Recruiter's Glossary

Examples: Folio Line • On-sale Date • Media Kit

Masthead

Term from Magazine Publishing industry explained for recruiters

A masthead is the section in a magazine or newspaper that lists important information about the publication, including staff members, their roles, and publication details. Think of it as a publication's organizational chart and credits page combined. It typically appears in the first few pages of a magazine and shows who's responsible for what - from the editor-in-chief down to the contributing writers. When someone mentions masthead experience in publishing, they're usually referring to having worked as part of a publication's core editorial or management team.

Examples in Resumes

Served on the masthead as Associate Editor at Fashion Weekly magazine

Promoted to Senior Editor position on the masthead within two years

Managed team of 5 writers as part of the masthead staff

Typical job title: "Editorial Staff Members"

Also try searching for:

Editor Managing Editor Editorial Director Content Director Publications Manager Editorial Manager Magazine Editor

Where to Find Editorial Staff Members

Professional Organizations

Job Boards

Professional Networks

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How would you manage a masthead reorganization during a publication merger?

Expected Answer: A senior candidate should discuss experience with team integration, maintaining editorial quality during transitions, and strategies for combining different editorial approaches while keeping staff morale high.

Q: How do you balance editorial integrity with advertising demands?

Expected Answer: Should demonstrate understanding of maintaining editorial independence while working with advertising teams, setting clear boundaries, and ensuring transparency with readers.

Mid Level Questions

Q: How do you handle disagreements between different masthead departments?

Expected Answer: Should explain approaches to conflict resolution, maintaining professional relationships, and ensuring smooth workflow between editorial, design, and production teams.

Q: What's your process for reviewing and editing content before publication?

Expected Answer: Should describe editorial workflow, quality control measures, and coordination with other masthead members to maintain publication standards.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What are the key responsibilities of different masthead positions?

Expected Answer: Should show basic understanding of editorial hierarchy and typical roles like editor-in-chief, managing editor, section editors, and their main duties.

Q: How do you prioritize multiple deadline-driven tasks?

Expected Answer: Should demonstrate basic time management skills and understanding of publishing schedules and workflows.

Experience Level Indicators

Junior (0-2 years)

Basic editorial assistance
Content organization
Schedule management
Team coordination support

Mid (2-5 years)

Content editing and review
Team supervision
Editorial planning
Deadline management

Senior (5+ years)

Editorial strategy development
Team leadership
Budget management
Content direction

Red Flags to Watch For

No understanding of editorial workflows
Lack of experience with publishing deadlines
Poor communication skills
No knowledge of basic publishing terminology

Related Terms

Editorial Calendar

Production Schedule