Editorial Assistant CV example

Editorial assistants are the quiet engine behind any successful publication – juggling admin, proofreading, research, and production all at once. But with competition fierce, writing a CV needs to show more than just a love of words.

This guide will help you shape your CV into a sharp, cleanly presented document that shows off your editorial skills and your potential to thrive in a fast-paced publishing environment.

Publishing is a deadline-driven industry where clarity and consistency matter – and your CV should reflect that. Recruiters won’t want to untangle vague formatting or skim through irrelevant content and errors. A clean structure helps showcase your best bits quickly and professionally.

Here’s the layout to follow:

• Name and contact details – Place your name and contact details prominently at the top of your CV for quick access. Adding a photo is up to you.
• Profile – Open with a compelling overview of your skills, experience, and career goals.
• Core skills – List your key abilities in this section, focusing on those that will be most relevant to the job.
• Work experience – Provide a detailed breakdown of your work history, starting with the most recent job first.
• Education & certifications – List your qualifications, including degrees and relevant certifications, in reverse chronological order.
• Additional info – Use this optional space for relevant hobbies or personal pursuits that enhance your application, as well as any professional memberships and awards.

Use bullet points to break down responsibilities, divide sections with clear headers, stick to a clean, readable font. Make sure your CV is kept to two pages or less in length. Here’s a tip: just make sure your CV format is designed to give recruiters as easy and painless a reading experience as possible – this should be easy with your skillset.

This is your pitch: show that you’re not just organised and enthusiastic about publishing, but genuinely ready to contribute to the editorial process. Keep your CV profile concise and specific to the industry, allowing employers to really understand and appreciate why you should be the candidate they hire.

Here’s what to include:

• Where you’ve worked – Mention internships, publishing houses, magazines, or marketing roles.
• Your top qualifications – Include relevant degrees like English, Journalism, or Publishing.
• Essential skills – Highlight your accuracy, time management, and editorial understanding.
• Experience with content production or editing tools – Mention any exposure to CMS, proofreading software, or document management systems.
• Adaptability and enthusiasm for publishing – Show you’re proactive and keen to learn from experienced editors.

This section offers a snapshot of your key strengths – tailored to editorial and publishing roles. Rather than listing soft skills, focus on technical and process-based abilities that reflect how you contribute to a publication’s workflow.

Skills for your CV might include your familiarity with editing tools, understanding of the publishing lifecycle, or experience managing documents and deadlines. Scan the job ad for relevant keywords, as these are the things recruiters are going to be looking for.

Even if you’re just starting out, your work experience can demonstrate your potential. Include internships, freelance roles, university publications, or admin roles that required strong writing or organisational skills.

List your roles from most recent to oldest. For each entry, mention the company, dates, and your title. Then, break down your responsibilities and contributions using clear bullet points. Emphasise experience with editing, writing, fact-checking, scheduling, and communication.

• Outline – Introduce the publication or company and the nature of your role.
• Responsibilities – Use action words like “edited,” “coordinated,” “proofread,” or “managed.”
• Achievements – Highlight wins like “ensured error-free content ahead of deadlines,” or “assisted in launching a monthly digital newsletter.”

If you’re applying for an editorial assistant role, your education can carry weight – especially if you’re early in your career. List degrees in subjects like English, Publishing, or Communications first, followed by relevant short courses (e.g. copy-editing, InDesign, or content marketing).

If you’ve done postgraduate study or workshops through publishing associations, include those too. Always list these in reverse chronological order.