do you look at glassdoor reviews before deciding to work there?
if a company has a lot of negative reviews on glassdoor, should you still take the job?
- Last Updated:
- Feb 25th, 2017 9:14 pm
Tags:
- SCORE
- mypepsi [OP]
- Temp. Banned
- Nov 23, 2016
- 127 posts
- 34 upvotes
18 replies
- coriolis
- Deal Expert
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- May 22, 2005
- 20530 posts
- 5987 upvotes
- GTA
It didn't directly impact my decision, but it allowed me to prepare.
- cocodc
- Sr. Member
- Jan 14, 2010
- 684 posts
- 219 upvotes
- Central Ontario
I'm curious about the validity of the reviews sometimes. Like TripAdvisor, Glassdoor sometimes has suspiciously timely or uber-positive reviews (especially when I know the culture of a company does not support the Pollyanna-views expressed.
I like the interview guides/sample questions more. Those are sometimes helpful in preparing.
I like the interview guides/sample questions more. Those are sometimes helpful in preparing.
- Shark828
- Jr. Member
- Jan 13, 2017
- 113 posts
- 33 upvotes
- frozenmelon
- Deal Addict
- Sep 4, 2007
- 1490 posts
- 1616 upvotes
- Edmonton
I most definitely look at the score. Reading through the review gives you a good view in how easy it is to move up, what the management style is like, and how good/bad your life will be there. And if it doesn't look good, then I avoid the company.
Any company with like 30+ negative reviews and overall score below 2/5 is a huge red flag. But you can't just look at the overall score. I mean it's helpful, but you have to read a little deeper. Look for what people are complaining about. Are all the complaints coming from one kind of staff (e.g., admin, salesman, etc) or one particular team? If your job has nothing to do with those guys, then you might be in the clear.
Any company with like 30+ negative reviews and overall score below 2/5 is a huge red flag. But you can't just look at the overall score. I mean it's helpful, but you have to read a little deeper. Look for what people are complaining about. Are all the complaints coming from one kind of staff (e.g., admin, salesman, etc) or one particular team? If your job has nothing to do with those guys, then you might be in the clear.
- Jucius Maximus
- Deal Expert
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- Aug 18, 2005
- 20882 posts
- 5457 upvotes
- Burlington-Hamilton
+1, I definitely look at Glassdoor. You can't take everything at face value, but if you see the same negative comment over and over, it's a concerning trend.frozenmelon wrote: ↑ I most definitely look at the score. Reading through the review gives you a good view in how easy it is to move up, what the management style is like, and how good/bad your life will be there. And if it doesn't look good, then I avoid the company.
I monitor the Glassdoor for my own employer and the negative comments are surprisingly accurate. The positive reviews written by the company's own HR are painfully obvious.
- casual gastronomist -
- McKinsey
- Deal Addict
- Oct 18, 2014
- 1984 posts
- 863 upvotes
- HK
I never look at the reviews but I look at the salary ranges, to ensure my expectations is within the range.
- uber_shnitz
- Deal Fanatic
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- Nov 6, 2010
- 9866 posts
- 1812 upvotes
- Montreal, QC
I look at it, but definitely take it with a grain of salt. Larger organizations for example will almost always have lower ratings simply because past a certain size it becomes difficult to manage "quality control" for work environments so some teams might be amazing and some teams might be poor. Or if you think of companies with very varied job types (ex: something that has retail and corporate), the reviews for one job type might overshadow the other etc.
It's a decent starting point though and more information is always good in my opinion, it's just managing and filtering the information which is key.
It's a decent starting point though and more information is always good in my opinion, it's just managing and filtering the information which is key.
- krimrat
- Newbie
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- Jun 21, 2016
- 99 posts
- 19 upvotes
- Montreal area!
I always look. I go to the interview anyway, but I'll pay special attention to mood and atmosphere.
I always write for glassdoor when I leave an employer, so I always check it.
