Editor-in-Chief

As Editor-in-Chief, you combine your talents for editing, reporting, marketing, and business to put together a strong representation of the publication you work for. Your career as Editor-in-Chief could lead you anywhere in the world, working for magazines, newspapers, journals, and other periodicals. You should have great managerial skills as you’ll be overseeing a fairly large staff, and you should thoroughly know the “voice” and style of the publication you work for.

As Editor-in-Chief, your job is not just about proofreading, editing, and rewriting. A big part of what you do also involves having a strong sense of art and style for each page layout. In addition, you should know what counts as relevant news for your publication, what the ins and outs of publishing are, and how to constantly practice journalistic ethics.

You’re responsible for the editorial policies of your publication as well, and deciding what it will and won’t write about. And on top of all that, you have to represent yourself individually—especially if you have to write a regular “Letter from the Editor ”—in addition to representing the company through various public speaking engagements and appearances.

You report regularly to the Publisher, allowing a constant flow of dialogue between you and them. You let them know the status of the publication, budgetary requirements (which you’re likely also responsible for), important staff changes, looming deadlines, etc.