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How to find work as a proofreader

Finding work once you’ve trained as a proofreader is really not that hard. All you need to do is look around you. What do you see? A newspaper, magazine or sales letter perhaps? It’s a fairly safe bet that wherever you are, you’ll see writing of some kind. In fact, the writing that you are reading right now has been through the process of being proofread before being published on this website and the same applies to every piece of writing in the public domain. So opportunity is, literally, everywhere!

Who Will I Work For?

When most people think of proofreading they assume they’ll work in the following areas:

1. The publishing industry:

• books
• articles

It is vital that every piece of work is proofread several times before it is published. This ensures that it is error free before going to print. A spelling mistake in an article that appears in a monthly magazine is bad enough, but a spelling mistake in a book that is to have 50,000 copies printed is much more serious.

2. For companies:

• print advertisements
• web content
• direct mail and sales literature
• brochures or catalogues

These are the public face of a company – often the first thing a customer sees – so it is vital that the organisation comes across as professional. First impressions really do count!

However, the services of a proofreader don’t stop there. There are plenty more examples of writing that require proofreading, some that you may not have thought of are listed below:

• menu’s and wine lists
• consent forms and instructions for using equipment in gyms and tanning shops
• plant care instructions for local garden centres
• content for an individual’s private website
• contracts for jobs
• application forms for college courses
• college and university course notes
• details of opening times for doctors’ surgeries
• tenancy agreements for letting agencies or landlords

And, there’s still more! Proofreaders can also be required by individuals who need dissertations or essays reviewing for university courses, for example.

In fact, anything that’s written to be read by another person would benefit from checking by a proofreader. A simple mistake such as writing £2 instead of £20 on a menu could lose the restaurant valuable revenue.

Having a specialism is also a bonus! Have you worked in a profession – law for example – or do you have an engineering background? Do you have a hobby? Model aeroplanes perhaps or knitting, baking or go-karting? If you do, and you know the terminology used, you could earn yourself more by becoming a proofreader in a niche market. And, the higher up the knowledge scale you move the more money you could charge for your services.

Proofreading is a valuable skill that will always be in demand. So, learning how to do it well will not only provide you with a means of extra income, but the possibility of your own freelance business.

If you want to learn more about proofreading and how you can become a full or part-time proofreader why not request a free Proofreading and Copy Editing course brochure.