A lexicographer is a person who writes, compiles, and/or edits a dictionary.

Lexicographer examine how words come into being and how they change in terms of pronunciation, spelling, usage, and meaning.

Types of lexicographer

You'll typically work on one of the following types of dictionary:

• English for native speakers

• English for learners of English

• technical or specialist, such as law or medicine

• bilingual, for native speakers or learners of English.

A degree in English language is particularly useful for a lexicography career. Other relevant degree subjects include:

• classics

• English literature

• history or politics

• linguistics

• modern languages.

A degree in a foreign language is essential for working as a bilingual lexicographer and further experience, such as teaching or translation work, will improve your chances of employment.

Taken from prospects 2024

Try getting some work experience with a publishing company and check with your university to see if they have links with publishing companies offering internships.

Experience in a related area, such as editing or proofreading, is also valuable. This experience will give you an insight into the publishing sector, as well as helping you build up your knowledge, skills and contacts. Many large, and some smaller, publishing houses offer work experience placements, which usually last around two weeks.

If you aren't able to find a work placement, try and do some work shadowing with a publisher to get a feel for the role and to make contacts in the profession.

Other useful activities include:

• writing for or editing your university newspaper

• creating and writing your own blog

• developing an online social media presence, through Twitter and LinkedIn for example, to promote yourself and your skills.

Taken from prospects 2022

The only UK publisher that still employs full-time, in-house lexicographers is the Oxford University Press and this is largely for updates to the Oxford English Dictionary.

There are a small number of in-house dictionary editor jobs at most of the dictionary publishers, such as:

• Cambridge University Press

• Collins

• Macmillan

• Merriam-Webster (US dictionary)

• Pearson Longman.