Hey HR & talent acquisition peeps, I'm glad to have your attention.
Before you get upset thinking I'm comparing people to "things," I ask that you pause and think about the similarity in the application process and, more importantly, the emotional experience of looking for and applying for a new job.
Before buying a new car or booking that dreamy vacation, you look at the reviews. You look to see how other people feel about the experience and the product/place/whatever.
Applying for a new job is an investment similar to buying a house or car or spending savings on a Caribbean vacation because it takes up space in our lives, occupies time away from our families, and, if we're lucky, fulfills our passions and skill sets.
And that, my friends, is precisely why you need to incorporate employee reviews into your recruitment marketing efforts and application process.
Reviews and your recruitment marketing. It just makes sense.
Finding a new job is a significant life decision, and even though job-hopping is trending, people still take care in selecting their new career move.
Here are a few quick stats to understand the significance of the job search experience:
- People spend five to six months searching for a new job.
- 70% of people say their job defines their sense of purpose.
- 86% of job seekers research company reviews and ratings to decide on new jobs.
- 86% of women and 67% of men in the United States wouldn't join a company with a bad reputation.
- 50% of candidates say they wouldn't work for a company with a bad reputation, even for a pay increase.
So when you consider these numbers, it becomes clear that what your current and former employees are saying about you matters and why you need to lean into your reviews. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
Reviews and your employer brand
While it's obvious that your TA teams blast out good reviews through every channel, let's first discuss bad employer reviews.
When you have a bad review, your HR team should have a plan of action. Perhaps that includes following up on the review on Glassdoor with genuine and understanding feedback. Then take that feedback to leadership and hiring managers/teams to see how to rectify those negative comments.
Example: If it's a review about a lengthy application process, ghosting or too many interviews, try to streamline your processes and create more efficiencies and automated responses, so people aren't confused about their job application status. Find ways to shine a light on the comments for the good stuff.
Example: Employee testimonials via videos and written quotes should goon your career page, in your talent network newsletters and across all your social accounts.
Embrace positive reviews to get ahead of candidates searching for them.
The evolution of career websites to match user experiences
Over the past five or so years, we've seen career websites evolve. We've seen them transform with artificial intelligence and machine learning, making the user experience more friendly.
Today's career websites can filter and drill down jobs based on individual interest and location, send automatic job alerts for new positions that match your specific search criteria and have a live chat bot to answer questions 24/7. All of these updates are to improve the candidate experience and make it more consumer-like.
Another key piece is career pages built to answer questions and build connections before your recruitment teams even get to speak directly with candidates.
What type of content should your career pages include?
The stories happening at workplaces right now are exactly what your candidates want to hear.
- How an employee received support from a manager while working from home with two young children.
- Why a leadership team member felt it was essential to take a public stance against racism.
- The team learned lessons when changing how they worked due to the pandemic.
Draw out those stories from your employees, capture them, and share them. Those stories are your employer brand.
