Editor In Chief
Editors in chief are the top editors at a newspaper, magazine, or other media outlet. He or she makes all final decisions regarding what is published, and carries out all major editing. He or she does not work as a proofreader, and does not perform basic editing tasks such as sentence restructuring or spelling corrections. Editors in chief oversee teams of writers, supervise subordinate editors, deal with advertisers, and coordinate publishing teams. He or she makes major contributions to ensure the publication’s message is accurately conveyed and all team members work together cohesively.
Editors in chief are required to hold a Bachelor’s degree in journalism or English. Most editors in chief work their way up to this top position and typically start as interns, copywriters, or associate editors. It usually takes about ten to fifteen years of experience as a copywriter, editor or other related position to be qualified to apply for a chief position. These editors must be able to work as part of a team, and manage many different types of personalities. An editor in chief should have extensive knowledge as to industry guidelines and standards, writing styles, editing skills, and be an extremely skilled writer. Other recommended skills include: communication skills, the ability to meet deadlines, a keen attention to detail, analytical skills, computer skills, and managerial skills.
The typical average salary of an editor in chief is about $47,000 per year. Editors that have extensive experience typically earn an average about $90,000 per year.
