If your dream is to sit at the top of magazine hierarchy, then you probably have to start from the bottom. There are different types of magazines like trade magazines and consumer magazines that deal with different things.
Most popular magazines in the world have a bifurcate job structure viz.
- The Editorial Department and
- The Advertising and Business Department
Editorial Department
Editor in Chief
The job of the Editor in Chief is to look after the entire content of the magazine and ensure that the flow of the magazine is smooth. He or she also needs to take the final decision and get reports from the creative directors, managing editors and executive directors.
Managing Editors
This position comes second after the editor in chief and is mainly responsible for enforcing deadlines, ensuring that the daily tasks are being accomplished and following the editorial calendar. It may vary from publications to publications.
Creative Director
The visual aspect of the magazine is looked after by the creative director and needs to communicate continuously with the chief editor as well. He or she needs to direct photo shoots and also create cover concepts. He/she needs to work along with the art director who translated the ideas and he/she in turns with the photo editor.
Executive Editor
His/her work is to select the writers and assign them stories and also edit them. He/she also sometimes write the important stories and thinks of headlines that are short and catchy. In larger houses, there might be team of editors working under him/her.
Copy Editor
The job of the copy editor is to read the magazine thoroughly and ensure that there are no errors and grammar mistakes.
Fact Checker
As the name suggests, this person needs to make sure that the facts given in the magazine are accurate by doing the required research.
Contributors
Most magazines hire freelancers for article and photographs as they are termed as contributors.
Assistants
The job of editorial assistants is to answer calls, make coffee for the editor, write small sections and anything else that editor asks him/her to do.
Business and Advertising Department
Publisher
The publisher is in main charge of the business aspect of the business and needs to be in constant contact with the marketing/promotional director and also the associate publisher as he looks after the advertising.
Associate Publisher
He/she heads the advertising department and also makes strategies and reports in regards to sales and marketing.
Account Executives
His/her job is to contact companies and businesses to sell ad spaces.
Director of Finance
Looks after the financial aspect of the magazine and ensures that the budget in each department is not exceeded.
Marketing Director
Market research and trends are handled by him/her and are required to make reports and gather statistics as far as the brand of the magazine is concerned.
Circulation Director
He/she needs to manage circulation and distribution of the magazine and ensure that the distribution goals are fulfilled.