What's in a Review?

Glassdoor and Fishbowl are great tools for job seekers to get a sense of an agency’s culture etc., however they should be evaluated with a grain of salt. There are always two sides to every story. Remember, people are 60-70% more likely to leave a review after a negative experience vs. a positive one. Think about the last time you left a review? Was it glowing or gnarling? (This may be a great reminder for you to take 5 minutes to write a glowing review for some place/person/thing).

Here are some tips on how to navigate negative reviews – for both candidates AND companies.

Candidates

• Look for Patterns: Identify recurring themes in reviews to gauge common issues or strengths.
• Assess the Reviewer’s Role: Consider the job titles of reviewers to understand if the issues mentioned will affect your potential role.
• Focus on Recent Reviews: Given the average tenure at an agency is 2-5 years, chances are, their entire world has changed if the review is not current.
• Read responses from the employer: Have they addressed change? How did they handle the negative feedback?

Companies

• Respond Promptly and Professionally: Timely and courteous responses show that the company values feedback.
• Acknowledge and Address Concerns: Show empathy and explain the steps being taken to resolve the issues mentioned.
• Invite Further Discussion: Encourage reviewers to discuss their concerns privately for more detailed resolution and to show commitment to improvement.
• Encourage balanced reviews: Encourage current employees to leave honest reviews. A balanced mix of reviews provides a more accurate picture and can dilute the impact of a few negative ones.

Something I tell my candidates is to have a look at the company on LinkedIn. Review the employees. See how long they’ve been with the company. Did they leave then return? Were they promoted? In my opinion, this is a far more accurate picture of an agency’s culture, opportunities and how they treat their employees.