Anyone a Guide for About.com?

[mitako]

I just submitted an application to become a Guide for About.com. I have heard that if accepted, the application process is very rigorous. Hopefully I will have a chance to find out for myself! I know it is very tough to be accepted there.

I'd love to hear about the experience of anyone here who writes for About.com. How long did it take to hear back on your application? What was the process like? How do you like writing for them? Any other info would be appreciated!

[tbkwriters]

I wish that I had heard back from them! I always apply and like 6 months or more later I will get a random email stating that they have filled the position.

I know there is a high value of applications for each position, and they are seeking mainly professionals.

Good Luck!

[mlc23]

I've been a guide since 2007. I love it. They are a great company to work for. I'm proud to claim the work I have published there. It is a tough process, but worth it if you get in. They have changed the process since I applied, so I'm not sure what you have to do anymore, but it is a great place to work for. Definitely pursue it if you get the chance to go through the test.

[Del S]

Hi,
I detailed my experience in an older thread which you can find here: About.com Guide (just scroll down to find my post). Sorry, I just didn't feel like typing all of that again, lol! The info is the same. Two+ years after I landed the gig, I still love it. I hope to be there as long as some of the other guides, who've been there 5 or 10 years or more. Good luck!

[inkkognito]

I've been an About,com Guide since last summer, so I went through the most recent prep process (unless they changed it again...you never know!). Yes, it was very rigorous, and you don't know whether you'll ultimately get the position. Was it still worth it? Absolutely! I love writing for About.com, and I love my topic (I'm the Pet Supplies & Product Reviews Guide).

It can take quite a while to hear back from them. I had actually forgotten that I replied, and at first I thought my invitation into prep was spam! Thank goodness I didn't delete it without reading the whole thing and realizing that it was a huge opportunity.

[anng]

I applied back in 2009 but didn't make the cut. The reason they gave me is that I didn't have a video camera. The channel I'd applied for was British Cooking, my mom is from England and I've spent lots of time there living with my aunts, so I figured I knew plenty. They said qualifications were perfect, but the lack of a video camera was my downfall, so that's something to keep in mind.

[daytonjenn]

I actually have a Master degree in a field and the same Guide position came up three times in the last few years, or at least similar Guides. I applied all three times and just got the generic rejection letter. I worked in the field for 7 years, including at one of the biggest companies in the field and nothing. One of the Guides in a completely different field got the job by outright lying on her application. I knew her when I still lived in another state and she had no interest in writing or the area where she became a Guide. When I saw her bio, I was completely shocked because it says she had something like five years experience and started a charity organization years ago. I knew her in 2008 and none of this was true. It still annoys me whenever I see one of her articles turn up in an online search. My boyfriend knows when I start yelling at the computer, that's like the reason why LOL