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You herd cats to turn out real, relatable copy. Your work passes all the fact-checks and sparks discussion at the water cooler. Prove it with your NYT-level editor resume.
Your editor resume doesn’t need to win a Pulitzer. But it needs to be convincing. Why? Because you send a hundred resumes and no one answers. Because lowest-common-denominator work is dumbing down the country and making real writing obsolete. Your chances of getting hired in that are dwindling by the second.
Good editing jobs are few and far between. To get hired, you’ve got to show you’re Dean Baquet in the rough. It sounds daunting, but you can do this. You’ll soon be in a team of LA-Times-worthy word-crunchers. To do it, show your finest accomplishments in a manager-friendly format.
You’re about to see an editor resume example you can change to fit any editor position. You’ll also get easy steps to write a resume for editor jobs that’ll land 10x more interviews than any other.
Here’s an editor resume example made with our builder.
Want to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try our resume builder. It’s fast and easy to use. Plus, you’ll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ resume templates and create your resume here.
Sample editor resume—See more templates and create your resume here.
Not quite hunting a resume for editor jobs? See these guides:
Finley Lane
Editor
212-558-0967
finleyzlane@gmail.com
linkedin.com/in/finleyzlane
twitter.com/finleyzlane
Hard-working editor with 6 years of experience and a proven record of increasing readership and developing skilled writers. Seeking to maximize readership at the New York Globe. At the Daily Record, led team that received the Written Media Award.
Experience
Editor
The Monthly Record
October 2017 - January 2020
Key Qualifications & Responsibilities
Key Achievement:
Editor
Facts & Musings Monthly
September 2014 - October 2017
Advertising Coordinator
Facts & Musings Monthly
June 2010 - August 2014
Education
BS in Journalism
New York University
September 2004 - May 2008
Student Editor, New York University Newspaper
President, Doffins Writers Writing Club
Volunteer Work
Skills
Now here’s how to write an editor resume step-by-step.
Of all people, editors know format is a harsh mistress. Get it right, and everything flows. Get it wrong, and you look slapdash. In an editor resume, you need to dot your i’s and cross your t’s to make a good impression. Use the right margins, line-spacing, and fonts to get out of the slushpile.
So—
Here’s how to format an editor resume template:
Include these parts of a resume:
Does the chronological resume format rub you the wrong way? See our guide: How to Pick the Best Resume Format
Experience is foundational in an editor resume. The biggest pitfall? Writing an editor job description instead of listing achievements. Yes, you need to describe past roles. But that’s not enough. To tell a compelling story that ends with a new job offer, show some ways you fill the bill.
See these editor resume samples:
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Experience
Editor The Monthly Record October 2017 - January 2020 Key Qualifications & Responsibilities
Key Achievement:
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Wrong |
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Editor
The Monthly Record
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Interesting. The first example is Glen-Greenwald-worthy, but the second is like shampoo instructions. If you want the phone to stop giving you the silent treatment, you’ve got to show your talents. So—find measurable ways you helped your last outlet. Also, use resume power words to energize your readers.
What about an entry-level editor’s resume? You’ll use the same idea, but pull your metrics from non-editor jobs. Even as a raft guide, you can show collaboration, communication, and attention to detail. Do they want scheduling skills? Just find a time you scheduled people in the past.
See these entry-level editor resume examples:
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Advertising Coordinator Facts & Musings Monthly June 2010 - August 2014
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Wrong |
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Editor Assistant The Daily Record
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Stet! The first sample could be a young Jon Stewart. You weren’t an editor, but you still proved scheduling, collaboration, and team management. That’s what makes employers grab the phone. But look at that bad resume example. All it shows is what you were supposed to do. And the skills are off-point, too.
Pro Tip: Are editor jobs shrinking? Yes! By 3% in the next 10 years. That’s egregious, but don’t sweat it. A targeted resume can overcome any job shortage.
When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building your resume here.
When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.
Put more bullets in your recent jobs, and less in older ones. See our guide: How to Show Experience on a Resume
Education is the foundation of an editor resume. Share your degree, school name, and dates. But if you stop there, it’s like using the Chicago Tribune’s staff to write jingles. So—add school achievements. What seems minor to you may be a major conversation starter for the publication’s management.
See these editor resume examples:
Right |
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Education
BS in Journalism New York University September 2004 - May 2008
Student Editor, New York University Newspaper
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That editor’s resume education section is Diane-Sawyer-level. It shows work ethic, leadership, and achievement. “But I didn’t do anything that cool!” That’s okay. Just find your best few university successes. Even if you only demonstrate transferable skills like teamwork, you’ll turn heads.
Pro Tip: Did you graduate back when freelance submissions came in manila envelopes? Dial back your school accomplishments and focus on your work history.
Tweak your education section for each job you apply to. See our guides: How to List Minor and Major on a Resume and Cum Laude on a Resume
Job-search silence comes from one place—poor skills choice. Do you want the job? I mean, really want it? Then pay attention to the resume keywords in the editor job description. Only if you list those and then prove them will you look like Anderson Cooper in the labor pool.
