It’s no secret that millennials and Gen Z workers do their homework. They’ve been raised with technology that allows them to review just about anything and anyone, which explains why the first thing they do when job hunting is research a potential employer.
I’ve had numerous candidates cancel an interview or refuse one based on something they read on Glassdoor. Glassdoor, in the event you’ve been living in a cave, is a popular resource that gives employees the opportunity to anonymously review their current or former employer.
Employees typically submit their employment status, their role, whether or not they recommend working at a company, and their personal outlook on the company. They can approve, disapprove, or have no opinion on the company’s managers. They can also, anonymously, submit pros and cons as well as advice to management.
Sometimes, employers will respond to the messages. It’s my opinion that employers shouldn’t leave a negative review hanging. Rather, they should politely respond to reviews and view them as opportunities for improvement.
You can also find photos of the company, salaries for different roles (per submissions), ratings on different topics and values, benefits, and more.
If you’re looking for a job or get an offer, the question seems to be: Why wouldn’t you research them on Glassdoor? It’s tempting, and maybe it is worth your search, especially if they have reviews from the company you are considering. From there, you can be wary of the “uncommunicative VP.”
However, I suggest you take Glassdoor, and all review sites, with a grain of salt. While there are plenty of positive reviews to go around, they are typically outnumbered by negative reviews. It’s a fact that happy people are less likely to leave a review, while malcontents will go out of their way to spew.
While taking a job with a company that has spotty reviews may feel like a huge risk, it could be worth it. I’ve had candidates take a chance and find they love their new job. Chances are they were just a better fit in terms of personality.
Think back to when you looked up your professor’s reviews before taking a class. Did you ever take a leap of faith despite the negative reviews and end up loving the class? Did you ever take a professor’s class because they had great reviews, but you ended up feeling bored? Did you ever fail to research a professor, but look them up mid-semester and completely disagree with some of the negative reviews, or positive?
If you answered ‘yes’ to any of those questions, keep those experiences in mind as you embark on your job hunt.