How To Become a Proofreader

Good proofreaders are in demand – they’re a hot commodity. If you enjoy working for yourself, you like to read and you have a great attention to detail then this may be the job for you. Here are a few tips to become a proofreader.

#1 If you don’t have a writing or journalism education, it’s important to establish your credibility. There are a number of people who want to be proofreaders making the competition seem like it might be stiff however if you have some education behind you, you’re leaps and bounds ahead of your competition. Proofreading is a skill and it takes not only a good attention to detail but also a solid grasp of the English language, both written and oral.

To establish credibility if you don’t already have an education in a related field, consider taking a proofreading course. These courses will generally require you to pass a test at the end, and that credibility will help you get the job you want.

#2 Become a prolific reader, if you’re not already. Being knowledgeable about the topic you’re proofreading will help you understand the lingo and you’ll get through the project(s) more efficiently – meaning you’ll make more money in less time. Of course, you can’t be knowledgeable about every topic but being a prolific reader will help.

#3 Decide how you want to approach your career. Do you want to be a freelancer? Do you want to work for a publisher or business? Do you want to proofread a specific type of document, for example do you only want to proofread textbooks. Alternatively, do you want to stick to a specific topic like the home renovation industry? Sometimes specializing in a specific niche can be more lucrative however, some people, especially when they’re getting started, do not want to limit their job opportunities.

#4 Put yourself out there. If you want to work as a freelancer, then the best first step is to create a website to market your services. Learn a bit about internet marketing and begin to create a name for yourself. You may also want to consider visiting job-posting sites like elance or guru.com to pick up a few jobs until your freelance business really takes off.

If you’re looking to work for a company then draft your resume and start sending it to companies you’d like to work for. It may also pay to connect with these companies and their representatives via social networking. Sometimes a personal/professional connection can take you straight to the career of your dreams

Proofreaders, good proofreaders, are needed. If this is your dream job, take the steps we’ve talked about and start living the life you desire.

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