Kathleen
(Working with Proofed)

If you pass our Becoming A Proofreader course with a high enough mark, you’ll be eligible for freelance work with our partner company, Proofed. But it doesn’t have to end there! Some of our graduates go on to work in other roles with Proofed, including Kathleen, who is now on the admin team. We’ve spoken to her to see how she’s found working with Proofed.

Hi, Kathleen! What made you consider the Knowadays course?

A family friend recommended it to me, so I thought I would give it a look. I then saw the free trial option. And since I enjoyed the free module, I decided to give the full course a go.

What were you doing before you started the course?

I was working in a restaurant, having graduated from university a year and a half previously. But I always wanted to work with words – I was just searching for the right opportunity.

“I was working in a restaurant, having graduated from university a year and a half previously. But I always wanted to work with words – I was just searching for the right opportunity.“

Was there anything surprising or challenging in the course for you?

It took me a little while to get to grips with formatting, but I’m very comfortable with it now. The course explains everything you need to know to start working as a proofreader.

“The course explains everything you need to know to start working as a proofreader.“

What has been the single best benefit of having done the course?

Getting onto the admin team at Proofed! When I joined as a freelancer, I said that I’d be keen to work more closely with the company down the line. I had been proofreading for around six months when I received an email asking me if I was interested in joining the team.

I had a few days of training, and then I started the following week.

Have you been self-employed before? How are you finding it?

This is my first time being self-employed. The flexibility is a big bonus. I work from home (where I have a big desk and a nice view) or at my local library when I need a change of scene.

“This is my first time being self-employed. The flexibility is a big bonus. I work from home (where I have a big desk and a nice view) or at my local library when I need a change of scene.“

As a member of the admin team, my workdays are varied. On a regular shift, my typical tasks are dealing with customer queries, quality-checking documents, and helping new editors find their feet. I also work on projects for business customers and write blog posts.

It’s been great so far, although we’ll see if that changes after I have to do my first tax return!

Are you doing any other work outside Proofed?

Not really, as I don’t have the time between admin shifts and creating content. I do some proofreading, but nothing outside of Proofed (other than for family or friends).

What do you enjoy most about proofreading?

I enjoy getting to read a variety of things that I wouldn’t otherwise get to read. I especially like proofreading technical documents, or anything on politics or history.

What do you do when you aren’t proofreading?

I spend time with friends, I cook, and I read.

Was the course good value for money?

Yes, I made the money back fairly quickly – I think it was around a month, and I wasn’t even proofreading very regularly at first.

Becoming A Proofreader

If you like the idea of freelance proofreading – or, like Kathleen, working with Proofed in another role – give our Becoming A Proofreader course a try today.