Should I bring up negative Glassdoor reviews in an interview?
April 20, 2015 9:11 AM Subscribe
I have an interview tomorrow for an in-house copywriter position that's very in line with my skill set. However, the company gets poor reviews on Glassdoor (1.8 stars total). What's the best way to ask about this?
FWIW, there is a pattern of people complaining about the following things ...
-Hostile, disrespectful, micromanaging owners (it's a large company, but apparently the owners insert themselves into the work and have trouble giving their employees space)
-A culture of blame and disrespect
-Long hours and a lack of work-life balance
-Poor morale
Is it kosher to come out and say, "I'm a little concerned about some things I've read on Glassdoor, such as X"? Or should I find more creative ways to ask questions that get at the common themes I'm finding?
Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!
FWIW, there is a pattern of people complaining about the following things ...
-Hostile, disrespectful, micromanaging owners (it's a large company, but apparently the owners insert themselves into the work and have trouble giving their employees space)
-A culture of blame and disrespect
-Long hours and a lack of work-life balance
-Poor morale
Is it kosher to come out and say, "I'm a little concerned about some things I've read on Glassdoor, such as X"? Or should I find more creative ways to ask questions that get at the common themes I'm finding?
Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!
OMG NO. Imagine going on a first date and saying "I've heard your ex girlfriends saying terrible things about you, have you any comment on the matter?"
posted by showbiz_liz at 9:17 AM on April 20, 2015 [8 favorites]
posted by showbiz_liz at 9:17 AM on April 20, 2015 [8 favorites]
I know nothing about Glassdoor, aside from what Google just told me -- but as someone who hires employees, I would not be offended if I got a question addressing complaints of previous employees that an interviewee had heard. It's related to the interview process -- it's not just about whether the company wants you to work for them, but also an interview is about discovering if you want to work with them, too -- however, you may want to consider your source. Like most review sites, are they going to attract people who are happy with things, or people with complaints to vent? But, even so, I wouldn't be offended. They way they answer may be more important than what they say, too.
posted by AzraelBrown at 9:19 AM on April 20, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by AzraelBrown at 9:19 AM on April 20, 2015 [5 favorites]
The thing to do is to ask neutral questions about the things you thought were red-flagged on glassdoor. If a glassdoor review said, "no one has gotten a raise here in 10 years", ask generally what the opportunities are for advancement. If glassdoor says the place is feudal, ask about the management culture, and how teams are structured. It's OK to ask about the work environment, but you don't want them to think you're looking for trouble.
posted by ubiquity at 9:25 AM on April 20, 2015 [53 favorites]
posted by ubiquity at 9:25 AM on April 20, 2015 [53 favorites]
No no no no no no.
"How would you describe the culture here?" and similar general questions are fine but almost certainly useless - fish don't see water etc.
posted by PMdixon at 9:25 AM on April 20, 2015 [4 favorites]
"How would you describe the culture here?" and similar general questions are fine but almost certainly useless - fish don't see water etc.
posted by PMdixon at 9:25 AM on April 20, 2015 [4 favorites]
nthing the last two answers. Ask about the topics of those reviews, don't ask about the reviews themselves.
posted by Beardman at 9:30 AM on April 20, 2015
posted by Beardman at 9:30 AM on April 20, 2015
"Can you tell me a little bit more about the culture here?"
Ask pointed questions about that:
"How did this position open up? Did the previous person get promoted, or leave the company?"
"What would previous people in this position have said about the best parts and the worst parts of the job?"
"Can you tell me more about how my team is structured?"
"What does Acme company value more, Askers or Guessers? ... Can you tell me more about that?"
posted by juniperesque at 9:31 AM on April 20, 2015 [4 favorites]
Ask pointed questions about that:
"How did this position open up? Did the previous person get promoted, or leave the company?"
"What would previous people in this position have said about the best parts and the worst parts of the job?"
"Can you tell me more about how my team is structured?"
"What does Acme company value more, Askers or Guessers? ... Can you tell me more about that?"
posted by juniperesque at 9:31 AM on April 20, 2015 [4 favorites]
Seconding ubiquity.
In my experience Glassdoor posters tend to be disgruntled ex-employees more than not. One bad report would be a fluke but if you're seeing a number of identical reports, that's a huge red flag. You definitely should tailor your questions to address the issues that these posters have highlighted. You'd be remiss not to.
