We work with publishing employers every week, and one gap keeps coming up: digital and data confidence. Here's why it matters, and how to close it.
A skill gap hiding in plain sight
When we talk to hiring managers across editorial, digital, and scientific publishing, technical know, what they consistently ask for is comfort with data and digital tools: reading analytics dashboards, understanding audience metrics and knowing which platforms actually move the needle. It's a gap we see across every level, from editorial assistants to senior commissioning editors.
Why this skill has become non-negotiable
Publishing has moved a long way from print-only workflows. Content performance is now measured, tested, and iterated in real time, whether that's a subscription journal tracking usage data or a trade publisher watching social engagement drive sales. Professionals who can interpret this data, rather than simply hand it off to a specialist, are the ones getting promoted and shortlisted for the most competitive roles we recruit for.
What 'digitally fluent' actually looks like
We're not talking about becoming a data scientist. The candidates who stand out to us can comfortably navigate a CMS, understand the basics of SEO and metadata, read a Google Analytics or usage report and use that insight to inform an editorial or marketing decision. It's less about mastering a tool and more about being unafraid of one.
How to build this skill without starting from scratch
We always tell candidates: you don't need a course to begin. Ask to sit in on your marketing team's next analytics review. Volunteer to help interpret reader survey results. Follow how your organisation's most digitally confident colleagues talk about performance data, and borrow their vocabulary. Small, consistent exposure builds real fluency faster than any qualification.
Where we come in
As a publishing-focused recruitment agency, we see which skills are opening doors right now. If you're looking to move roles, or you're an employer trying to work out what 'digital literacy' should actually mean on a job spec, we're always happy to talk it through.