Skills
Editor Skills & Tools
The technical skills, people skills and tools employers look for in editors, and how to build and show them.
What skills do editors need?
Editors need technical skills such as line editing, copyediting, and fact-checking, plus people skills like judgment and diplomacy. They also use tools such as CMS platforms and Track changes.
Technical (hard) skills
- Line editing
- Copyediting
- Fact-checking
- Headline writing
- Style guides
- Content management
People (soft) skills
- Judgment
- Diplomacy
- Attention to detail
- Organization
Tools, equipment and technology
- CMS platforms
- Track changes
- AP Stylebook
- Chicago Manual of Style
- SEO tools
- Project trackers
Skills in action: common tasks
These step-by-step guides show how editors put their skills to work:
- How to edit a story in three passes
- How to give writers feedback they can use
- How to write a headline that gets read
How to show these skills on a resume
- Lead your skills section with the technical skills from the job posting, for example, “Line editing” and “Copyediting.”
- Prove soft skills with results: instead of listing “judgment,” describe a situation where you used it.
- List credentials such as Editing certificate near the top, with the issuing organization and date.
- Use the employer’s vocabulary. Our editor glossary covers the terms hiring managers expect.
How to build these skills
Formal training, supervised practice and certification are the most direct routes. Our Editor training introduces each of these skills with plain-language lessons, procedures and a final knowledge check: a strong foundation before hands-on training or your first day.