Occupation Profile

Writers and Authors

(SOC Code : 27-3043)

in California

Originate and prepare written material, such as scripts, stories, advertisements, and other material. Exclude "Public Relations Specialists" (27-3031) and "Technical Writers" (27-3042).

Employers are usually looking for candidates with a Bachelor's degree .

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Occupational Wages

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Area	Year	Period	Hourly Mean	Hourly by Percentile
				25th	Median	75th
California	2012	1st Qtr	$45.64	$22.02	$31.78	$51.42

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Occupational Projections of Employment (also called "Outlook" or "Demand")

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Area	Estimated Year-Projected Year	Employment		Employment Change		Annual Avg Openings
		Estimated	Projected	Number	Percent
California	2010 - 2020	20,900	22,300	1,400	6.7	690

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Job Openings from JobCentral National Labor Exchange

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Enter a Zip Code Find a Zip code in California

Within miles of Zip Code.

Industries Employing This Occupation (click on Industry Title to View Employers List)

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Industry Title

Number of Employers in State of California

Percent of Total
Employment for Occupation in State of California

Newspaper, Book, & Directory Publishers

5,427

4.2%

Radio and Television Broadcasting

1,749

4.1%

Independent Artists/Writers/Performers

5,306

3.6%

Advertising and Related Services

11,500

3.5%

Motion Picture and Video Industries

6,338

3.2%

Management & Technical Consulting Svc

28,222

1.5%

Other Information Services

3,168

1.1%

Colleges and Universities

1,979

1.1%

About Staffing Patterns

Training Programs (click on title for more information)

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Program Title

Broadcast Journalism

Business/Corporate Communications

Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other

Creative Writing.

Journalism

About Training & Apprenticeships

About This Occupation (from O*NET - The Occupation Information Network)

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Top Tasks (Specific duties and responsibilities of this job.)

Write to customers in their terms and on their level so that the advertiser`s sales message is more readily received.

Discuss with the client the product, advertising themes and methods, and any changes that should be made in advertising copy.

Write advertising copy for use by publication, broadcast or internet media to promote the sale of goods and services.

Present drafts and ideas to clients.

Vary language and tone of messages based on product and medium.

Consult with sales, media and marketing representatives to obtain information on product or service and discuss style and length of advertising copy.

Edit or rewrite existing copy as necessary, and submit copy for approval by supervisor.

Develop advertising campaigns for a wide range of clients, working with an advertising agency`s creative director and art director to determine the best way to present advertising information.

Write articles, bulletins, sales letters, speeches, and other related informative, marketing and promotional material.

Conduct research and interviews to determine which of a product`s selling features should be promoted.

More Tasks for Writers and Authors , More Tasks for Copy Writers

Top Skills used in this Job

Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

More Skills for Writers and Authors , More Skills for Copy Writers

Top Abilities (Attributes of the person that influence performance in this job.)

Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.

Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).

Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

More Abilities for Writers and Authors , More Abilities for Copy Writers

Top Work Values (Aspects of this job that create satisfaction.)

Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees.

More Work Values for Writers and Authors , More Work Values for Copy Writers

Top Interests (The types of activities someone in this job would like.)

Enterprising - Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Artistic - Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

More Interests for Writers and Authors , More Interests for Copy Writers