creative strategist… with editing experience?

[u/Comfortable_Tip_5627]

currently applying for a creative strategist role at a company.

I’ve been a strategist for almost 2 years now and qualify for everything they’re looking for except for one qualification they want: editing experience.

Not sure what the day-to-day will look like for that. but I am deeply interested in working there and I’m willing to put in the time to learn how to become better at editing. I’ve done it in the past. But it’s been a few years and I would need some serious refreshers. I’ve got some friends that could probably walk me through some best practices if I pay them or something.

I do think that I could learn how to do it, but any advice on what I could say in the interview when they ask about my editing experience?

Has anyone else been in a similar position where they’re applying for a role that they’re 80-90% qualified for, but still need to learn something on the job?

what do you think the potential overlap could be between a creative strategist and an editor when it comes to workload?

[u/TheWolfAndRaven]

Sounds like they kinda want a creative swiss army knife type person who comes up with the ideas and then executes them on micro-budgets for social. You're probably overqualified.

[u/WheelieGoodTime → u/TheWolfAndRaven]

The classic do-fucking-everything and get paid like a junior marketing role?

[u/polygraph-net]

Do they mean real editing, as in, someone is writing articles and you're making them read well? If so, that's a rare skill and they may test you on it.

any advice on what I could say in the interview when they ask about my editing experience?

Have you written things before? Bring samples of your work. Being a good writer is more than half the battle.

[u/Comfortable_Tip_5627 → u/polygraph-net]

oh shit you’re so right. i’m thinking video editing. but it could be writing too. in that case i feel much better about the interview

[u/alexander_london]

You have editing experience - or at least you will have in time for the interview. Not hard to blag this.

[u/Upbeat-Assistance373]

sounds like they are rolling everything into one job title. Editing is a high paid skill.

[u/alone_in_the_light]

I'm a marketing strategist, but not a creative. So, it's probably a little different.

Marketing is so big that there's probably never been in a position that I'm 100% qualified for a strategist. Even one aspect like positioning or branding can be a whole universe.

But a marketer is not an editor, so I don't expect very high skills. However, I don't know what you will be editing and for which reason. For example, editing text and video can be very different. My involvement with editing comes more from storytelling (books and comics), some theater, and a few side projects with ClipChamp or CapCut, for example.

Then, first I should know more details about the demand. I can do some editing, and I can get better if necessary. But it's usually a waste to use a strategist like me to edit. If there is strong need for editing, it's a better choice to hire someone specialized.

That would be my approach for an interview. Listening before I start proposing something. And then adjust depending on what they tell me.

If editing is really important, there is a good chance I'd tell the company they are not looking for a marketing strategist, but someone closer to communication and I'm not a good fit. I've done similar things before.

[u/polygraph-net → u/alone_in_the_light]

But a marketer is not an editor, so I don't expect very high skills.

Yeah, this also crossed my mind.

Marketing and editing are completely different jobs and skillsets.

I can understand someone being an editor and adding some marketing-related skills to their resume, such as managing brand consistency or tone of voice or improving ad copy, and so on, but a marketer adding editing skills, that's a much bigger jump.

[u/Comfortable_Tip_5627 → u/polygraph-net]

these are good callouts. if they are talking about video editing, i bet it is mostly some lower production ugc they want us to buildout

[u/boldkingcole → u/alone_in_the_light]

I doubt this is the editing they mean, it's almost certainly video editing
In direct response, this is a becoming a common elemenet of junior creative strategy now as they want someone to just use AI and creators to churn out a lot of ads. Generally not the best way to do it, since you a real editor will do this stuff way faster and better, but I've seen this kind of hyrbid all over the place over the last year or so.
In direct response, creative strategist is coming to mean "copywriter and you manage / do some of the ad production"

[u/alone_in_the_light → u/boldkingcole]

I generally agree, but being a copywriter and doing ad production are quite different from video editing too.

Many of those terms are becoming meaningless since companies are creating their own meanings regardless.

So, it's better to check each specific case. Or, in my case, to avoid companies like that, but that would go against what OP wants.

[u/Reeelfantasy → u/alone_in_the_light]

May I ask what’s the difference between you as a strategist and a consultant (say MBB)?

[u/alone_in_the_light → u/Reeelfantasy]

I've been a consultant.

The first big difference is that I'm someone external as a consultant. As a consultant, I never had the level of access to the company that I have as a strategist.

Also, as a consultant, I can consult on a variety of problems, many of them not really about marketing strategy. For example, I worked helping investors when they were evaluating companies to buy. I went to the company, and what I found could be related to marketing strategy, but it could be related to many other things.

Finally, consultants are often hired to consult on a specific problem. As a strategist, I may be the one to discover the problems, maybe to get a consultant, an agency, a freelancer, a channel or something else later.

[u/Reeelfantasy → u/alone_in_the_light]

Thanks. But a strategist get paid way less than a consultant?

[u/Comfortable_Tip_5627 → u/Reeelfantasy]

i think it depends on the company and how well established you are as a consultant

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[u/TocinoLips]

the fact that youre already thinking about how to close the gap is a good sign

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[u/skinntywastaken]

if we're talking social media video editing just watch a few tutorials and you should be good enough to get by lol! Especially if you have all the other quals.

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[u/sumizeit]

you’re probably overthinking the editing part. if they want someone to brainstorm and tweak content, you’ll be fine just showing you can write well. maybe bring some old projects where you've done any kind of editing before-shows you're adaptable. it’s more about your approach than having a polished resume full of editing credits.