Work as a proofreader

Working as a proofreader means reviewing texts written by others before sending it to print.

Work as a proofreader

As a proofreader you are in charge of checking and editing spelling, grammar and punctuation errors in a text. Each text should also be checked stylistically to make sure that the margins and spacing is correct. 

There is more to it

However, there is more to a proofreader's job than to check for grammatical mistakes and errors.

A skilled proofreader knows the importance of checking not only for spelling and/or grammatical errors, but also for typographical, punctuation, syntax and formatting mistakes.

Formal requirements

 Most people who are interested in working as proofreaders have a degree in one or two languages. Many also have a higher education within journalism or communications, which is often helpful but not a must.

There are various options for anyone wanting to get into this job. You could, for instans, attend a university course, apply for an apprenticeship or attend a course run by a professional and/or private training organisation.

Personal qualities

As far as personal qualities this is a job that requires a high threshold for quite tedious work, since most of the work is very specific and often last-minute.

Quite often the proofreader is the only person with a sharp enough eye to discover even the smallest errors and mistakes, which means the job also requires a person with impeccable attention to detail.