Dive Brief:

• CareerArc, a social-media recruiting and technology solutions company, released a new survey showing that 61% of job seekers log on to companies’ websites before applying for positions with those employers, reports CIO. The report, The Future of Recruiting, polled 616 employers and 438 job hunters.
• Job seekers rely on reviews from other candidates and former employees about companies, says CIO. A third of job seekers shared a negative review of a former or potential employer, and 55% decided not to apply for a job with an employer based on a negative review.
• The survey also showed that job seekers or employees who share negative information about a company online are 66% more likely to also share their views on social media.

Dive Insight:

Job seekers are doing what they should be – finding out as much about a prospective employer as possible. Many people get reviews online about products and services, so it’s reasonable that job seekers would apply the same principle to a possible employer. Employers should be prepared for what that means.

Not only do employer sites need to be appealing, but employers also need to monitor outside job search and review sites. External review sites, like Glassdoor and The Muse, are also visited by potential applicants when evaluating potential employers.

Negative online reviews, whether truthful or not, can adversely affect companies’ brands. But employers who take pride in their values, goals and commitments can ensure their employer brands stand the test of time. Keeping in strong communication with job candidates throughout the interview process — including contacting them when they are rejected — ensures that they come away with a better attitude about the company overall. When an employee joins, they should be integrated into the company's culture and their teams sooner rather than later.

Upfront, employers should consider employees that are excited about the values their organizations purport. In turn, employers need to live up to those values, opting for transparency and authenticity whenever possible.