7 Advantages of a Certificate in Editing and Proofreading

Have you ever considered earning a certificate in editing and proofreading to jump-start your freelance career? While many aspiring freelancers focus on either one or the other, taking a course for both at the same time actually has lots of advantages worth considering. In this blog post, we’ll explore 7 key advantages:

1. You can offer clients a more comprehensive service.
2. You can become more versatile as a freelancer.
3. You can work with a wider range of clients.
4. You can boost your earning potential.
5. You can save money and time.
6. You can set yourself apart from other freelancers.
7. You can maximize your networking.

Keep reading to find out more!

1. Offer Clients a More Comprehensive Service

Proofreading and editing are distinct tasks, which occur at different stages of the document publication process. Realistically, though, the two often overlap. Although proofreading is about correcting surface-level errors and making sure writing is consistent, some clients will expect you to suggest changes to improve structure, comprehension, and the flow of ideas. These kinds of substantial changes make up the essence of editing.

To ensure you and your client are on the same page, it’s essential to clarify the type and level of changes they expect before you start working on a document. Having a certificate in both editing and proofreading will convey to clients that they can trust you should they feel the need to request proofreading in addition to editing (or vice versa).

2. Become More Versatile as a Freelancer

With both proofreading and editing skills under your belt, you will be much more versatile as a freelancer. You’ll be able to accommodate a wider range of clients and projects and adapt your services depending on what type of work is most in demand.

And it doesn’t have to end there! Learning new skills will likely boost your motivation and inspire you to advance your freelance career even further. You could pursue additional certifications in related skills and continue to expand your service offering. For example, you might consider offering formatting services or adding content writing to your repertoire.

3. Work With a Wider Range of Clients

Fluent speakers normally hire professional proofreaders to check for spelling mistakes and formatting inconsistencies. Non-fluent speakers, such as English as a Second Language writers, however, may also require editing services to resolve grammatical issues and enhance their writing. Earning a certificate in editing and proofreading enables you to access a larger pool of potential clients for more work.

You might also be inspired to focus on a particular type of writing (or niche) after earning your certificate, such as medical writing or legal writing. This will allow you to approach clients with particular needs and projects requiring a specialist viewpoint.

4. Boost Your Earning Potential

As a freelancer, it’s in your best interest to have as many opportunities as possible to earn money. Specializing in only one field can mean fewer clients, fewer jobs, and ultimately less money to earn. You can win more job contracts by gaining a certification in both editing and proofreading. Not only can you earn more with more projects, but you can also earn more per project by raising the rate you charge based on your higher level of qualifications.

In addition, having a certification in proofreading and editing shows that you are informed about all stages of the document publication process and that you’re up to date with current market trends and demands.

5. Save Time and Money Learning

The skills you learn while taking a proofreading course can help you advance more quickly when you take an editing course – and vice versa. For example, the grammar and formatting issues covered in our own proofreading course provide a great introduction to copy editing, which is covered in detail in our editing course.

We also offer a course bundle for editing and proofreading, allowing you to save money compared to purchasing both courses separately.

6. Set Yourself Apart From the Others

If you’re just starting out in the world of freelancing, you’ll have an edge over other fledgling freelancers who focus only on either proofreading or editing. Although you may lack experience, your qualifications will demonstrate a commitment to learning and providing clients with a high-quality professional service.

It’s definitely worth considering because the competition is getting stiffer as time goes on: According to Payoneer, freelance work jumped 78% in the United States in 2019, and it has experienced further considerable growth in the past three years. The more you can stand out among competing freelancers for clients, the better!

7. Maximize Your Networking

A lot of proofreaders and editors become members of professional organizations and communities that represent their interests and provide exchanges of information and job opportunities. A certificate in editing and proofreading allows access to both fields and therefore doubles the number of potential contacts and partners. You might be the one a contact calls to take over a project, for example, if they are not available. Or, better yet, they recommend you to a client to do the job. More contacts means more potential clients and projects.

Becoming a Proofreader and Editor

Why not take advantage of our course bundle to earn your certificate in editing and proofreading? Our proofreading course will teach you the basics of using Microsoft Word to correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors as well as ensure the correct style and tone of particular documents. Our editing course will help you build on this knowledge and explore the different types of editing. You’ll learn how to edit based on content, structure, and style and how to edit different types of documents.

We offer a 15% discount if you purchase both courses together. As an added bonus, if you receive a score of distinction for the final assignment for both courses, you qualify for paid trial work with our partner company, Proofed. You can even try both courses for free!