RecordMove

Speechwriter to columnist

A speechwriter already meets 35% of what the columnist role asks for. The move turns on 11 required skills not yet in the profile.

Fig. 1 · Skill transfer ESCO v1.2.1 · directional

From speechwriter

Distant match

To columnist

12 You already bring

11 Still to learn

45 Skills in the target role2

Learning distance Substantial retraining

68.8/ 100

adjacentmoderatesubstantialcareer change

1 How much of what a columnist is expected to do is already part of a speechwriter’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 columnist role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.

Why

Why this move works

A columnist role treats 9 of its required skills as things a speechwriter already does. You would walk in with these on day one.

apply grammar and spelling rules
consult information sources
copyright legislation
evaluate writings in response to feedback
grammar
spelling

What stands in the way is 11 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 12 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A columnist role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a speechwriter background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held promote one's writings communication, collaboration and creativity
already held evaluate writings in response to feedback communication, collaboration and creativity
already held manage writing administration information skills
already held use specific writing techniques communication, collaboration and creativity
already held write to a deadline management skills
already held writing techniques arts and humanities

All 12 carried skills, including the 9 the columnist role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you may need to learn

The 33 missing skills fall into 9 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.

Skill to pick up Tier

01 communication, collaboration and creativity 4 required, 8 supplementary

still to learn build contacts to maintain news flow required
still to learn participate in editorial meetings required
still to learn develop professional network required
still to learn present arguments persuasively required

optional, not held adapt to type of media optional
optional, not held create online news content optional
optional, not held ensure consistency of published articles optional
optional, not held interview people optional
optional, not held rewrite articles optional
optional, not held write captions optional
optional, not held write headlines optional
optional, not held provide written content optional

02 social sciences, journalism and information 3 required, 4 supplementary

still to learn digital journalism required
still to learn editorial standards required
still to learn rhetoric required

optional, not held economics optional
optional, not held interview techniques optional
optional, not held political parties optional
optional, not held political science optional

03 information skills 3 required, 2 supplementary

still to learn follow the news required
still to learn stay up to date with social media required
still to learn study topics required

optional, not held check correctness of information optional
optional, not held document interviews optional

04 assisting and caring 1 required, 1 supplementary

still to learn follow ethical code of conduct of journalists required

optional, not held follow newspaper house style optional

05 business, administration and law 2 supplementary

optional, not held press law optional
optional, not held stock market optional

06 information and communication technologies (icts) 2 supplementary

optional, not held ICT software specifications optional
optional, not held desktop publishing optional

3 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a columnist 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 12 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 evaluate writings in response to feedback skill
already held grammar knowledge
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 manage writing administration skill
already held promote one's writings skill
already held proofread text skill

The 3 learning areas not shown above

Skill to pick up Tier

07 arts and humanities 1 supplementary

optional, not held multimedia systems optional

08 management skills 1 supplementary

optional, not held manage personal finances optional

09 working with computers 1 supplementary

optional, not held apply desktop publishing techniques optional

22 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to pick up Tier

optional, not held ICT software specifications optional
optional, not held adapt to type of media optional
optional, not held check correctness of information optional
optional, not held create online news content optional
optional, not held ensure consistency of published articles optional
optional, not held follow newspaper house style optional
optional, not held interview people optional
optional, not held manage personal finances optional
optional, not held rewrite articles optional
optional, not held write captions optional
optional, not held write headlines optional
optional, not held apply desktop publishing techniques optional
optional, not held desktop publishing optional
optional, not held document interviews optional
optional, not held economics optional
optional, not held interview techniques optional
optional, not held multimedia systems optional
optional, not held political parties optional
optional, not held political science optional
optional, not held press law optional
optional, not held provide written content optional
optional, not held stock market optional

14 held skills the columnist role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role analyse the comments of selected audiences skill
not needed by the target role breathing techniques knowledge
not needed by the target role develop creative ideas skill
not needed by the target role identify customer's needs skill
not needed by the target role manage schedule of tasks skill
not needed by the target role perform background research on writing subject skill
not needed by the target role perform multiple tasks at the same time skill
not needed by the target role practice humour skill
not needed by the target role prepare speeches skill
not needed by the target role pronunciation techniques knowledge
not needed by the target role select subject matter skill
not needed by the target role use word processing software skill
not needed by the target role vocal techniques knowledge
not needed by the target role write in conversational tone skill

12 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 pick up Tier

still to learn digital journalism required
still to learn editorial standards required
still to learn rhetoric required
optional, not held ICT software specifications optional
optional, not held desktop publishing optional
optional, not held economics optional
optional, not held interview techniques optional
optional, not held multimedia systems optional
optional, not held political parties optional
optional, not held political science optional
optional, not held press law optional
optional, not held stock market optional

Index

Other moves recorded from speechwriter

Full index of moves from speechwriter

FAQ

Common questions about this move

Can a speechwriter become a columnist?

Yes, and it is a substantial move. A speechwriter already covers 35% of what a columnist is expected to do: 12 skills carry over, 9 of which the columnist role treats as required.

What skills does a speechwriter need to become a columnist?

11 required skills are missing, plus 22 optional ones. They fall into 9 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by communication, collaboration and creativity. The single most important is build contacts to maintain news flow.

How hard is the move from speechwriter to columnist?

Its learning distance is 68.8 out of 100, which is the substantial band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.

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.