How to hire a proofreader

How to hire a proofreader, step by step

Here's a step-by-step proofreader hiring guide:

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

What does a proofreader do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the proofreader you need to hire. Certain proofreader 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

   A proofreader's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, proofreaders 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 presents proofreader salaries for various positions.

   Type of Proofreader	Description	Hourly rate
   Proofreader		$14-37
   Service Writer	A service writer is an employee who acts as an informative middleman between a business owner and its customers in the automotive sector. To develop this relationship, service writers must provide successful management of product or service delivery to their customers... Show more	$11-29
   Copy Editor/Proofreader	Copy editors and proofreaders make sure that any product text that involves writing doesn't have any mistakes while making sure that the pieces they are proofreading are still engaging and easy to understand. Publishers of magazines, books, or newspapers are the ones who usually employ them to read and edit their works before publishing them to the public... Show more	$21-56

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Proofreading
   • English Language
   • PowerPoint
   • Style Guides
   • Adobe Acrobat
   • Press Releases
   • Web Content
   • Grammatical Errors
   • Law Firm
   • Copywriting
   • Bluebook
   • QA
   • Word Processing
   • Mac

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Create and manage BNA's corporate income taxation evaluators.
   • Edit academic papers for grammar, consistency, and clarity according to academic writing conventions and customer preferences.
   • Implement changes in proofreading house style through collaboration with other department members, thus maximizing efficiency and increasing productivity.
   • Use of APA style format.
   • Style guides: AMA, AP, Chicago, CSE, MLA, in-house.
   • Work are created with QuarkXpress & PhotoShop.

   More proofreader duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, proofreaders' average salary in iowa is 44% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level proofreaders earn 60% less than senior-level proofreaders.
   • Certifications. A proofreader 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 proofreader's salary.

   Average proofreader salary

   $49,392yearly

   $23.75 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level proofreader salary

   $31,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average proofreader salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$66,356	$32
   2	West Virginia	$59,768	$29
   3	New York	$57,090	$27
   4	Illinois	$54,308	$26
   5	Colorado	$54,132	$26
   6	Missouri	$52,769	$25
   7	Pennsylvania	$52,640	$25
   8	Virginia	$51,265	$25
   9	Texas	$49,297	$24
   10	Washington	$49,079	$24
   11	Arizona	$48,936	$24
   12	Maryland	$47,389	$23
   13	District of Columbia	$46,887	$23
   14	Wisconsin	$46,086	$22
   15	Connecticut	$46,052	$22
   16	Arkansas	$44,547	$21
   17	Georgia	$44,356	$21
   18	Massachusetts	$44,243	$21
   19	Indiana	$43,528	$21
   20	Ohio	$42,633	$21

   Average proofreader salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	WLRK	$93,236	$44.83	2
   2	Havas Worldwide	$77,986	$37.49
   3	Wpp Us Holdings Inc	$77,059	$37.05	1
   4	VIVA USA	$73,275	$35.23
   5	Goldbelt Falcon	$70,936	$34.10
   6	Epiq	$69,874	$33.59
   7	Dahl Consulting	$63,297	$30.43
   8	EisnerAmper	$61,847	$29.73
   9	ExamWorks	$61,818	$29.72
   10	Vinson & Elkins	$59,426	$28.57
   11	TalentBurst	$57,925	$27.85
   12	MES Solutions	$57,843	$27.81
   13	Workiva	$52,939	$25.45
   14	Washington State University	$52,595	$25.29
   15	SiriusXM	$52,086	$25.04
   16	ALDI USA	$51,951	$24.98
   17	Burkhart Dental Supply	$49,878	$23.98
   18	John McNeil Studio	$49,790	$23.94
   19	Avila Therapeutics	$49,410	$23.75	11
   20	Main Industries	$49,024	$23.57

4. Writing a proofreader job description

   A proofreader 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 proofreader job description:

   Proofreader job description example

   Responsible for review of legal and marketing documents as requested. Responsibilities for each type of document request are outlined below:
   Legal Document Requirements/Responsibilities:
   Serve as a resource for all questions on grammar, spelling, and current usage;Proofread documents for errors in typing, spelling, grammar, syntax, punctuation and formatting;Knowledge of proofing marks and procedures;Update entries into the electronic job submission and workflow tracking system;Work overtime as required; and Handle additional document processing projects as assigned.Fundamental-level proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite;Experienced in legal terminology and a variety of citation and brief formats used in legal work;Knowledge of current formats and citation protocols - The Chicago Manual of Style, The Bluebook and California Style ManualStrong written and verbal communication skills, including an expert level knowledge of English language, grammar, spelling and punctuation;
   
   Marketing Document Requirements/Responsibilities:
   
   Proofreading internal and external marketing collateral i.e., brochures, pitch books, biographies etc.
   Performs proofreading tasks with a high degree of accuracy, eye for consistency and attention to detail.
   Demonstrated ability to maintain information in strictest confidence.Sound judgment and the ability to make common sense editing decisions.Copywriting experience helpful Experience with following and memorizing corporate brand guidelines. Knowledge of working with the AP style guide.Ability to take direction from designers and writers.
   
   Skill and Work Experience Requirements.
   3+ years proofreading experience; Associate or Bachelor's Degree preferred.Basic knowledge of Microsoft Office 2010 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).Ability to work through complex document markups and instructions in a timely manner.Flexibility to work overtime or change shift to accommodate Firm needs. #LI-KP1
   
   If you like wild growth and working with happy, enthusiastic over-achievers, you'll enjoy your career with us!
   
   It is Epiq's policy to comply with all applicable equal employment opportunity laws by making all employment decisions without unlawful regard or consideration of any individual's race, religion, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expressions, transgender status, sexual and other reproductive health decisions, marital status, age, national origin, genetic information, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, veteran or family status or any other basis protected by applicable national, federal, state, provincial or local law. Epiq's policy prohibits unlawful discrimination based on any of these impermissible bases, as well as any bases or grounds protected by applicable law in each jurisdiction. In addition Epiq will take affirmative action for minorities, women, covered veterans and individuals with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process because of a disability, it is available upon request. Epiq is pleased to provide such assistance and no applicant will be penalized as a result of such a request. Pursuant to relevant law, where applicable, Epiq will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find proofreaders for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any proofreaders they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level proofreaders with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting proofreaders requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 proofreader

   Once you have selected a candidate for the proofreader 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.

   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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new proofreader. 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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