About A Job is all about helping people navigate the often confusing world of work.  Whether you are a seasoned professional or a student in college, at some point you have thought about how the choices you made in your past have made you who you are today.   Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.    We will help to prepare you for that next career opportunity. 

So, where do we fit in?  Hopefully before your next job offer is on the table.  About A Job was created to establish a transparency that traditional job boards and recruiters often neglect.   Now, I have found some great jobs through boards and I also have worked with some great recruiters.  But, I have never been blind to the fact that they are biased for whom they represent.  An appealing job opening on Monster, for example, is posted as the result of a vacancy that the hiring company seeks to fill as soon as possible. And, a recruiter is the person acting on behalf of the company who wishes to fill that vacancy as soon as possible with a qualified candidate.  So where does that leave the typical job seeker?  After you personalize your cover letter, format your resume, and complete the phone screen, you are on a quick path to a few interviews and ultimately a decision to accept or decline the offer based on their clever, orchestrated sales pitch.

Throughout the process, everything you really want to know about the job you are about to accept, you are often don’t ask.  Though they may not be particularly important to the hiring company, for your own sake you want to know things like…  What are the hours?  What is my boss really like?   Is there work to take home?  Can I ever work from home?  What is the catch?  If I don’t like the job, can I move to a different department in the company?

About A Job will help to answer some of those questions with our Profiles Project as well as offer advice on topics like Interviewing Skills, Resume Tips, Salary Comparisons, and Industry Trends.  This is an evolving, collaborative project.  We encourage your feedback and support, and you are always welcome to contact me personally at ryan@aboutajob.com .

-Ryan O’Donnell