Anybody a Qualified Proofreader? Is it worth doing?

lots of people randomly have me proofread and edit things they write because imma horrible stick when it comes to grammar spelling and sentence structure and syntax.. but im not "qualified". ive heard you can make a very decent living at it though if youve got the certifications.. so id say go for it

I'm not sure if the course would be worth the money, honestly. I have a bachelor's degree in English, and while I have applied for proofer jobs, I have not gotten any because they usually go to those with master's level English degrees. If I'm having trouble getting work as a proofer with a BA, I can't imagine it'd be that much easier with just a technical certification. I agree with the other poster though, that you can do anything you put your mind to, I just wanted to put out there that they will be looking for a lot higher qualifications, and with the economy as bad as it is, there are not many proofing/editing jobs as it is. I don't mean to discourage you, I just wanted to let you know the reality of it and so you don't waste your money on a course that's going to get you nowhere. I am more than qualified to edit and proofread papers, but it's only those with graduate level degrees that are getting jobs in that field in this economy.

[i]Hi gemini, That sounds great but I am not qualified to do that...LOL! I only proofread my own work..LOL! Anyway, we have many writers here and I am sure you will get a response from them and will give you an idea or feedback! Sorry can't help this time! hehehe![/i]

I wonder how you're doing, did you do the course in the end? I'm also thinking of trying to become a proofreader, which is how I came across your discussion. It seems like a career which could be very flexible, and that you can do from home. I've seen a couple of local courses, and yes, they are pretty expensive, and that's also been putting me off rather a lot. I wouldn't want to do it without doing a course first though, as it's more than checking spelling and grammar, and if you want work from big companies they expect you to know all the proper proofreading marks (at least they do here in the UK). I'm also a bit concerned about how much work there'll be at the end of it, (although I know that there are lots of freelance sites, and the possibility of local work - think putting notices up in libraries, local newspapers, plus word-of-mouth). But I'm thinking that maybe it's worth the risk, it sounds like interesting work to me. And like Tessah said - to you - (and I'm quoting badly here, but I'm tired!!), maybe we should just go for it. A bit of determination goes a long way sometimes!

I do some freelance proofreading, gemini_rose - I proof three magazines, which are produced every two months. They pay $30 (Australian) per hour, which isn't bad - it takes me 2.5 to 3 hours to proof each magazine. I love doing it, because they drop the copy off at my home and pick it up when I'm finished - so I can do it in my own time and not have to leave the house! I didn't do a course, though - I got the work because I used to be a typesetter at a newspaper, and someone from there contacted me when they needed someone who could spell! I hope you've managed to get some work in that line by now - I realise this discussion was started quite some time ago.