Previous Rising Star Lauren Campbell tells us how her award has been instrumental in her career.
I have always enjoyed proofreading and I really wanted to make it my career, but I wasn’t sure what to do next. The Rising Star Awards seemed like the perfect opportunity, and I was keen to apply. I was so excited to hear I had won, and I knew exactly how to use the award. I wanted to further my training and complete qualifications in proofreading and copy-editing with the well-known Publishing Training Centre, and also to become a member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP).
The benefits of being part of a recognised body
Being a member of the CIEP has obvious benefits, such as a CIEP logo to use on your promotional materials (an immediate sign of quality), access to a huge range of fantastic training courses and guides, and the chance to feature on the widely-used CIEP directory when you advance your membership level. What I didn’t realise at the time was just how beneficial being part of an organisation could be! I’ve had the opportunity to attend two conferences (one in person and one virtually), networked with editors and proofreaders in my local area and made some brilliant professional connections.
The CIEP online forums are an invaluable source of information, for both established proofreaders and copy-editors and those entirely new to the profession. Their training courses cover everything from proofreading and copy-editing as a whole to specialist, more niche elements such as project management, digital content, and fiction editing. Even the social aspect of getting to know so many other lovely proofreaders and editors has been enlightening, particularly in a career that tends towards freelancing.
Finding my perfect job
I was able to secure a new job at the start of this year as an in-house proofreader for a national Awarding Organisation, and my interviewer stated that my PTC qualifications and CIEP membership were the elements that pushed me to the top of the list.
Applying for an award was one of the best decisions I ever made. Not only am I now a fully-qualified proofreader and copy-writer, but as a member of the CIEP I feel part of a much bigger picture. I’ve managed to secure my dream job for a fantastic company, and I’m enjoying it very much.
Ready to boost your skills, or know someone that is? Fill in this application form and return it to us before 7 March 2021.