Editors-in-chief oversee the production of news stories for newspapers, magazines, journals and other media. They manage the day-to-day operations of a publication and make sure it is ready on time.
The following job titles also refer to editor-in-chief:
executive editor
editorial director
executive director of editorial
editor in chief
executive editorial director
head editor
managing editor
chief editor
ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:
the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.
These occupations require some skills and knowledge of editor-in-chief. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of editor-in-chief with a significant experience and/or extensive training.
This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of editor-in-chief.
Editorial standards: The guidelines on how to deal with and report on privacy, children, and death according to impartiality, and other standards. Press law: The laws concerning the licensing of books and the freedom of expression in all products of the media. Copyright legislation: Legislation describing the protection of the rights of original authors over their work, and how others can use it.
These skills are necessary for the role of editor-in-chief.
Manage budgets: Plan, monitor and report on the budget. Participate in editorial meetings: Participate in meetings with fellow editors and journalists to discuss possible topics and to divide the tasks and workload. Manage staff: Manage employees and subordinates, working in a team or individually, to maximise their performance and contribution. Schedule their work and activities, give instructions, motivate and direct the workers to meet the company objectives. Monitor and measure how an employee undertakes their responsibilities and how well these activities are executed. Identify areas for improvement and make suggestions to achieve this. Lead a group of people to help them achieve goals and maintain an effective working relationship among staff. Adapt to changing situations: Change approach to situations based on unexpected and sudden changes in people’s needs and mood or in trends; shift strategies, improvise and naturally adapt to those circumstances. Work closely with news teams: Work closely with news teams, photographers and editors. Consult information sources: Consult relevant information sources to find inspiration, to educate yourself on certain topics and to acquire background information. Adapt to type of media: Adapt to different types of media such as television, movies, commercials, and others. Adapt work to type of media, scale of production, budget, genres within type of media, and others. Meet deadlines: Ensure operative processes are finished at a previously agreed-upon time. Ensure consistency of published articles: Ensure that articles are consistent with the genre and theme of the newspaper, journal or magazine. Delegate activities: Delegate activities and tasks to others according to the ability, level of preparation, competence and legal scope of practice. Make sure that people understand what they should do and when they should do it. Develop professional network: Reach out to and meet up with people in a professional context. Find common ground and use your contacts for mutual benefit. Keep track of the people in your personal professional network and stay up to date on their activities. Follow ethical code of conduct of journalists: Follow the ethical code of conduct of journalists, such as freedom of speech, right of reply, being objective, and other rules. Create editorial board: Create the outline for each publication and news broadcast. Determine the events that will be covered and the length of these articles and stories. Build contacts to maintain news flow: Build contacts to maintain a flow of news, for example, police and emergency services, local council, community groups, health trusts, press officers from a variety of organisations, the general public, etc. Check stories: Seek out and investigate stories via your contacts, press releases and other media. Follow the news: Follow current events in politics, economics, social communities, cultural sectors, internationally, and in sports. Implement strategic planning: Take action on the goals and procedures defined at a strategic level in order to mobilise resources and pursue the established strategies.
This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of editor-in-chief. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.
Interview techniques: The techniques for getting information out of people by asking the right questions in the right way and to make them feel comfortable. Photography: Art and practice of creating aesthetically appealing images by recording light or electromagnetic radiation. Graphic design: The techniques to create a visual representation of ideas and messages. Writing techniques: The different techniques to write a story such as the descriptive, persuasive, first person and other techniques. Spelling: The rules concerning the way words are spelled. Desktop publishing: The creation of documents using page layout skills on a computer. Desktop publishing software can generate layouts and produce typographic quality text and images. Grammar: The set of structural rules governing the composition of clauses, phrases, and words in any given natural language.
These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of editor-in-chief. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.
Edit negatives: Use different software products and techniques to process photographic negatives and adapt the images to the desired specifications. Create online news content: Create and upload news content for e.g. websites, blogs and social media. Apply desktop publishing techniques: Apply desktop publishing techniques and software to create page layouts and typographic quality text. Check correctness of information: Check if the information contains factual errors, is reliable, and has news value. Perform video editing: Rearrange and edit video footage in the course of the post-production process. Edit the footage using a variety of sofware, tools, and techniques such as colour correction and effects, speed effects, and audio enhancing. Proofread text: Read a text thoroughly, search for, review and correct errors to ensure content is valid for publishing. Interview people: Interview people in a range of different circumstances. Perform image editing: Edit various types of images such as analogue and digital photographs or illustrations. Manage contracts: Negotiate the terms, conditions, costs and other specifications of a contract while making sure they comply with legal requirements and are legally enforceable. Oversee the execution of the contract, agree on and document any changes. Hire new personnel: Hire new personnel for a company or organisation payroll via a prepared set of procedures. Make staffing decisions and direct selection co-workers. Apply grammar and spelling rules: Apply the rules of spelling and grammar and ensure consistency throughout texts. Edit digital moving images: Use specialised software to edit video images for use in an artistic production. Use specific writing techniques: Use writing techniques depending on the type of media, the genre, and the story. Study relevant writing: Do permanent research within the market, read relevant publications and follow blogs, stay up to date with recent writings in a specific field. Edit photographs: Resize, enhance and retouche photographs, using airbrushing, editing software and other techniques. Document interviews: Record, write, and capture answers and information collected during interviews for processing and analysis using shorthand or technical equipment. Write to a deadline: Schedule and respect tight deadlines, especially for theatre, screen and radio projects.
