Features editors oversee specific sections in a publication.
They commission content and work with writers to generate ideas.
To give you a flavour of what this job involves, we met up with Lisa Wright. Lisa is a features editor at DIY magazine, a music-based online and print publication. She draws on her extensive knowledge of music and bands to decide which features are published.
Scroll down for more information on skills, working hours and salary.
Lisa Wright talks about her job as a features editor.
What skills do I need to be a features editor?
To make sure that the final magazine is interesting and exciting for readers you will need to use a variety of skills. You will need:
- specialist expertise in your subject area
- excellent written communication, editorial skills and attention to detail
- to be able to multitask and work under pressure
- people management skills.
Lisa is a features editor. A similar role to Lisa's is a newspaper or magazine editor. They oversee and manage the content and style of the publications they work on.
What to expect if you want to be a newspaper or magazine editor
- Newspaper or magazine editor average salary: £25,000 to £50,000 per year
- Newspaper or magazine editor typical working hours: 37 to 39 per week
What qualifications do you need to be a newspaper or magazine editor?
You could get into this role via a university course, such as English, Journalism, or Media Studies. You could also work your way towards the job through a reporter or journalist role with a regional newspaper or magazine. To build experience to get your first job, you could try volunteering with student or community papers, submitting content to local websites, or blogging online. There are proofreading and editing courses available through organisations such as the National Council for the Training of Journalists, the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading and The Publishing Training Centre which could also be helpful.
Sources: LMI for All, National Careers Service.
This information is a guide and is constantly changing. Please check the National Careers Service website for the latest information and all the qualifications needed.
For careers advice in all parts of the UK visit: National Careers Service (England), nidirect (Northern Ireland), My World of Work (Scotland) and Careers Wales (Wales).
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