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What To Learn

High School

What high school courses should you take if you're interested in this career? Get your answers from the Arts, Audio-Video Technology and Communications cluster Journalism and Broadcasting pathway.

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An editor generally needs a college or university degree. Although some employers look for a broad liberal arts background, most prefer degrees in communications, journalism or English. A degree in fashion design or fashion merchandising will help.

A well-rounded background also helps. Former fashion editor Lawrence Thompson has studied psychology and marketing, and has a degree in advertising and communications.

Fashion editor Lisa Tant's background helped her to get where she wanted to go. "I found that my background of writing, business sense and style helped my career speed along," she says.

Those with good writing skills and a love of fashion may be able to get into the career by starting as a research assistant, editorial assistant or trainee.

Those in the field tell young people to get whatever experience they can. Working at high school and college newspapers and literary magazines, as well as radio and television stations, can provide valuable practical experience.

Many magazines, newspapers and broadcast stations have internships for students.

"Work for free. Just because it is a job doesn't mean you have to get paid. Experience is of the utmost importance. Get it however you can," says Thompson.

Christopher Saunders is the assistant to the style department at a newspaper. He says to start gathering resources and creating contacts as early as high school.

"Get in contact with different magazines, people that might be in the industry. Talk, make phone calls, fax, try to get some samples of different periodicals that come out and start to create a library," he says.

"You've got to go in there and do it because you never know who you might run into that might be receptive to your ideas -- and that's how things are made."

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