Post job
zippia ai icon

Automatically apply for jobs with Zippia

Upload your resume to get started.

Columnist skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
Quoted experts
Dr. Judy Sanders,
Thomas Reynolds
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical columnist skills. We ranked the top skills for columnists based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 15.8% of columnist resumes contained student newspaper as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a columnist needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 columnist skills for your resume and career

1. Student Newspaper

Here's how columnists use student newspaper:
  • Preferred travel writer and featured columnist for campus wide student newspaper
  • Write editorial pieces for student newspaper - published quarterly

2. Opinion Pieces

Here's how columnists use opinion pieces:
  • Write opinion pieces regarding Michigan State football and basketball
  • Produced opinion pieces geared toward young professionals.

3. Twitter

Here's how columnists use twitter:
  • Promoted the column using social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Path thereby drawing traffic to the magazine.
  • Curated several stories into one for print, searching social media, including Twitter and website comments for pertinent content.

4. Mental Health

Mental health is the state of wellbeing in which an individual can cope with the regular stresses and tensions of life, and can work productively without having any emotional or psychological breakdown. Mental health is essential for a person of any age and helps them make the right decisions in their life.

Here's how columnists use mental health:
  • Researched variety of topics including economic inequality and mental health.
  • Researched, authored and contributed bi-monthly articles for issues related to mental health and well-being.

5. Feature Stories

Here's how columnists use feature stories:
  • Acted as Ranging Reporter for Jackson County, cover news and feature stories from county.
  • Cover feature stories; take photos and contribute to special sections on as-needed basis.

6. News Stories

News Story is a term that is quite self-explanatory as it refers to all the information that is recorded either in writing or as an interview and aims to inform the public about any particular matter, event, idea or mishap. A news story can be very short as well lengthy depending on the type and quantity of content and consist of relevant facts and figures.

Here's how columnists use news stories:
  • Investigated, wrote, edited, proofread and copy-edited a variety of news stories and documents.
  • Create entertaining opinions columns to share recent news stories and provide an interesting perspective through writing.

Choose from 10+ customizable columnist resume templates

Build a professional columnist resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your columnist resume.

7. Social Issues

Here's how columnists use social issues:
  • Authored articles concerning campus diversity, social issues, and administration practices Solicited and transcribed interviews from a variety of community sources
  • Promote local political, educational and social issues through multi-media approach.

8. Editorials

Here's how columnists use editorials:
  • Produced insightful and entertaining columns covering Arizona sports, including team and game analysis, multimedia presentations and other editorial content.
  • Submitted editorials that discuss political expectations and criticisms and articles concerning political events and interactions within the Iranian community.

9. Conduct Interviews

Conduct interview is the ability of an individual - the interviewer, to communicate formally or face to face with someone from whom the interviewer is gathering information. The interviewer controls the order of the questions and can ensure that all questions are answered. The purpose of conducting interview is to be able to assess the suitability of the candidate being interviewed for a specific position.

Here's how columnists use conduct interviews:
  • Conduct interviews with professional athletes and high-ranking league officials.
  • Perform extensive research, conduct interviews and attend events (games, tournaments and press conferences).

10. SEO

Here's how columnists use seo:
  • Used SEO and SEM to compose and help others compose headlines, story summaries and keyword lists aimed at maximizing traffic.
  • Helped build audience from 1000 daily views to 15,000 daily views by implementing SEO strategies.

11. Writing Articles

Here's how columnists use writing articles:
  • Collaborate on writing articles with over 300 beauty/wellness companies and celebrity publicists on interviews and product reviews.
  • Meet deadlines by writing articles on relevant material to my position.

12. News Articles

Here's how columnists use news articles:
  • Composed lifestyle, business, environment, education, and news articles as a general assignment reporter.
  • Generated story leads, conducted in-depth interviews, and wrote compelling feature and news articles.

13. Photoshop

Here's how columnists use photoshop:
  • Designed days a week using K4, InCopy, Adobe InDesign, and Photoshop.
  • Experience with digital photography, Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint.

14. Local Events

Here's how columnists use local events:
  • Composed weekly column featuring historical local events and their relevance to modern time
  • Contributed bi-weekly entertainment column covering local events.

15. NFL Draft

Here's how columnists use nfl draft:
  • Write about topics such as the NFL Draft, NFL free agency, and College Football recruitment.
  • Attended events such as the Big East Tournament and NFL Draft.
top-skills

What skills help Columnists find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on columnist resumes?

Dr. Judy SandersDr. Judy Sanders LinkedIn profile

Chair, Austin Community College

Good communication skills, both written and verbal.

What columnist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Thomas ReynoldsThomas Reynolds LinkedIn profile

Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies, University of Minnesota

Technical writing and communication can span many fields. However, there are specific fields that are especially open to technical communication, such as information technology and computer software (technical documentation, for example), as well as medical and health fields. Many of our graduates work for companies that involve computer technology, such as software companies and content management for web consulting firms. In addition, many of our graduates work in biomedical companies that require technical and global documentation of medical devices.

I can't say that I know of a sure bet, but places that deal with medical technology, healthcare, and related fields are probably going to need people well trained to communicate specialized knowledge to a variety of audiences and in a variety of ways. Telemedicine seems to have gained a more permanent stronghold in the healthcare system, and I imagine that the various communication channels involved in this new way of practicing medicine will open opportunities for well-trained graduates such as ours who are willing to be pioneers in this area.

What type of skills will young columnists need?

Roselyn Costantino Ph.D.Roselyn Costantino Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Professor of Latin American Studies, Pennsylvania State University Altoona

English Degree: Your degree enables development/expertise in the what are the essential skills in so many professions and businesses: the ability to write critically, be persuasive, and communicate with clarity. Write papers or articles and submit to publications. Start blogs and share ideas with people in your similar situation. Encourage professionals to participate and add advice.

If speaking in public is difficult, take courses. Afraid? Practice starting with children by volunteering or offering free classes for kids. Work up to older children, then work with adults. Build confidence and skill. But importantly, don't underestimate the value of this ability.

List of columnist skills to add to your resume

Columnist skills

The most important skills for a columnist resume and required skills for a columnist to have include:

  • Student Newspaper
  • Opinion Pieces
  • Twitter
  • Mental Health
  • Feature Stories
  • News Stories
  • Social Issues
  • Editorials
  • Conduct Interviews
  • SEO
  • Writing Articles
  • News Articles
  • Photoshop
  • Local Events
  • NFL Draft
  • Local News
  • NBA
  • Human Interest Stories
  • Community Events
  • NCAA
  • Book Reviews
  • Contributor
  • POP Culture
  • Real Estate
  • MLB
  • Political Issues
  • NHL
  • Press Association

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse arts, entertainment, sports, and media jobs