already held rewrite manuscripts skill
already held writing techniques knowledge

5 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held interview people optional
optional, not held media and information literacy optional
optional, not held interview techniques optional
optional, not held press law optional
optional, not held use word processing software optional

21 held skills the fact checker role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role adapt to artists' creative demands skill
not needed by the target role apply desktop publishing techniques skill
not needed by the target role apply grammar and spelling rules skill
not needed by the target role copyright legislation knowledge
not needed by the target role desktop publishing knowledge
not needed by the target role digital journalism knowledge
not needed by the target role editorial standards knowledge
not needed by the target role follow a brief skill
not needed by the target role follow ethical code of conduct of journalists skill
not needed by the target role follow newspaper house style skill
not needed by the target role follow work schedule skill
not needed by the target role grammar knowledge
not needed by the target role literature knowledge
not needed by the target role office software knowledge
not needed by the target role rewrite articles skill
not needed by the target role spelling knowledge
not needed by the target role suggest revision of manuscripts skill
not needed by the target role track changes in text editing skill
not needed by the target role typography knowledge
not needed by the target role use dictionaries skill
not needed by the target role write headlines skill

5 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 search engines required
required, not held scientific research methodology required
optional, not held media and information literacy optional
optional, not held interview techniques optional
optional, not held press law optional

Index

Other moves recorded from copy editor

Full index of moves from copy editor

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.