Table 1Transition record

proofreadertospeechwriter

A proofreader already meets 32% of what the speechwriter role asks for. The move turns on 7 required skills not yet in the profile.

From proofreader

32%

Overlap1

To speechwriter

6 Skills carried over

7 Required, not held

63.5 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 63.5

This move: 63.5 of 100 · substantial

1 Share of the speechwriter role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the proofreader 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 6 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A speechwriter role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a proofreader background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held spelling arts and humanities
already held proofread text communication, collaboration and creativity
already held consult information sources information skills
already held grammar arts and humanities
already held apply grammar and spelling rules communication, collaboration and creativity
already held copyright legislation business, administration and law

All 6 carried skills, including the 5 the speechwriter role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 20 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 5 required, 4 supplementary

required, not held identify customer's needs required
required, not held use specific writing techniques required
required, not held write in conversational tone required
required, not held develop creative ideas required
required, not held prepare speeches required

optional, not held evaluate writings in response to feedback optional
optional, not held practice humour optional
optional, not held promote one's writings optional
optional, not held select subject matter optional

02 arts and humanities 1 required, 3 supplementary

required, not held writing techniques required

optional, not held breathing techniques optional
optional, not held pronunciation techniques optional
optional, not held vocal techniques optional

03 information skills 1 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held perform background research on writing subject required

optional, not held analyse the comments of selected audiences optional
optional, not held manage writing administration optional

04 management skills 3 supplementary

optional, not held write to a deadline optional
optional, not held manage schedule of tasks optional
optional, not held perform multiple tasks at the same time optional

05 working with computers 1 supplementary

optional, not held use word processing software optional

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a speechwriter 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 6 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held apply grammar and spelling rules skill
already held consult information sources skill
already held copyright legislation knowledge
already held grammar knowledge
already held spelling knowledge
already held proofread text skill

13 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held analyse the comments of selected audiences optional
optional, not held evaluate writings in response to feedback optional
optional, not held manage writing administration optional
optional, not held practice humour optional
optional, not held promote one's writings optional
optional, not held write to a deadline optional
optional, not held breathing techniques optional
optional, not held manage schedule of tasks optional
optional, not held perform multiple tasks at the same time optional
optional, not held pronunciation techniques optional
optional, not held select subject matter optional
optional, not held use word processing software optional
optional, not held vocal techniques optional

16 held skills the speechwriter role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role apply desktop publishing techniques skill
not needed by the target role consult with editor 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 lay out digital written content skill
not needed by the target role master language rules skill
not needed by the target role proofing methods knowledge
not needed by the target role read books skill
not needed by the target role reproduce documents skill
not needed by the target role review unpublished articles skill
not needed by the target role rewrite articles skill
not needed by the target role rewrite manuscripts skill
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

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 writing techniques required
optional, not held breathing techniques optional
optional, not held pronunciation techniques optional
optional, not held vocal techniques optional

Index

Other moves recorded from proofreader

Full index of moves from proofreader

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.