I always write for glassdoor when I leave an employer, so I always check it.
- coolspot
- Deal Expert
- Oct 6, 2005
- 16730 posts
- 2408 upvotes
- bluenose2
- Deal Addict
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- Jul 19, 2012
- 1958 posts
- 324 upvotes
- Canada
- DealMaomi
- Deal Guru
- Oct 3, 2006
- 10467 posts
- 786 upvotes
- Toronto
I look at Glassdoor reviews before I apply and to help me prepare for the interviews. I also use it to scout out the salary ranges.
- retrothing
- Deal Addict
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- Sep 19, 2005
- 3076 posts
- 2126 upvotes
- Canadia
My girlfriend worked for the Canadian office of a US-based company, and they had huge internal issues. She went from enjoying work to dreading it, eventually getting laid off.
We read through the glassdoor reviews afterwards, and there were multiple current and former employees who echoed her experiences (and worse). Had she read those reviews before accepting the position, I suspect she would not have taken the job.
If there are only one or two negative reviews, take them with a grain of salt. If there are dozens, I would be extremely concerned.
- craftsman
- Deal Expert
- Jan 27, 2006
- 19515 posts
- 12578 upvotes
- Vancouver, BC
I'll read the glassdoor reviews and then use any common themes in those reviews (negative and positive) as a basis for questions during the interview process.
For example - if the reviews state that employees are expected to work overtime but not file for it, I would ask a question around overtime policies just to see what their reaction would be.
For example - if the reviews state that employees are expected to work overtime but not file for it, I would ask a question around overtime policies just to see what their reaction would be.
- spham
- Deal Fanatic
- Apr 23, 2007
- 5052 posts
- 1185 upvotes
- London
I take them with a grain of salt unless I see the same consistent complaints from multiple people. There was one company I avoided because the complaints were very similar in nature. Combine that with the fact that it seemed like this company was constantly reposting the same jobs every several months indicating bad turnover, I could tell it was probably a bad environment/culture.
Also people are more likely to post negative reviews than they are to post positive ones so it's hard to tell whether that sample is representative of the entire company.
I also find that if it's a retail company or a company with multiple branches, you're going to see a huge mix of reviews from multiple locations or retail positions mixed with office positions so you can't assume the experience will be the same at the place you're working at.
Also people are more likely to post negative reviews than they are to post positive ones so it's hard to tell whether that sample is representative of the entire company.
I also find that if it's a retail company or a company with multiple branches, you're going to see a huge mix of reviews from multiple locations or retail positions mixed with office positions so you can't assume the experience will be the same at the place you're working at.
- OldMarriedGuy
- Deal Addict
- Sep 22, 2013
- 2336 posts
- 1471 upvotes
I will look at it, but, realistically...it seems to me that only disgruntled former employees post reviews on there.
I don't put much weight on to the negative reviews.
I don't put much weight on to the negative reviews.
- bluenose2
- Deal Addict
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- Jul 19, 2012
- 1958 posts
- 324 upvotes
- Canada
Never ever trust glass door!
On their site the pay range was 19 an hrs
I go to the interview
The women at hr told me the rate was 12.40 an hours
I was so disappointed and
On their site the pay range was 19 an hrs
I go to the interview
The women at hr told me the rate was 12.40 an hours
I was so disappointed and
- Carebra
- Deal Addict
- Jun 6, 2015
- 1435 posts
- 233 upvotes
Companies like TELUS seem to have a lot of positive reviews but if you look closer, lots of (same comment) negative ones. TELUS are huge on marketing, who knows how many are "real"?
- jasonandannmarie
- Member
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- Jan 14, 2013
- 279 posts
- 273 upvotes
I have used glassdoor recently extensively as part of my job search... I had multiple interviews and job offers, and this further confirmed my final choice. Furthermore, i posted a review on my current employer (which i am leaving after 11 yrs) , and can tell from the reviews that they are accurate, reflective of what the current situation and salaries are.