How to hire a desk editor

How to hire a desk editor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step desk 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 desk editor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new desk editor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

Post a desk editor job for free, promote it for a fee

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your desk editor job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a desk editor for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A desk editor's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, desk editors from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of desk editors.

   Type of Desk Editor	Description	Hourly rate
   Desk Editor	Editors plan, review, and revise content for publication.	$16-38
   Journalist	A journalist is responsible for creating written correspondence, covering various subjects as the management requires. This task involves a lot of research investigations, conducting interviews, and gathering reliable sources to verify the authenticity of data before releasing the articles on news portals and other social platforms... Show more	$18-45
   Reporter	In journalism, a reporter is responsible for relaying truthful and reliable information to the public audience through various mediums such as print and media. A reporter must ensure to gather necessary and factual data that are supported by interviews and comments of those involved, remain unbiased in all aspects, produce a concise and comprehensive informational material within an allotted time, and efficiently coordinate with every staff... Show more	$13-35

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Assignment Desk
   • News Stories
   • Facebook
   • Twitter
   • News Coverage
   • Phone Calls
   • Local News
   • Proofreading
   • FTP
   • Newsgathering
   • News Content
   • News Reports
   • Press Releases
   • Develop Story Ideas

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and create newsletter archives for NASA: http: //www.nasa.gov/centers/langley/home/index.html
   • Assign and coordinate the distribution of newsgathering equipment.
   • Provide research and fact checking services to assist platform producers with newsgathering.
   • Compose sales- and customer-facing technical documentation, PowerPoint presentations, and training guides to enhance user experience and knowledge.
   • Provide clips and graphics for written stories.
   • Coordinate graphics, choose video clips and sound bites for newscasts.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your desk editor job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A desk editor can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, desk editors' average salary in nebraska is 53% less than in connecticut.
   • Seniority. Entry-level desk editors 58% less than senior-level desk editors.
   • Certifications. A desk editor with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a desk editor's salary.

   Average desk editor salary

   $53,061yearly

   $25.51 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level desk editor salary

   $34,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 31, 2026

4. Writing a desk editor job description

   A desk editor job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a desk editor job description:

   Desk 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
   
   The Washington Post is looking for a journalist to guide the General Assignment news desk on weekend evenings and contribute as an editor or writer on weekdays.
   The GA desk covers breaking news stories in collaboration with Politics, the America desk, Health & Science, Business, Foreign and beyond. It is also a newsroom leader in delivering our live updates, the rapidly refreshing news tickers often featured on our homepage. GA writers also produce richly reported and artfully written same-day stories that appeal to a wide range of readers.
   The ideal candidate should have experience writing or line editing on deadline for a major publication, as well as working with reporters on story selection and elevation. The editor must be collaborative, willing to work with multiple desks around the Post newsroom and able to play the role that is most needed by the team on any given day. The ability to write news alerts and run our live-updates file is also essential.
   This position is based in our Washington newsroom.
   Interested candidates should upload a cover letter, résumé and three clips (as PDFs) to our jobs portal. All application materials can be packaged in a single upload. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled, but those received by 08/08/2022 will be prioritized. The cover letter should be addressed to General Assignment Editor Keith McMillan, Deputy Managing Editor Sharif Durhams and Managing Editor Krissah Thompson.
   
   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

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find desk editors for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your desk editor job on Zippia to find and recruit desk editor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as problogger, media bistro, journalismjobs.com, content writing jobs.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with desk editor candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   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 desk editor

   Once you've found the desk editor candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

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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