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Editor

Creative

Plan, coordinate, revise, or edit written material. May review proposals and drafts for possible publication.

Creative Arts & Media

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Read copy or proof to detect and correct errors in spelling, punctuation, and syntax.
  2. 2Verify facts, dates, and statistics, using standard reference sources.
  3. 3Read, evaluate and edit manuscripts or other materials submitted for publication, and confer with authors regarding changes in content, style or organization, or publication.
  4. 4Develop story or content ideas, considering reader or audience appeal.
  5. 5Prepare, rewrite and edit copy to improve readability, or supervise others who do this work.
  6. 6Oversee publication production, including artwork, layout, computer typesetting, and printing, ensuring adherence to deadlines and budget requirements.
  7. 7Supervise and coordinate work of reporters and other editors.
  8. 8Write text, such as stories, articles, editorials, or newsletters.
  9. 9Monitor news-gathering operations to ensure utilization of all news sources, such as press releases, telephone contacts, radio, television, wire services, and other reporters.
  10. 10Confer with management and editorial staff members regarding placement and emphasis of developing news stories.
  11. 11Plan the contents of publications according to the publication's style, editorial policy, and publishing requirements.
  12. 12Review and approve proofs submitted by composing room prior to publication production.
  13. 13Select local, state, national, and international news items received from wire services, based on assessment of items' significance and interest value.
  14. 14Allocate print space for story text, photos, and illustrations according to space parameters and copy significance, using knowledge of layout principles.
  15. 15Make manuscript acceptance or revision recommendations to the publisher.
  16. 16Direct the policies and departments of newspapers, magazines and other publishing establishments.
  17. 17Assign topics, events and stories to individual writers or reporters for coverage.
  18. 18Meet frequently with artists, typesetters, layout personnel, marketing directors, and production managers to discuss projects and resolve problems.
  19. 19Arrange for copyright permissions.
  20. 20Interview and hire writers and reporters or negotiate contracts, royalties, and payments for authors or freelancers.
  21. 21Read material to determine index items and arrange them alphabetically or topically, indicating page or chapter location.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • Censor
  • Editor
  • Reader
  • Editors
  • Reviewer
  • Art Editor
  • Web Editor
  • Book Editor
  • Copy Reader
  • Food Editor

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. Typical entry

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationBachelor's degree

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Bahasa MelayuDraws directly on Communications and Media — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
BusinessDraws directly on Administration and Management — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EconomicsDraws directly on Administration and Management — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Computer Science / ICTDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • English Language96%

    English

  • Communications and Media90%

    EnglishBahasa Melayu

  • Administration and Management67%

    BusinessEconomics

  • Administrative65%

    Business

  • Education and Training65%
  • Customer and Personal Service62%

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicVery high
  • Leading or coordinating othersVery high
  • Handling conflict situationsRarely
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentAlmost never

Where this job is heading

Newer tasks O*NET has flagged for this occupation, a hint at how the role is changing.

  • Respond to questions from the public.
  • Write text, such as headlines, stories, articles, editorials, or newsletters.

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

53%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

2.68%

Of Malaysian Claude conversations, about this kind of work

Measures how much people use Claude for this work, not how many Malaysians do this job — and more AI use can mean people relying on it, not that it's replacing them.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
See pay for a related career: Broadcast Journalist / Media Producer

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

Diploma

Skill-first qualification. Work after, or enter degree Year 2. Polytechnics keep it affordable.

2.5–3 years

Related careers

If this interests you, these are worth a look too.

About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Editors

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org

Programmes that lead here

Programmes from the official UPU (KPT) and MQA catalogues whose field of study typically leads to this career. Matched by field, not a job guarantee.

Public universities (UPU)

Private institutions (MQA-accredited)

Search the programme catalogue