Editor-in-chief to entertainment journalist
An editor-in-chief already meets 65% of what the entertainment journalist role asks for. The move turns on 4 required skills not yet in the profile.
44.7/ 100
1 How much of what an entertainment journalist is expected to do is already part of an editor-in-chief’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 entertainment journalist role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
An entertainment journalist role treats 17 of its required skills as things an editor-in-chief already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- apply grammar and spelling rules
- build contacts to maintain news flow
- consult information sources
- copyright legislation
- develop professional network
- digital journalism
What stands in the way is 4 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 32 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. An entertainment journalist role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of an editor-in-chief background worth leading with.
- already held follow newspaper house style assisting and caring
- already held digital journalism social sciences, journalism and information
- already held build contacts to maintain news flow communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held follow ethical code of conduct of journalists assisting and caring
- already held create online news content communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held participate in editorial meetings communication, collaboration and creativity
All 32 carried skills, including the 17 the entertainment journalist role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 27 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 stay up to date with social media required
- still to learn study topics required
- optional, not held manage writing administration optional
- still to learn evaluate writings in response to feedback required
- optional, not held ask questions at events optional
- optional, not held follow directions of on-site director optional
- optional, not held liaise with cultural partners optional
- optional, not held present during live broadcasts optional
- optional, not held promote one's writings optional
- optional, not held rewrite articles optional
- optional, not held write captions optional
- optional, not held write headlines optional
- optional, not held attend book fairs optional
- optional, not held attend performances optional
- optional, not held communicate by telephone optional
- optional, not held liaise with celebrities optional
- optional, not held provide written content optional
- optional, not held read books optional
- still to learn rhetoric required
- optional, not held cultural projects optional
- optional, not held literature optional
- optional, not held multimedia systems optional
- optional, not held pronunciation techniques optional
- optional, not held ICT software specifications optional
- optional, not held audio editing software optional
- optional, not held manage personal finances optional
1 further area in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries an entertainment journalist role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 evaluate writings in response to feedback practise this
- 02 stay up to date with social media practise this
- 03 study topics 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 32 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 digital journalism knowledge
- already held editorial standards knowledge
- 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 spelling knowledge
- already held use specific writing techniques skill
- already held write to a deadline skill
- already held writing techniques knowledge
- already held adapt to changing situations skill
- 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 edit digital moving images skill
- already held edit negatives skill
- already held edit photographs skill
- already held follow newspaper house style skill
- already held perform image editing skill
- already held perform video editing skill
- already held press law knowledge
- already held proofread text skill
The 1 learning area not shown above
- optional, not held edit recorded sound optional
23 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held ICT software specifications optional
- optional, not held ask questions at events optional
- optional, not held cultural projects optional
- optional, not held edit recorded sound optional
- optional, not held follow directions of on-site director optional
- optional, not held liaise with cultural partners optional
- optional, not held manage personal finances optional
- optional, not held manage writing administration optional
- optional, not held present during live broadcasts optional
- optional, not held promote one's writings optional
- optional, not held rewrite articles optional
- optional, not held write captions optional
- optional, not held write headlines optional
- optional, not held attend book fairs optional
- optional, not held attend performances optional
- optional, not held audio editing software optional
- optional, not held communicate by telephone optional
- optional, not held liaise with celebrities optional
- optional, not held literature optional
- optional, not held multimedia systems optional
- optional, not held pronunciation techniques optional
- optional, not held provide written content optional
- optional, not held read books optional
13 held skills the entertainment journalist role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role check stories skill
- not needed by the target role create editorial board skill
- not needed by the target role ensure consistency of published articles skill
- not needed by the target role graphic design knowledge
- not needed by the target role implement strategic planning skill
- not needed by the target role manage budgets skill
- not needed by the target role manage contracts skill
- not needed by the target role manage staff skill
- not needed by the target role meet deadlines skill
- not needed by the target role photography knowledge
- not needed by the target role recruit employees skill
- not needed by the target role study relevant writing skill
- not needed by the target role work closely with news teams 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 rhetoric required
- optional, not held ICT software specifications optional
- optional, not held cultural projects optional
- optional, not held audio editing software optional
- optional, not held literature optional
- optional, not held multimedia systems optional
- optional, not held pronunciation techniques optional
Common questions about this move
Can an editor-in-chief become an entertainment journalist?
Yes, and it is a moderate move. An editor-in-chief already covers 65% of what an entertainment journalist is expected to do: 32 skills carry over, 17 of which the entertainment journalist role treats as required.
What skills does an editor-in-chief need to become an entertainment journalist?
4 required skills are missing, plus 23 optional ones. They fall into 7 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by information skills. The single most important is evaluate writings in response to feedback.
How hard is the move from editor-in-chief to entertainment journalist?
Its learning distance is 44.7 out of 100, which is the moderate 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.