“Heard it through the grapevine…”
Gossip’s everywhere. You can find it in the office at daily water cooler congregations, whispers through cubicle cracks, and through text messages sent under work tables.
Even if you can’t escape it, there’s one place where you don’t want rumors to run rampant — on employer review sites. Top-tier candidates are going to Google you before they submit their resumes, and one of their stops will be Glassdoor.
“There are places where conversations and reviews are happening. And employers should be paying attention to them.”
But in an era where social media dominates the attention of the Snapchat generation, you better believe candidates armed with smartphones are savvier than that. They vent their job search woes wherever they can. It’s up to companies to keep up with the hashtags and address the “haters” when they can. Your company reputation and employer brand depends on it.
We asked Joel Cheesman, founder of Ratedly, where employers may be missing out when it comes to wrangling in employer reviews. His answer? There’s more than just Glassdoor.
“There are places where conversations and reviews are happening,” Cheesman said. “And employers should be paying attention to them.”
Here are some other sites to consider as you monitor employer reviews:
All Things Indeed
Indeed is already a big player when it comes to job listings, and according to Cheesman, it’s an important place for recruiters to spot employer reviews, too.
“I wouldn’t say Indeed is half, or one-for-one,” Cheesman said. “But they are probably three-to-one in terms of just quantity — so it has to be one that people are checking out.”
Get Industry Specific
Joining groups and social networks with professionals in the same industry is a big networking tactic for career development. It’s important for recruiters to identify where discussions on the industry (and the companies involved) are taking place.
“If your industry warrants your attention, then you should give it."
“If your industry warrants your attention, then you should give it,” Cheesman said. “For example, there’s a site called Truckers Forum…if you’re hiring truckers in any capacity, then you need to pay attention to Truckers Forum because that’s where the reviews happen.”
Do Your Reddit Research
Reddit is a treasure trove of information. It’s also host to a laundry list of forums, (known as subreddits) that tackle almost every subject imaginable, including job advice and recruitment issues.
Reddit is also a magnet for technical types, which may make it a good place to scout out reviews and potential employee misconduct, as one short-lived Google employee learned the hard way.
The Quora Forum
Quora is another open forum for people to post honest questions and receive community feedback.
“I think Quora, another site that we [at Ratedly] monitor is important because you get some pretty thoughtful answers to questions,” Cheesman said.
Avoid The Hashtag Horror Story
What makes Twitter a blessing (and a potential curse) is its immediacy. Data shows that more than 70 percent of job seekers that have a bad candidate experience will post about it online, so it’s important to keep an eye on your company mentions. You don’t want to end up as another horror story pinned with the infamous #RecruiterFails hashtag, so keep a tight ship and be prepared to respond accordingly when faced with negative reviews.
The Bottom Line
Employer branding is the first line of defense when it comes to attracting the types of job seekers you want for your company. By learning more about where conversations about your company — and your industry — are happening in real-time, you can better gauge how to appeal to candidates in ways that are not only relatable, but actionable.
