Most people seek reviews or referrals when making important decisions in life. Word of mouth remains a strong marketing strategy and this is still true in the digital era. You have probably looked up reviews of products before making purchases because you want to be sure of what you purchase. This culture has also seeped into the job market, where people seek for company reviews before submitting a job application or accepting a job offer.
This trend is not only popular with job seekers, as employers are also checking out the profiles of potential employees before giving them an offer. Well, don’t just look at that job description and submit your application, take note of other aspects of the potential employer such as company culture and this is possible through employer reviews, such as the ones conducted by BrighterMonday.
Here is why company reviews matter.
Ratings Speak About The Company’s Culture
Beyond the lovely front office, the intriguing job description, the fascinating website, and the glamorous PR messages is a company with people and systems which govern the operations of the company. Company culture is all about the systems governing the company and how these systems introduce the human aspect to the company. A good culture will help you grow but a bad culture will frustrate you out of the door. So before you submit your application or accept that job offer, do a thorough research of the company as most of them are done by current or former employees and are mostly a true reflection of the company’s culture.
You Can Negotiate Your Salary From An Informed Point
Most companies will often ask you how much you hope to earn from the position you are being interviewed for. However, there is no way of truly knowing how much the company offers, as most companies don’t usually reveal this information in advance. In order for you to set realistic expectations and negotiate wisely, look at company reviews by employees and you will have a fairly good idea of just how much you can negotiate for. This way, you will not undervalue or overvalue your skills, based on the company’s budget.
You Can Have An Idea of Your Growth Trajectory
No one wants to stagnate in the same position all their lives. In fact, millennials cite career growth as one of the most important factors when choosing a job with a certain company. A good company review will have details on career growth prospects and depending on what your ambition and aspirations are, you can decide whether you want to join the company or not.
Good and Bad Reviews Help You Know What to Expect
Reviews are not always positive. Some are negative and border on being scathing but the good news is, company reviews give you a fairly good picture of what you can expect from the company. If you are looking for career growth, then you need to know whether you will get this from the company you are looking to join or not. This way, you can avoid unpleasant surprises later on, when it’s too late to make a change.
You Will Know How The Company is Ranked in The Industry
Every company is rated differently in the industry. It may be the best or middle or a start-up. Whatever the case, each industry has its own guidelines on how to rank companies based on certain metrics. By getting to understand reviews, you will understand if the company is a great place to work or maybe you need to reconsider your admiration of the company. Most comprehensive surveys have ratings and rankings and this gives you a rough idea of what the company is like.
Reviews are Employee-Generated as Opposed to Being Company Generated
Unlike PR campaigns which companies pay for and have controlled messages, reviews by employees are unfiltered and true. This means that while a company may paint itself with the best brush available, a company reviews will often have a high level of accuracy and little subjectivity. Often, PR messages target stakeholders and customers and they tell a story of what a company hopes to be as opposed to what it really is. Employees, on the other hand, see the back-end of the company and they, therefore, tell a story of what is not obvious to someone who does not know much about the company. Therefore, if you want to know what the other side looks like, company reviews are your best materials and they will help you make an informed decision.
You Get to Learn About A Company’s Values and Ethics
Every company has a mission, vision, values, and ethics statement but just like every perfect PR campaign, this is for stakeholders and customers. The truth is, not all companies live up to these statements. While some exceed them, others live way below them. Therefore, once you have read these statements, look for company reviews of the organization and see whether they match with what current and previous employees have to say about the company. This will give you a better understanding of the company before you submit your application or accept a job offer.
Companies regularly do background checks on you before they hire you or consider giving you an offer. This is done to ensure that the hiring decision made is objective and will not be costly to them in the long run. Well, you should also do the same to ensure that you do not invest your time and effort in a company that you would not want to work for. Conducting thorough research on your potential employer is good practice and company reviews offer great insights.
Take part in the anonymous BrighterMonday Kenya’s company review by clicking on this link.
