What a Company’s Online Reputation Says to Candidates

When you are thinking of hiring someone, you likely do at least a little bit of online research first to see if any red flags pop up. This has become a fairly standard practice in recruiting. But have you considered the fact that the candidate you are considering is likely researching you too, and they might have their own list of red flags to watch out for? If you have been struggling to find the right candidates, it might be because of your company’s online reputation. Unless you are extremely proactive about manicuring your online presence, you might be projecting an online image that is wildly different from what you intended, and it could be discouraging talented candidates from joining your company. Consider these scenarios:

Your Skeleton Profile is Outdated

There are numerous business directories that publish the name of your company, your address, phone numbers, and other basic information about what you do. If this information is outdated in one or most of the commonly used directories, it could suggest that you have lax professional standards, that you are making a weak effort to engage with customers, or that you have neglected to engage with the internet as deeply as today’s marketplace requires.

Your Social Media Profiles Are Outdated

If your social media profiles carry discontinued logos, outdated taglines, inaccurate details about products or services, or other irrelevant information, it looks even worse than having an outdated skeleton profile. And if the candidate is not intimately familiar with your company, he may be unaware of how much has changed and get the wrong idea about what it is you do and how you do it.

You Have a Lot of Negative Reviews

If your customers have posted negative reviews online, it suggests that you are doing a disservice to your target audience and that the health of your company is in jeopardy. No one wants to work for a company that is bad at what it does and teetering on the brink of collapse.

You Have Received Bad Press

Negative customer reviews can sometimes be dismissed as irrational vitriol, but negative press from authoritative sources has an undeniable weight. This press calls into question the health of your company, your standing in the industry, your situation with regulators, and your treatment of employees. If there is a repository of bad press about your company online, or one particularly damaging story, you should expect it to have a lasting effect on your recruitment efforts.

The good news is that online reputation management is a sophisticated and effective tool that businesses are increasingly utilizing to manage their relationships with both customers and recruits. If you don’t feel that your online image accurately reflects the character of your company, it can be changed, but it could take a significant amount of time, money, and technical savvy. If you need help getting your recruitment efforts back on track, contact the specialists at INSPYR Solutions.