Why Your Company Reviews Matter

Every once in a while, something unexpected happens when I’m talking to a job seeker.

I’ll say something like, “What about this company? They’re hiring! This looks like a great job opportunity.” Without missing a beat, the job seeker will say, “You know, the company’s reviews on Glassdoor and Indeed are terrible! I’m going to pass on that company. I would rather be unemployed.”

Can you imagine? Someone who is desperate to find work is so turned off by a company’s negative reviews that they won’t even take the time to apply there. Let that sink in for a minute.

It’s like if were someone driving cross-country, looking for a hotel to stay in for the night. They find a possible spot and immediately look up the Yelp reviews — which are terrible. Without a second thought, the driver decides that sleeping in their car would be a more desirable option. They don’t even stop at the hotel to check it out. They just keep going.

For many employers, company reviews are frustrating. I get it. Big job websites are there to help when you want to pay to put ads on them, but they’re not willing to hear your side of the story when it comes to company reviews — and not every employee leaves an unbiased review.

I hear you. Like Yelp reviews, employee reviews of companies aren’t always fair. The good news is most people know that. Like most Yelp users, job seekers are looking at what the reviews say on average — not the super negative outliers.

Employers also have to understand why the big job search companies won’t let them edit reviews. If they did, the reviews wouldn’t be credible for job seekers. Job seekers would stop using the reviews to find jobs, and your job ads would never get seen.

You may feel helpless in the face of a negative review, but there is actually a lot you can do to influence your ratings on review sites. Take the time to read your reviews closely. What do people like, and what turns employees off? If you find a common theme, think of it as an opportunity for improvement.

Whatever you do, don’t ignore your company reviews. They will show up online. Your future employees will read them.

If you have a number of bad reviews, every job seeker with any other choices whatsoever will go to another company. That means you’ll be left only with applicants who have no other options. Now that sounds like a real nightmare!

Embrace your company reviews. They can be a way to improve your company, showcase your strengths, and attract the best candidates.

A version of this article originally appeared on Copeland Coaching.

Angela Copeland is a career coach and CEO at her firm, Copeland Coaching.