Indexing as a Career

Is Indexing for You?

Indexing is an interesting, challenging, and intellectually rewarding job that allows you to work as a freelancer, running your own business and setting your own schedule. But is it for you?

To help people with that question, the societies below have developed their own assessment of the skills, requirements, and expectations of this niche career. To get the complete perspective, we encourage you to visit each of their websites:

Training Courses

Here are the official indexing courses run by indexing societies and academic institutions.

Society of Indexers Training Course

The Society of Indexers’ distance-learning course, ‘Training in Indexing’, leads to Accreditation and Professional Membership of the Society. The course’s four modules cover all aspects of indexing. Experienced indexers provide tutorials and feedback on student work, and the final assignment – a book-length index – prepares students for professional indexing.

American Society for Indexing Training Course

Distance learners can explore indexing and learn how to index via the four self-study modules of the ASI Training Course. Students must successfully meet the requirements of all four examinations to be awarded an ASI Certificate of Completion.

University of California at Berkeley: Indexing: Theory and Application

The award-winning online course was developed by indexer and instructor Sylvia Coates. The course teaches “the fundamentals of writing, editing, and delivering back-of-the-book indexes to publishing clients,” as well as embedded and web indexing. Students have a minimum of 90 days and a maximum of 180 days to complete the course.

Toronto Metropolitan University: Indexing for Books, Journals, and Reports

This online course is for anyone going into publishing of non-fiction books, journals, or reports, or those already working in publishing who wish to add to their skill set. It focuses on back-of-the-book indexing, as well as the indexing of journals, reports, and websites. The course length is 19.5 hours over seven weeks.

Simon Fraser University: Indexing: An Essential Art and Science 

This five-week online course is designed for both aspiring indexers and editors who must oversee the indexing work of others. The wide range of topics includes not just the basics of index creation but style guides and reference works, the business of indexing, and opportunities for networking and professional development.