Automatically apply for jobs with Zippia

Upload your resume to get started.

Feature writer skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted experts

Dr. Judy Sanders,

Thomas Reynolds

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical feature writer skills. We ranked the top skills for feature writers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 14.0% of feature writer resumes contained web content as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a feature writer needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 feature writer skills for your resume and career

1. Web Content

Here's how feature writers use web content:

Completed a full-time contract writing product features and editing web content while maintaining brand's editorial standards and established voice.
Assigned, reported on and edited web content for the CyBurr, the magazine's online news source.

2. Feature Stories

Here's how feature writers use feature stories:

Collected and analyzed information and wrote feature stories for weekly business newspaper
Completed several yearbook feature stories bi-weekly.

3. Lifestyle

Lifestyle, in sociology, is a term introduced by an Austrian psychologist, Adler, in 1929, and it is one used to describe the sociological elements (such as behavior, interests, opinions, and culture) found present within or exhibited either by an individual or by a specific group or entire cultures of people.

Here's how feature writers use lifestyle:

Edited feature articles for luxury lifestyle magazine, composed personality profiles and restaurant reviews
Produced two bi-weekly columns covering local business and lifestyle stories.

4. News Articles

Here's how feature writers use news articles:

Contributed to news articles by developing news coverage into researched and planned articles.approaching supervisors with issues or concerns.
Submitted weekly news articles for publication on a deadline while successfully handling the editorial features for the Coronado Visitor Magazine.

5. SEO

Here's how feature writers use seo:

Utilized SEO to draw further traffic to a relatively new website, which now has a very strong following.
Write Major League Baseball columns as commissioned Responsible for writing, editing and SEO of columns

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 feature writers use news stories:

Write, edit, and post news stories and features about issues of interest to families in the Pittsburgh region
Conducted celebrity interviews; wrote and edited features, columns and news stories; hosted online chats.

Choose from 10+ customizable feature writer resume templates

Build a professional feature writer 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 feature writer resume.

7. Photography

Here's how feature writers use photography:

Coordinated and produced photography to accompany other content.
Covered special events with original photography and writing.

8. Video Games

Video Games are a form of entertainment where the player interacts with a virtual space. The subject and strategies for video games vary depending on the kind of game. For example, some video games require the player to solve a puzzle in addition to exploring the virtual world, while others encourage combat strategies.

Here's how feature writers use video games:

Produced quality video game articles, including lists, opinions, news, and reviews.
Submitted and published articles concerning video games

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 feature writers use conduct interviews:

Arrange and conduct interviews person-to-person, via email and phone for full length features and business profiles.
Developed concepts and conduct interviews for stories relevant to students at Hampton University.

10. Press Releases

Here's how feature writers use press releases:

Compile information from press releases into weekly calendars for schools, community, business, entertainment and religion.
Organized press releases and worked closely with the editorial department to set features content.

11. Twitter

Here's how feature writers use twitter:

Assisted with management of social media marketing initiatives on Twitter and Facebook
Promoted content through social media, including maintaining feature section s Twitter feed.

12. Proofread

Proofreading simply carefully checking your text for possible errors like typographical errors or mistakes in grammar, style, and spelling before it can be published or shared. This is generally known as the very last stage of any writing process when you need to fix minor spelling and punctuation mistakes, typos, formatting issues,

and inconsistencies.

Here's how feature writers use proofread:

Proofread tear sheets, collaborated on page designs and took news/feature photographs as needed.
Produce regular news content, cover tournaments, edit and proofread other materials.

13. Human Interest Stories

Here's how feature writers use human interest stories:

Researched and wrote feature articles, including human interest stories, blogs, restaurant reviews, and business news.
Reported and wrote human interest stories, personality profiles, food and travel pieces.

14. Adobe Photoshop

Here's how feature writers use adobe photoshop:

Used QuarkXPress, Adobe Photoshop and InDesign to digitally construct pages for printing.
Designed lay-out design of UNT's Willis Library Rare books and Texana Collection feature story using Adobe Photoshop.

15. Editorials

Here's how feature writers use editorials:

Contribute editorial features for the national portal and digital magazine, including personality/celebrity profiles and special event coverage.
Worked in conjunction with editorial staff on collaborating projects.

5 Feature Writer resume examples

Build a professional feature writer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 5+ resume templates to create your feature writer resume.

Create my resume

Build a professional resume in minutes using this template.

What skills help Feature Writers find jobs?

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

What skills stand out on feature writer resumes?

Dr. Judy Sanders

Chair, Austin Community College

Good communication skills, both written and verbal.

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

Thomas Reynolds

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 feature writers need?

Roselyn Costantino Ph.D.

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.

What technical skills for a feature writer stand out to employers?

Aaron DeRosa Ph.D.

Associate Professor, 20th/21st C. American Literature, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

English majors find homes in every major industry because they are trained to think about the precision of language and its impact, to critically think through problems and imagine the implications of the projects they work on, and to conduct sound research while being critical of the material they encounter. They do this whether the field is technical writing, advertising, law, journalism, publishing, teaching, retail, or whatever new positions arise in the years to come.

What soft skills should all feature writers possess?

Jason Whittaker Ph.D.

Head of School of English & Journalism, Lincoln University

Among the key skills for graduates, some of these remain the same as before, particularly in terms of being able to communicate clearly, analyse information, and engage creatively with problem solving. The past year, however, has really brought to the fore the importance of resilience in our students, especially as they will need to be even more flexible as their careers develop in the future. We spend a considerable amount of time working on building confidence among our students, so that rather than being overwhelmed by rapid change they see this as a challenge and opportunity.

Do you want to know more?

List of feature writer skills to add to your resume

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

Web Content
Feature Stories
Lifestyle
News Articles
SEO
News Stories
Photography
Video Games
Conduct Interviews
Press Releases
Twitter
Proofread

Human Interest Stories
Adobe Photoshop
Editorials
Adobe Indesign
Local Events
Writing Articles
POP Culture
Editor-In-Chief
HTML
Local News
Community Events
Develop Story Ideas

Social Issues
Staff Writers
Book Reviews
NFL
Photo Shoots
Contributor
Investigative Journalism
Fiction
NBA
Local Businesses
General Assignment
Student Newspaper

Updated January 8, 2025

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.

Zippia Careers
Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Industry
Feature Writer
Feature Writer Skills

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse arts, entertainment, sports, and media jobs