Newspaper editor to photojournalist
A newspaper editor already meets 65% of what the photojournalist role asks for. The move turns on 7 required skills not yet in the profile.
46/ 100
1 How much of what a photojournalist is expected to do is already part of a newspaper editor’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 photojournalist role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A photojournalist role treats 19 of its required skills as things a newspaper editor already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- adapt to type of media
- apply grammar and spelling rules
- build contacts to maintain news flow
- consult information sources
- copyright legislation
- develop professional network
What stands in the way is 7 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 29 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A photojournalist role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a newspaper editor background worth leading with.
- already held follow newspaper house style assisting and caring
- already held digital journalism social sciences, journalism and information
- already held write captions communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held write headlines communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held build contacts to maintain news flow communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held follow ethical code of conduct of journalists assisting and caring
All 29 carried skills, including the 19 the photojournalist role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 22 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 select camera apertures required
- still to learn select photographic equipment required
- still to learn set up photographic equipment required
- optional, not held maintain photographic equipment optional
- optional, not held record multi-track sound optional
- optional, not held use photographic equipment optional
- still to learn stay up to date with social media required
- still to learn study topics required
- optional, not held manage writing administration optional
- optional, not held test photographic equipment optional
- still to learn evaluate writings in response to feedback required
- optional, not held direct photographic workers optional
- optional, not held edit digital moving images optional
- optional, not held follow directions of on-site director optional
- optional, not held maintain an artistic portfolio optional
- optional, not held develop film optional
- still to learn photography required
- optional, not held manage personal finances optional
- optional, not held manage personal professional development optional
- optional, not held edit recorded sound optional
- optional, not held perform video editing optional
1 further area in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a photojournalist 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 select camera apertures practise this
- 03 select photographic equipment 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 29 skills that carry over
- already held adapt to type of media skill
- 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 meet deadlines skill
- 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 check correctness of information skill
- already held create online news content 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 press law knowledge
- already held write captions skill
- already held write headlines skill
The 1 learning area not shown above
- optional, not held audio editing software optional
15 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held direct photographic workers optional
- optional, not held edit digital moving images optional
- optional, not held edit recorded sound optional
- optional, not held follow directions of on-site director optional
- optional, not held maintain an artistic portfolio optional
- optional, not held maintain photographic equipment optional
- optional, not held manage personal finances optional
- optional, not held manage writing administration optional
- optional, not held perform video editing optional
- optional, not held record multi-track sound optional
- optional, not held test photographic equipment optional
- optional, not held use photographic equipment optional
- optional, not held audio editing software optional
- optional, not held develop film optional
- optional, not held manage personal professional development optional
14 held skills the photojournalist role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role accounting techniques knowledge
- not needed by the target role apply desktop publishing techniques skill
- not needed by the target role apply organisational techniques skill
- not needed by the target role ask questions at events skill
- 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 desktop publishing knowledge
- 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 manage budgets skill
- not needed by the target role manage staff skill
- not needed by the target role proofread text skill
- not needed by the target role respect cultural preferences skill
- not needed by the target role use word processing software skill
2 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 photography required
- optional, not held audio editing software optional
Common questions about this move
Can a newspaper editor become a photojournalist?
Yes, and it is a moderate move. A newspaper editor already covers 65% of what a photojournalist is expected to do: 29 skills carry over, 19 of which the photojournalist role treats as required.
What skills does a newspaper editor need to become a photojournalist?
7 required skills are missing, plus 15 optional ones. They fall into 7 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by working with machinery and specialised equipment. The single most important is evaluate writings in response to feedback.
How hard is the move from newspaper editor to photojournalist?
Its learning distance is 46 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.