Spotlight on the people powering Jobbio
Welcome to “Inside Jobbio”, a series where we introduce the people behind the brand and reveal a little about what professionally motivates and inspires them.
This time, Jobbio’s Katie O’Connor, Head of Delivery, is ready for her close up.
Name: Katie O’Connor
Job Title: Head of Delivery
Team: Partnerships
Educational background: Bachelor’s degree in Education and Training at DCU.
What was your career path to getting this job?
After college I worked as a retail manager for brands including Pandora, Swarovski and Parfois. I took a career break to travel South East Asia for a couple of months and when I came back to Ireland, I worked in sales support in Keelings. I then worked as an account manager for MyHome.ie before I landed my role in Jobbio.
How do you think your previous roles led to this job?
I was looking for a change from sales. The parts of my previous roles that I enjoyed most were building relationships and ensuring that my clients received the best customer service. So the pivot into customer success made sense to me.
How did you land your first role in tech?
I saw that there was a Customer Success Manager position being advertised at Jobbio. After researching the company and checking out the employer branding videos online, I felt that this would be a great fit for me, even though I had never worked in the tech industry or a startup before. I was offered the position after my second interview.
How long have you worked at Jobbio?
Four and a half years.
How did you develop leadership skills to progress in this industry?
I’ve been able to put the degree to good use as I’ve always ended up training staff in each of the jobs that I’ve had. Plus, I’ve also taken best practice from some great managers I’ve had over the years.
What skills or characteristics do you value in your colleagues?
Honesty, positivity and communication.
What do you do on a daily and weekly basis?
I cultivate and maintain the relationships of some of our key partners in the Amply network.
As a manager I am tasked with hiring, training and implementing/improving processes within my team to ensure efficiency.
What work-related phrase are you known for?
“What are we doing for lunch?” Usually asked around 10am.
What’s your favourite thing about your job?
The work-life balance and the people. I’m very fortunate to have co-workers that make coming to work something I look forward to. The culture we have built at Jobbio is really special.
What’s the one thing you always do at work to help you succeed?
Make lists! I’m known for my organisation.
What’s the one thing you think you should never do at work?
If you are struggling with something, no matter how big or small you should never keep it to yourself. Have a talk with a colleague or your manager.
What’s your best piece of advice for someone looking to get a similar role?
Apply for the job even if you feel that you don’t have all the skills and experience that’s listed on the job spec. You’ll see that a lot of these are transferable from a different industry.
To read more from the people powering Jobbio, explore this series here: Owen Reynolds, Head of Marketing, Aoibhinn McBride, Content Editor, Business Intelligence Manager, Lalit Pathak, Account Manager, Haya Siddiqui, Dave McConvey, Head of Acquisition and Kirstie McDermott, Senior Content Manager.
For more career advice, check out our Cheat Sheet series where we’re delving into essential job hunting topics including what to put on an entry level CV and the things you should never say in a job interview and how to practise for a job interview.