For starters—
Use this list of skills for editor resumes:
But which ones will management love?
Here’s how to pick the right editor skills:
See this editor resume example:
Pretend the company wants management, scheduling, and budgeting.
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List editor skills on a resume like that to get management’s blood pumping. The trick? Start each line with resume action words William Zinsser would love. Then don’t just say you used the skill. Show how, and add a number for scale. Do it that way, and you’ll get it at Business Insider or anywhere you like.
Pro Tip: Don’t like to brag about yourself? Your job application is the one place you must toot your own horn. It’s the only way to make your resume stand out.
For a comprehensive list of the best work skills, see our guide: +30 Best Examples of What Skills to Put on a Resume
By now, you know accomplishments will make your editor resume succeed. The more you have, and the more impressive they are, the more fireworks you’ll set off. But don’t limit your achievements to your job history and schooling. Add some other sections that show your Robert-Fisk-sized skills.
Choose from:
You don’t need certifications in an editor resume. That said, a few certs can boost an entry-level resume for editing jobs. They work better if they match the software the publication uses. Consider:
If you’re in the ASJA or the SPJ, flaunt it! You’ll show you know the value of networking. You’ll also prove you’re tied to thousands of top-tier freelancers who know a pitch from a paragraph.
Did you attend an ACES conference or ASJA NY? Did you speak on a panel or lead a pitch slam? Those little details can make a big difference on your resume.
Not everyone can win a Pulitzer, but there are plenty of other awards fish in the editing sea. If you’ve got an Eddie or a Tom Renner in your past, dust it off and copy-paste it to your resume.
Walking dogs at an animal shelter or fundraising for a local school show energy and passion. They help entry-level editor resumes that don’t have reams of work accomplishments.
Does your readership or staff speak Spanish or Farsee? What about your foreign correspondents? A second language on an editing resume can be the fact that pins you to the job.
See these editor resume samples:
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President, Doffins Writers Writing Club
Volunteer Work
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Wrong |
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That first sample is clean.
Pro Tip: How long is a resume for editor jobs? You don’t need to stick to a one-page resume, if you’ve got a long career with plenty of achievements.
You shouldn’t always add a mailing address on a resume for editor jobs. See our guide: Should You Put Your Address on Your Resume? Pros & Cons
A great story starts with a great lede. Well—a great resume starts with a great summary. The idea is that managers (like editors) won’t read long resumes. They’ll skim, notice a few points, and move on. To glue their eyeballs to the page, sum up your resume’s key points up top.
Here’s how to write a career summary that works:
These editor resume examples show how:
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Hard-working editor with 6 years of experience and a proven record of increasing readership and developing skilled writers. Seeking to maximize readership at the New York Globe. At the Daily Record, led team that received the Written Media Award. |
Wrong |
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Dedicated and fast paced editor with good writing skills. Excels at teamwork and managing schedules. Expert trainer and good communicator. A hard worker who can see through to the heart of a story and make it sing. |
See the trouble with example #2? It’s part job description, part bragging. But what makes you a hard worker? Why should we believe you? By contrast, sample #1 is magic. It says how many years you’ve worked in the field. It shares what you intend to do, and for whom. It shows a big publishing win.
A career objective works just like that, but with a twist. You can’t brag about your awards or circulation in a resume with no experience. So—spotlight your biggest wins from school, or office jobs. Put on your thinking cap. What’s the most impressive thing you’ve done that shows an editing skill?
See these copy editor resume examples:
Assistant editor, skilled in editorial calendar management and teamwork. Seeking to enhance efficiency and published quality at The Daily Record. As advertising coordinator at The Weekly Standard, managed team of 5 ad-writing experts to ensure 100% of campaigns met criteria and deadlines.
Wrong |
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Entry-level editor skilled in copy editing, proofreading, and team management. Haven’t worked as an editor yet, but I’ve been in the publishing world for years. Have a can-do attitude and a winning management style. |
That second example doesn’t parse. It’s not the diction. It’s the lack of relatable achievements. But that first example tells the story.
Pro Tip: Don’t put your picture on a resume in the US. Instead, add your headshot to your business card, then staple it to your resume.
You’ve just graduated and this is resume #1 for you? See our guide: College Graduate Resume Example
Let’s dispel a common myth. Your editor resume does need a cover letter. That’s because resumes without them seem like spam. Only a cover letter can show you care about this editing job. But don’t just fill it with boilerplate or wear your heart on your sleeve. There’s a trick to writing a good one.
To write a good cover letter:
Pro Tip: One great way to start a cover letter for an editing job is with referrals. If you know someone at the publication, ask her why you’d make a good fit. Then—use that in your letter.
Need your editor resume and cover letter to shine like Forbes? See our guides: How To Write A Cover Letter in 8 Simple Steps and How to Make a Resume: A Step-by-Step Guide
Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:
See more cover letter templates and start writing.
Here’s a recap of how to write an editor resume:
That’s it! Now, we’d love to hear from you:
Let’s chat below in the comments, and thanks for reading!
We found and reviewed the best online resume builders. So when you start using them to make your resume, you’ll know exactly what to expect.
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