How to hire an editor & producer

How to hire an editor & producer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step editor & producer hiring guide:

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

What does an editor & producer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the editor & producer you need to hire. Certain editor & producer roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect editor & producer also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list presents editor & producer salaries for various positions.

   Type of Editor & Producer	Description	Hourly rate
   Editor & Producer	Producers and directors create motion pictures, television shows, live theater, commercials, and other performing arts productions. They interpret a writer’s script to entertain or inform an audience.	$15-37
   Freelance Photographer	A freelance photographer produces photos while under a specific short-term contract. They are primarily responsible for coordinating with the client to learn any requests or preferences, bringing necessary devices and lighting equipment, securing the best location and setting, handling any obstruction during the photoshoot, and delivering high-quality results in a short amount of time... Show more	$13-29
   Freelance Videographer/Editor	A freelance videographer/editor is responsible for processing and editing video contents, usually on a project basis. Freelance videographer/editors create their footage using their shooting equipment, utilize various design and editing software, and finish the project based on the clients' specifications and deliverables... Show more	$16-32

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Video Production
   • Video Content
   • Facebook
   • Twitter
   • Instagram
   • YouTube
   • Motion Graphics
   • News Stories
   • DSLR
   • Promotional Videos
   • Adobe Photoshop
   • Photography
   • Adobe Creative Suite
   • Video Projects

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and resolve editorial disagreements across relevant departmental staff to join up an organizational narrative on each output.
   • Produce and request graphics using AP ENPS.
   • Produce online shows for the company's website and their YouTube channel.
   • Regulate website to ensure sales and shipment of DVD's are efficient and successful.
   • Produce a series of wake-surfing instructional video clips available for digital download and DVD sale.
   • Work include a variety of television programs, documentaries and institutional videos.

   More editor & producer duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, editor & producers' average salary in kansas is 54% less than in nevada.
   • Seniority. Entry-level editor & producers earn 59% less than senior-level editor & producers.
   • Certifications. An editor & producer 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 an editor & producer's salary.

   Average editor & producer salary

   $50,200yearly

   $24.13 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level editor & producer salary

   $32,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average editor & producer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$68,028	$33
   2	New York	$65,597	$32
   3	District of Columbia	$64,293	$31
   4	Washington	$57,829	$28
   5	Colorado	$51,153	$25
   6	Georgia	$44,664	$21
   7	Florida	$42,300	$20
   8	Texas	$41,961	$20
   9	South Dakota	$37,110	$18
   10	Michigan	$36,753	$18

   Average editor & producer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Workday	$98,569	$47.39
   2	The Washington Post	$81,920	$39.38	5
   3	Ilitch Holdings	$74,919	$36.02
   4	The Walt Disney Company	$73,402	$35.29	54
   5	Dotdash	$71,157	$34.21
   6	NBCUniversal	$69,362	$33.35	74
   7	CNN	$67,569	$32.49
   8	Outside In	$58,580	$28.16
   9	MGM Studios	$57,886	$27.83
   10	Sdsu Foundation	$51,503	$24.76
   11	Focus on the Family	$51,434	$24.73	4
   12	Npr	$49,112	$23.61	5
   13	iHeartMedia	$48,293	$23.22	42
   14	Jamestown	$45,339	$21.80
   15	Gray Television	$40,941	$19.68	96

4. Writing an editor & producer job description

   An editor & producer 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 an editor & producer job description:

   Editor & producer job description example

   National Geographic Media is the publisher of National Geographic's signature content, breathtaking photography, iconic magazine, and unsurpassed social media presence. This team is responsible for engaging our audience with fantastic storytelling and pulling them into a recurring revenue relationship with Nat Geo. The Nat Geo Media team covers everything on the consumer journey, from print, digital, social, and audio content creation, generating awareness through social and newsletters, acquisition, and retention marketing, print operations, international licensing, and digital platforms. Nat Geo Media aims to become the largest publisher for everyone passionate about exploring the world and learning how to care for it.
   
   The digital newsletter team sits within the Digital Editorial team of National Geographic Media, working across editorial, marketing and other key National Geographic business units to engage our largest possible audience. The newsletter team is part of the larger multimedia publishing team, reporting to the digital managing editor, which oversees content across owned and operated and third-party platforms.
   
   The editor/producer for our daily newsletter suite will work in partnership with the Executive Editor of Newsletters to coordinate, create, and execute one of our top subscription-driving products at National Geographic Media. He/She/They will work across all editorial teams, as well as other departments at National Geographic, including National Geographic Society and National Geographic Channel, to curate, write, edit, and produce six editorial newsletters weekly. We're looking for an organized, deadline-driven and forward-thinking team player with savvy editorial skills to be the deputy of this cornerstone product.
   Responsibilities and Duties of the Role:
   
   * Assists newsletter executive editor in curation, writing, copy editing, and production of daily editorial newsletters. The producer will recommend news stories for inclusion in daily newsletters, write and edit parts of newsletters as needed, build newsletters for distribution via email, and partner with the newsletter marketing team to track proofs and lead quality assurance on a daily deadline. The position will serve as backup to the newsletter executive editor when needed.
   
   * Collaborates with National Geographic Society, National Geographic Channel, National Geographic Live, and other teams across National Geographic and Disney to elevate company priorities in our daily newsletter sends;
   
   * Works with marketing teams to increase engagement and retention of subscribers;
   
   * Tracks the success of editorial newsletters against established key performance indicators, communicating results and future editorial planning to internal teams;
   
   * Ensures overall quality and consistency of editorial content on our owned and operated platforms. Upholds the NG Media corporate brand identity standards and consistency across digital platforms and promotion.
   
   Basic Qualifications:
   
   * Minimum of 3 years of related experience writing, editing and producing digital content.
   
   * Candidates should have clean writing skills, be detail-oriented, flexible to last-minute changes, and have a can-do attitude that aligns with business goals set by the department head.
   
   * Proficiency in copy editing and knowledge of AP Style is also required.
   
   Preferred Qualifications:
   
   * Previous work in a fast-moving editorial environment with a deep understanding of digital best practices, preferably for email platforms, will be favored.
   
   * Basic HTML, digital content management in various publishing systems, and the capability to use Adobe products is also preferred.
   
   Required Education:
   
   * Bachelor's degree in journalism or a related field.
   
   #networksjobs
   
   #LI-JC7

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right editor & producer for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with editor & producers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit editor & producers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your editor & producer job on Zippia to find and recruit editor & producer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with editor & producer 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.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 editor & producer

   Once you've found the editor & producer 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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new editor & producer. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are 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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