Proofreader job description: duties, skills and qualifications.

Core duties

9

O*NET task statements

O*NET occupation

Proofreaders and Copy Markers

O*NET-SOC 43-9081.00

Preparation

Job Zone 4 of 5

considerable preparation

Typical entry education

Bachelor's degree

BLS 2025–35

Median pay

$51,120

BLS May 2025

Data Government data groups this job as Proofreaders and Copy Markers (O*NET-SOC 43-9081.00). O*NET 31.0 lists “Proofreader” in its Sample of Reported Titles (the titles job holders report) for this occupation only (also listed from O*NET job-incumbent data, the SOC Index and employer job postings). 1 other occupation carries it only as an alternate title (from the U.S. Employment and Training Administration), never as a reported title or a SOC Index title. Figures on this page are for that occupation. TryHired has no separate career page for this title yet.

1. Mark copy to indicate and correct errors in type, arrangement, grammar, punctuation, or spelling, using standard printers' marks. importance 4.7 of 5
2. Read corrected copies or proofs to ensure that all corrections have been made. importance 4.6 of 5
3. Correct or record omissions, errors, or inconsistencies found. importance 4.5 of 5
4. Compare information or figures on one record against same data on other records, or with original copy, to detect errors. importance 4.4 of 5
5. Route proofs with marked corrections to authors, editors, typists, or typesetters for correction or reprinting. importance 4.3 of 5
6. Consult reference books or secure aid of readers to check references with rules of grammar and composition. importance 4.3 of 5
7. Consult with authors and editors regarding manuscript changes and suggestions. importance 4.0 of 5
8. Archive documents, conduct research, and read copy, using the internet and various computer programs. importance 3.9 of 5
9. Write original content, such as headlines, cutlines, captions, and cover copy. importance 3.6 of 5

Work activities O*NET rates most important here: Getting Information, Working with Computers, Processing Information, Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships and Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events.

Also part of the job

Supplemental tasks O*NET lists for this occupation: less central than the core duties above, and not done in every job.

• Typeset and measure dimensions, spacing, and positioning of page elements, such as copy and illustrations, to verify conformance to specifications, using printer's ruler or layout software.
• Read proof sheets aloud, calling out punctuation marks and spelling unusual words and proper names.

Knowledge areas: English Language, Communications and Media and Computers and Electronics.

Software O*NET lists for this occupation: Adobe Creative Cloud software, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software. These are examples O*NET records for the job, not a list of tools every employer uses or a checklist of what you must know.

• Education: BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education.
• Experience: BLS lists no work experience in a related occupation as typical to enter.
• Training on the job: BLS lists no typical on-the-job training once hired.
• Preparation: O*NET places the job in Job Zone 4 of 5 (considerable preparation). A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations.
• Licenses and certifications: not listed here. A license is a legal requirement set by a state; a certification is a credential from a private or professional body. Rules vary by state and employer, and a missing entry on this page does not mean none is required: check with your state's licensing board.

The most common answer among proofreaders surveyed by O*NET is a bachelor's degree (47%).

Job title: Proofreader
[Company] · [City, State] · [Full-time or part-time] · [Pay range, where your state requires one]

About the role
[Company] is hiring a Proofreader to read transcript or proof type setup to detect and mark for correction any grammatical, typographical, or compositional errors.
[One sentence on your team and why this role matters.]

What you will do
- Mark copy to indicate and correct errors in type, arrangement, grammar, punctuation, or spelling, using standard printers' marks.
- Read corrected copies or proofs to ensure that all corrections have been made.
- Correct or record omissions, errors, or inconsistencies found.
- Compare information or figures on one record against same data on other records, or with original copy, to detect errors.
- Route proofs with marked corrections to authors, editors, typists, or typesetters for correction or reprinting.
- Consult reference books or secure aid of readers to check references with rules of grammar and composition.
- Consult with authors and editors regarding manuscript changes and suggestions.
- Archive documents, conduct research, and read copy, using the internet and various computer programs.

What we are looking for
- [Education: BLS lists a bachelor's degree as typical for this occupation; set the level this role truly needs]
- [Experience: BLS lists no related work experience as typical to enter; set what this role needs]
- Strength in reading comprehension, writing and speaking
- Working knowledge of English Language and Communications and Media
- [Software your team uses, e.g. Adobe Creative Cloud software or Adobe Illustrator]
- [Any license or certification your state or company requires]

[Schedule, benefits and how to apply]

Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.

Not a real job posting. This template is TryHired's illustration built from government occupational data. It is not an opening at any employer, and no employer wrote it.

For Proofreaders and Copy Markers, the median annual wage was $51,120 in May 2025. The median hourly wage was $24.58. BLS estimates about 4,580 jobs in this occupation in the U.S.

BLS projects employment of Proofreaders and Copy Markers to decline 0.9% from 2025 to 2035, with about 1,100 openings a year over that period, including openings to replace workers who leave.

• Read a real proofreader posting next to the core duties above. Duties it repeats, such as “Mark copy to indicate and correct errors in type, arrangement…”, tell you what that employer weighs most; anything it adds is specific to that team.
• Tailor your resume to the posting, not to this page: describe only proofreader work you have actually done, with your own results.
• Prepare a story for each of the top-rated skills (reading comprehension and writing): a real situation, what you did and what changed.