There are scores of blog posts about the benefits of being a freelance editor, but not many people talk about being an in-house editor. It’s not for everyone, but it has lots of perks.
Benefits
Depending on the employer, an in-house editor can have great benefits. I have medical and dental coverage. That pays for prescriptions and medical devices (like splints), as well as therapeutic massage and physiotherapy. I also have medical leave, so when I’m sick, I can take time off to get better without worrying about losing income.
Work Hours
My work days are predictable, with set hours, including evenings and weekends off. I also get public holidays off—with pay. This predictability helps me leave my work at work. Having regular time off forces me to not overwork myself.
Clothes
Dressing up to go to work costs more money, but I like clothes and accessories, so for me, this is a plus. And I get a kick out of all the people who are amazed at how color coordinated my outfits are.
I also like having a clear divide when I come home. When I change into my home clothes, I leave work far behind me.
Other People
Sometimes I’m allowed to work at home. When I do, I get twice as much done (at least). No one interrupts me with questions, emails, phone calls, or assignments. Even the quick questions at work break my concentration, and they are not usually all that quick.
But I do enjoy the constant camaraderie that’s available to me at work, as well as all the people I can ask questions of. It’s also great for brainstorming and for meetings (I find it much easier to meet in person than over the phone).
And it’s thrilling to work on an edit with the author sitting right beside me. I usually do my first edit alone, but if there are things I don’t understand, I ask the author to come to my office and we work through the queries together, on screen. This is especially helpful when we are going over scientific or legislative text.
Business Stuff
One of the best parts of being in-house is not having to look for work. I still love networking, but I don’t have to use it to find work.
I also don’t have to worry about setting money aside for taxes, keeping track of my expenses, or doing bookkeeping. Since I dislike anything to do with numbers, this feels like a blessing to me.
On Balance
Working in-house isn’t perfect. I have to go outside in Canadian winters to get there. I have to deal with office politics. I have to function within a bureaucracy.
But all of those things are fine with me because, in return, I get stability and all the other pluses I mentioned above.
Not everyone values regular pay, benefits, and set work hours as I do. Being in-house is not for everyone. I know many happy freelance editors and I consider them to be my colleagues, as much as the people I work with at the office each day.
Header image by kate.sade on Unsplash
This article was originally posted on the Copyediting website on November 17, 2015.
