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When I started to entertain the thought of working on error patrol, I wondered if I could become a certified proofreader. Being certified would give me a leg up on the competition, right? But how would I become certified?
To become a certified proofreader, you must obtain a professional certification by passing a rigorous test offered by Editors Canada. They recommend you have at least five years of experience as a full-time proofreader before taking the exam.
In this article, we’ll look at how to get that professional certification from Editors Canada.
We’ll also discover how to get a proofreading certificate, another way to be competitive in the industry.
What Is a Certified Proofreader?
A certified proofreader is someone who has obtained a professional certification by earning a passing score on a rigorous proofreading exam.
Currently, Editors Canada is the only organization that provides the exam to acquire the professional certification that makes you a certified proofreader.
As someone working in the proofreading industry, I can tell you that getting a professional certification differs from getting a proofreading certificate.
You can earn (or be given) a proofreading certificate by completing a proofreading course.
Caitlin Pyle, the creator of Proofread Anywhere, has a brief post on her blog called “Will Completing Your Proofreading Course Make Me a Certified Proofreader?”
And here is her answer:
“NO.
Students who pass the course Transcript Proofreading: Theory and Practice™ or General Proofreading: Theory and Practice™ will receive a Certificate of Completion.
The courses are NOT certification programs and will not make you a certified proofreader. In fact, there is currently no official proofreading certification in the United States.”
– Caitlin Pyle
So, at this time, official proofreading certification does not exist in the United States.
Caitlin writes her answer using bold capital letters because there’s so much confusion around this topic. Thanks for the clarification, Caitlin! 😊
What Are the Benefits of Becoming Certified?
Here are a few advantages of becoming a certified proofreader:
- a competitive edge over other proofreaders
- ability to charge higher proofreading rates
- professional recognition for your expertise in proofreading
Although being certified has its perks, it isn’t necessary.
Do You Need Certification to Be a Proofreader?
No, certification is not required to work as a proofreader.
Due to the steep price and challenging nature of the Editors Canada exam, few proofreaders opt to get certified.
Instead, they usually decide to take a course to earn (or be given) a certificate of completion.
Soon, I’ll give you information about how to get a certificate so you can start your proofreading career or side hustle with a bang—or at least a boost if you already work in the field.
For now, let’s learn how to become certified if that’s what you’d like to do.
How Do You Become a Certified Proofreader?
As mentioned, you need to go through Editors Canada to become certified.
Let’s learn more about Editors Canada and what they offer.
What Is Editors Canada?
Editors Canada is an editorial association with roughly 1,500 members.
It was founded in May 1979 as the Freelance Editors’ Association of Canada.
Editors Canada recognizes that professional editing is essential for clear communication.
They offer various professional development opportunities for those in the publishing industry.
Professional Certifications Offered by Editors Canada
Professional certification is one of the opportunities Editors Canada provides.
The table below shows the credentials they bestow on those who pass the required exam(s).
Credentials Offered by Editors Canada
| Credential | Required Exam(s) |
|---|---|
| Certified Proofreader | Proofreading |
| Certified Copy Editor | Copyediting |
| Certified Stylistic Editor | Stylistic Editing |
| Certified Structural Editor | Structural Editing |
| Certified Professional Editor (CPE) | Proofreading Copyediting Stylistic Editing Structural Editing |
Please know that stylistic editing is also known as line editing, and structural editing is also known as developmental editing.
Earning a Professional Certification in Proofreading
We now know that attaining a professional certification from Editors Canada requires passing a proofreading exam.
So how challenging is the test they offer? I can tell you in one word: very.
Here’s what the organization says about the pass rate:
“In 2018 the pass rate for the proofreading exam was 27%.”
– Editors Canada
The website states you should have at least five years of full-time proofreading experience before attempting the test.
If you’re reading this article, you probably haven’t acquired that level of experience.
However, in case you have (or you’re curious), let’s go over the details of the test.
FAQ for the Editors Canada Proofreading Exam
Let’s assume you want to take a shot at earning this professional certification. What do you need to know about taking the exam?
One important note is that they only offer the assessment in English.
Also, you’ll need the recommended experience level because the exam doesn’t test for proficiency—it tests for excellence.
How Much Does the Proofreading Exam Cost?
In addition to the proofreading knowledge you’ve accumulated at your day job, you’ll need lots of cash: it isn’t a pocketbook-friendly test.
How much are we talking about? It depends.
If you happen to be a member of Editors Canada, it costs $450 to sit for the exam. For nonmembers, the fee is $550.
Where Do I Take the Test?
Prior to the pandemic, Editors Canada administered the exam at official testing sites in Toronto, Vancouver, and Ottawa. They also provided testing sites in other locations within Canada if enough candidates were interested.
However, they now offer exams via remote testing only.
You can take the exam on your computer at home in a private, quiet place with a stable internet connection.
The test is in PDF, so you need to know how to use the markup tools in (the free) Adobe Acrobat Reader.
You have to download the test, finish it, and upload it within the allotted time frame.
How Often Is It Offered?
Editors Canada usually offers the proofreading exam every other year. Generally, they provide the other exams once every two years also.
The tests are typically offered in November; you must register in advance.
I Want to Take the Test. What Should I Do?
You can periodically check Editors Canada’s professional certification page to see when they offer the test.
Whenever it gets close to the time the proofreading exam will be offered, they’ll provide a link to a registration page where you can get more info.
