Employers will often tell us that they hear about Glassdoor very frequently during the interview process. This makes sense because Glassdoor is the fastest-growing job site in the U.S. compared to LinkedIn.com, Indeed.com, CareerBuilder.com, and Monster.com, according to Comscore’s July 2015 Media Metrix. It’s also the only place that candidates can easily research companies and get the inside look at an organization through interview reviews, employee reviews, salary & benefit information, and more!
But how do you handle reviews when they do come up and what do you do to have those tough conversations when you hardly know the candidate on the other side? We’ve compiled three tips below to help you maneuver through how to handle Glassdoor reviews when they come up in an interview.
1. Collect and export Glassdoor interview data
The first part of your journey should be to collect and understand your candidate's’ values and also how you can position yourself against competitors. I know many recruiters that will utilize Glassdoor to research the company that a candidate is coming from to prepare on their end. This way, you can easily play up your strengths when you’re aware of the weaknesses at the company that person is considering leaving.
Pro Tip: Top 5 Factors Job Seekers Consider Before Accepting a Job Offer, according to an October 2014 Glassdoor site survey:
- Salary and compensation
- Career growth opportunities
- Work-life balance
- Location/commute
- Company Culture & Values
2. Turn interview feedback into hiring improvements
Recruiters and hiring managers should always be prepared to address the pros and cons to working at their organization. This sets up everyone for success. According to a Glassdoor survey, conducted online by Harris Interactive, 6 in 10 (61%) employees say they’ve found aspects of a new job different than expectations set during the interview process. Use Glassdoor to explain what the candidate can expect in working there.
Please note that if there are no negative reviews or “cons” that candidates’ can become skeptical. 95% suspect censorship or faked reviews when they don’t see bad scores. In these cases, talk to candidates about the history and ups and downs your company has experienced.
Lastly, for those candidates that come in and didn’t find any reviews for the position that they are interviewing for, now is the time to ask for feedback from employees within that department. OR if a new position, talk about the culture and what you are envisioning the day-to-day of that role to be, and the culture and reviews noted from the department that they will be working with the most.
Pro Tip: Please also note that you can easily export Glassdoor interview data to share with senior leadership and amongst your team. You can also easily sort by location if you are a large company.
3. Address the concerns head on
Let’s be honest: negative reviews and criticism are not always easy to take or hear in interviews. However, the best way that you can handle it is to address the concern head on. Put the candidate at ease by standing by the transparency of the job market and how you closely monitor and address concerns immediately internally. Also, use stats to help assure the candidate. If over 50% of your employees would refer your company to a friend, highlight it. According to Glassdoor DataLabs as of June, 2015, the average rating on Glassdoor is a 3.3 out of 5, or quote the average rating in your company’s industry.
Remember that no company is perfect. Ninety percent find the employer perspective helpful when learning about job opportunities, and 69% agree their perception of a company improves after seeing an employer respond to a review, according to an October 2014 Glassdoor site survey. Be in the know about what is on your Glassdoor page, and use these helpful tips to improve your hiring process.
