How to hire a design editor

How to hire a design editor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step design editor hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a design editor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new design editor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The design editor hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a design editor to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a design editor that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of design editors and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Design Editor	Description	Hourly rate
   Design Editor	Editors plan, review, and revise content for publication.	$17-38
   Editing Internship	An editorial intern is responsible for assisting the editorial department of an organization with publishing various media and digital content. Editorial interns shadow tenured editorial staff on researching stories, validating information, writing captivating articles, interviewing target audiences, and screening submitted manuscripts... Show more	$12-21
   Editorial Internship	An editorial intern is responsible for assisting the editorial team in publishing digital and media content, writing articles, and managing readers' reviews. Editorial interns must have excellent knowledge of the industry they work for, suggesting the latest trends and featured topics, taking notes of the tenured employees' advice and observations, and actively joining brainstorming sessions... Show more	$12-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Layout Design
   • Adobe Photoshop
   • Adobe Indesign
   • Editorial Content
   • Video Production
   • Photography
   • SEO
   • Graphic Design
   • Accompany Articles
   • Adobe Creative Suite
   • CMS
   • Motion Graphics
   • Editor-In-Chief
   • Media Management

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage international man-made fiber market research/publishing company and supervise editorial content and sales of industry statistical journal.
   • Develop the web page by using HTML, CSS.
   • Produce viral video campaigns to boost SEO.
   • Design and create all graphics and animation.
   • Sketch and submit cartoon or animation for approval.
   • Serve as lead communicator for all CMS system updates/releases.

   More design editor duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your design editor job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A design editor salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, design editors' average salary in nebraska is 53% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level design editors earn 54% less than senior-level design editors.
   • Certifications. A design editor with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a design editor's salary.

   Average design editor salary

   $55,142yearly

   $26.51 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level design editor salary

   $37,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average design editor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$66,374	$32
   2	Maryland	$59,207	$28
   3	Illinois	$58,133	$28
   4	California	$56,090	$27
   5	California	$55,619	$27
   6	North Carolina	$50,892	$24
   7	Arizona	$47,888	$23
   8	North Carolina	$47,402	$23

   Average design editor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Nordstrom	$58,237	$28.00	5
   2	Mission	$55,512	$26.69	1
   3	Within	$54,832	$26.36	3
   4	MediaNews Group	$53,840	$25.88	2
   5	Tribune Publishing	$51,673	$24.84
   6	Gannett	$49,165	$23.64	9
   7	McClatchy	$47,715	$22.94	1

4. Writing a design editor job description

   A good design editor job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a design editor job description:

   Design editor job description example

   Application Instructions
   
   Please list all professional experience and explain any gaps in employment history. All of your application materials, which may include PDF files of work samples and/or links to audio, video, photography or graphics, must be uploaded to the field labeled Resume/Cover Letter/Work Samples to be considered for the position.
   
   Job Description
   
   We are looking for a design editor to join the News Design team.
   
   Our visual journalists elevate The Post's content across platforms through innovative storytelling that informs and captivates our readers. Our designers and editors create new editorial brands, thematic packages and story presentations on multiple surfaces, including washingtonpost.com, mobile apps, newsletters, a printed newspaper, a magazine and social media.
   Our design editors are vital to our storytelling efforts. They partner with designers on creating presentations that are vibrant and adaptive to meet readers where they are.
   
   The ideal candidate is a strong collaborator and problem solver, is adaptable and has a vision for telling stories across multiple platforms. An understanding of motion graphics and previous management experience are a plus.
   
   This position is based in our Washington newsroom and will require a weekend shift on a rotating basis as well as occasional evening work.
   
   Responsibilities
   Work seamlessly with the design leadership to inspire, enable, energize and coach a world-class creative team while cultivating a culture of innovation. Support design work that appears in off-platform environments and utilizes a wide array of design techniques. Solve workflow and technical hurdles to find avenues to tell stories across multiple platforms efficiently. Lead art direction that is engaging and help develop content-driven designs and/or illustrations that are smart, daring and reader-centric. Support the development of enhanced storytelling presentations with excellent user-experience design through strong collaborative relationships with departments throughout the newsroom.
   
   Key qualifications
   Experience leading cross-disciplinary teams and managing the growth of designers and editors. A portfolio of work that demonstrates a strong visual aesthetic, innovative and user-centered design work, and storytelling that employs a range of approaches - including art direction, typography and use of color. A collaborative spirit and the ability to build strong relationships. An aptitude for problem-solving, simplifying and communicating throughout complex visual storytelling challenges. Experience in leading work that showcases bold experimentation and a willingness to push the bounds of storytelling. Experience with art direction and working with freelance artists.
   
   Those interested should upload a cover letter, résumé and portfolio highlighting three projects to our jobs portal. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled, but those received by 10/18/2022 will be prioritized. The cover letter should be addressed to Creative Director Greg Manifold.
   
   The Post strives to provide its readers with high-quality, trustworthy news and information while constantly innovating. That mission is best served by a diverse, multi-generational workforce with varied life experiences and perspectives. All cultures and backgrounds are welcomed.
   
   Ever wondered if what you are doing will Impact Tomorrow? At The Washington Post, every employee shapes the way we deliver the news. Find the career that's right for you
   #washpostlife

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5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right design editor for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your design editor job on Zippia to find and attract quality design editor candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as problogger, media bistro, journalismjobs.com, content writing jobs.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit design editors, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new design editor

   Once you have selected a candidate for the design editor position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new design editor. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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