Proofreader

Print

Work Tasks

• Carefully read proofs of writings to find errors in spelling, grammar, and composition
• Make sure that what is in the proof is the same as what was in the original copy
• Check the margins and the spacing of words on the page to make sure they look right
• Return the proof so corrections can be made
• Work indoors for printing and publishing companies, commercial printing shops, and other businesses
• Work with proofs, typescripts (original copies), computers, marking pencils, printing specifications, copy stands, printer's rulers, and a dictionary

Salary, Size & Growth

• $36,000 average per year ($17.25 per hour)
• A small occupation (12,800 workers in 2010)
• Expected to decline (0.6% per year)

Education/Training

• Minimum for Entry: A high school diploma, with skills in English, grammar, punctuation, and spelling
• Employers Prefer: A 4-year degree and experience in computers, publishing, a foreign language, and editing.