by Amanda Evans

Created on: July 31, 2010

If you enjoy proofreading, have a knack for spotting errors in documents then you might want to look for proofreading jobs.  There are a number of places where you can source these jobs and these range from contacting publishing houses to bidding on jobs on the likes of Elance.

The first thing that you need to do is assess your skills and maybe take a proofreading skills test so that you can see how you fair.  A great place for skills tests is Brainbench and the cost of the tests are relatively low.  You can also get a certificate.  If you decide to go down the route of bidding on proofreading jobs Elance is the best website to target.  They have a proofreading category and unlike the majority of bidding websites their websites is not over saturated with underpaying gigs.  You can sign up for a free account where you will receive 10 free bids per month.  This will definitely be enough to get you started. 

One of the main things to remember when bidding on proofreading jobs is that you will have to show your skills and sell yourself in your bid.  Make sure that you proofread your bid before you submit it.  The last thing you want is to have a spelling or gramatical error in your bid.

If you choose not to go down the bidding route to find proofreading jobs you have a couple of alternatives.  If you have credentials behind you publishing houses are a great choice.  You will need to do a little bit of research and find out who the editors are and see if they hire proofreaders.  Another option is to contact publishing agents.  A lot of writers hire agents and when their manuscripts are completed they have to be proofed and edited.

I would also suggest joining some writing forums where you can offer your services.  Writers are always looking for people to proofread their work and if you brand yourself as an expert on these forums you could see a lot of work coming your way.

The last way to find proofreading jobs is to have them come to you. The way to do this is to have a visible web presence.  You need your own website and perhaps even a blog where you can brand yourself as an expert.  This is a great way to get proofreading jobs.  If someone searches for a proofreader they will come across your website. 

How to find proofreading jobs is not that hard but it does take time and some effort on your part.  If you want to be successful in your endeavors you need to make sure that you have the skills and credentials.  After this it is all about patience and perseverance.

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