If you’d like to read about someone who passed the exam and became a certified proofreader, you can read this article from Active Voice—Editors Canada’s national newsletter.
How Do I Prepare for the Exam?
To get ready for the exam, check out Editors Canada’s advice on how to best prepare. After clicking the link, you need to scroll up a bit to see the recommendations.
I think it’s also ideal to understand why people struggle with the certification tests.
Editors Canada tells us five common reasons why folks fail the exams:
- not enough broad-based work experience
- inadequate preparation
- not following the exam instructions
- mismanaging time
- not following specific standards for proofreading
Finally, you can check out this video about preparing for the certification exams.
How to Get a Proofreading Certificate
Although you can charge higher rates and find more opportunities as a certified proofreader, lacking this professional certification won’t keep you from succeeding in the field.
You can learn all the skills you need to succeed by taking a comprehensive proofreading course.
I never sat for the Editors Canada proofreading exam, and to my knowledge, neither did my peers from the proofreading course I took.
Instead, those wanting to become proofreaders usually obtain a proofreading certificate.
To get a certificate, you need to find a class that either gives you a certificate of completion or offers you the opportunity to earn one if you pass the course’s final assessment.
When I decided to become a proofreader, I spent a lot of time looking for reputable classes that offered a certificate.
Courses for Getting a Certificate
After extensive research, I found four comprehensive and reputable online proofreading classes that provide a certificate to students for passing the final exam or simply finishing the program.
Let’s see the courses and learn how they go about awarding certificates.
1) General Proofreading Theory and Practice™
Proofread Anywhere (based in the US) offers this course.
I completed this program, and I highly recommend it. It teaches you all the needed proofreading skills and how to start a proofreading business and find clients. I wrote a comprehensive article about the Proofread Anywhere course if you’d like to know more.
About the Certificate: To get a certificate of completion, you need to purchase the Ignite Plus version of the course and score 90% or higher on the final test.
Here’s what the certificate looks like:
It’s a tamper-proof certificate that you can verify by scanning the QR code.
2) Becoming a Proofreader
Knowadays (based in the UK) provides this class.
About the Certificate: All participants receive a certificate of completion after finishing the course.
If you’d like more information, I’ve written an in-depth post about the Becoming a Proofreader class.
3) Essential Proofreading: Editorial Skills One
The Publishing Training Centre (based in the UK) offers this program.
About the Certificate: After completing the class, you’ll receive a certificate of completion from The Publications Qualification Board. Your certificate will bear a grade of “pass,” “merit,” or “distinction.”
4) Proofreading 1: Introduction, Proofreading 2: Headway, and Proofreading 3: Progress
The Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (based in the UK) hosts this series of courses. They suggest students take all three classes in the series.
About the Certificates: Upon finishing the Introduction course, you’ll receive a certificate of completion.
For the Headway course, you’ll receive one if you complete (but don’t pass) the class. If you pass the class, you’ll be given a certificate indicating you’ve passed either with “merit” or “distinction.” Your performance on the final assignment determines the degree to which you pass.
The certificate given for the Progress course follows the same guidelines as the Headway class.
To see an in-depth comparison of all the classes listed above, please read my post about the four best online proofreading courses.
Frequently Asked Questions
What qualifications do you need to be a proofreader?
We know you don’t need a professional certification to be a proofreader. But what about a degree?
A degree is not one of the requirements for most proofreading jobs.
Some publishing companies and online proofreading and editing businesses will require you to have a degree in English or journalism. This is especially true if you work for an online proofreading and editing service that requires you to work on scientific, medical, or technical texts.
Although a proofreading certificate isn’t necessary either, having one is an easy way to show potential clients you have the required skills.
Other ways to prove your skills include passing a proofreading test or doing a sample edit for a potential client.
So what exactly do you need to become a proofreader?
You need a specific skill set.
Here are a few examples of the skills you need:
- a strong understanding of English grammar and mechanics
- familiarity with one or more style guides (e.g., The Chicago Manual of Style)
- knowledge of software used to track changes (edits) made to clients’ documents
I penned a post about must-have proofreading skills if you’d like to learn what other skills you need.
How do I become a proofreader with no experience?
After you’ve determined that proofreading is a good fit for you, you’ll want to decide what kind of proofreading you want to do.
Then, you’ll want to take a reputable course that teaches you the skills to perform the type of proofreading you’re interested in.
Proper training will enable you to compete in the market, maintain a good reputation, and build trust with clients.
I published a thorough post about becoming a proofreader without experience. It will walk you through the process, one step at a time.
How do I get hired as a proofreader?
After you’ve obtained the needed skills, you’ll want to look for proofreading jobs that don’t require experience.
Om Proofreading has a post that includes numerous jobs suitable for beginner proofreaders. This article discusses jobs on freelance platforms, job boards, and proofreading and editing companies’ websites.
I also created an article about strategies for finding clients if that’s what you need help with.
How much money can proofreaders make?
ZipRecruiter (February 2024) reports that freelance proofreaders in the US make an average of $57,520 per year, which is about $28 per hour. They state that most freelance proofreaders make between $42,500 and $70,000 annually.
According to 2022 data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, proofreaders in the US earn an average yearly salary of $48,770.
I hope this post has helped you learn everything you need to know about how to become a certified proofreader. If you decide to take on this challenge, I wish you success! 😊
Best wishes to you!
“The inspiration you seek is already within you. Be silent and listen.”
– Rumi
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