A secondary tactic would be to ask more pointed questions if you can get a lower-level employee alone. Management won't be as candid as one of your (future) peers would be. (e.g. "So, why are employees saying bad things about your company on internet?")
posted by JoeZydeco at 9:31 AM on April 20, 2015 [4 favorites]
In my experience Glassdoor posters tend to be disgruntled ex-employees more than not. One bad report would be a fluke but if you're seeing a number of identical reports, that's a huge red flag. You definitely should tailor your questions to address the issues that these posters have highlighted. You'd be remiss not to.
A secondary tactic would be to ask more pointed questions if you can get a lower-level employee alone. Management won't be as candid as one of your (future) peers would be. (e.g. "So, why are employees saying bad things about your company on internet?")
posted by JoeZydeco at 9:31 AM on April 20, 2015 [4 favorites]
Absolutely. Interviews are not one-sided. You both should be feeling out whether you want to work together.
"You have references for people who have worked with me. I want to ask you about your company's reputation, from people who have worked with you. I've heard these three complaints: ___. What do you think of Complaint1, and what are you doing about it?" If they bristle or aren't fixing it, or they badmouth their ex-employees who reported it, pass.
posted by cmiller at 9:35 AM on April 20, 2015 [4 favorites]
"You have references for people who have worked with me. I want to ask you about your company's reputation, from people who have worked with you. I've heard these three complaints: ___. What do you think of Complaint1, and what are you doing about it?" If they bristle or aren't fixing it, or they badmouth their ex-employees who reported it, pass.
posted by cmiller at 9:35 AM on April 20, 2015 [4 favorites]
I think it's ok to bring this up, because I think if you bring up your concerns in a polite way and they react badly, then you have the information you need. If they are concerned about these complaints and addressing them, then they won't be offended by your questions and that is a good sign. I assume that you want to work somewhere with a good environment, and don't want to just not rock the boat in the interview with the sole purpose of getting hired, without truly knowing what the work environment is like.
posted by bearette at 9:38 AM on April 20, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by bearette at 9:38 AM on April 20, 2015 [4 favorites]
Of course, you need to be polite and tactful. You could maybe say something like,
"I am excited about this opportunity for X reasons. Recently I have been made aware of some concerns from previous employees regarding X issues. In the interest of fairness and hearing the company's side, I would appreciate if you had anything to add regarding these comments."
(and this question should be asked at the end of the interview, not the beginning)
posted by bearette at 9:42 AM on April 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
"I am excited about this opportunity for X reasons. Recently I have been made aware of some concerns from previous employees regarding X issues. In the interest of fairness and hearing the company's side, I would appreciate if you had anything to add regarding these comments."
(and this question should be asked at the end of the interview, not the beginning)
posted by bearette at 9:42 AM on April 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
Here's what I might do:
1) Look at reviews of similar companies, including ones that I've heard are excellent to work at. Are there similar disgruntled reviews given the relative lifetimes of the comparison companies, or is the potential employer really exceptional in this respect?
2) If there was suspicious reporting about, for example, lack of work-life balance, I might find a way to phrase both long hours and short hours in a positive way, and ask about the issue in an either/or way. For example (probably needs refinement by someone with better phrasing skills): "Is this the kind of company where people are so dedicated that they will always keep working until the job is done and done to perfection, or is it more of a work/life balance situation where most people go home at 5:30 every day?"
Another example: "If something goes wrong, is it just shrugged off, or does management make a point of keeping people on their toes?"
I wouldn't ask these first, and I would make sure my personality was well-communicated before going to these types of questions. Also, you want to give the interviewer a chance to speak at some length and to give you "real" answers through subtext and facial expressions, if the interviewer comes to like you.
Also, if you don't feel comfortable approaching these types of issues in this interview, that's fine. You can wait until you have a job offer, and then maybe take one or two current employees out to lunch, or talk to them on the phone, to (truthfully) get a feel for the culture and see if you'd be a good fit.
posted by amtho at 9:43 AM on April 20, 2015
1) Look at reviews of similar companies, including ones that I've heard are excellent to work at. Are there similar disgruntled reviews given the relative lifetimes of the comparison companies, or is the potential employer really exceptional in this respect?
2) If there was suspicious reporting about, for example, lack of work-life balance, I might find a way to phrase both long hours and short hours in a positive way, and ask about the issue in an either/or way. For example (probably needs refinement by someone with better phrasing skills): "Is this the kind of company where people are so dedicated that they will always keep working until the job is done and done to perfection, or is it more of a work/life balance situation where most people go home at 5:30 every day?"
Another example: "If something goes wrong, is it just shrugged off, or does management make a point of keeping people on their toes?"
I wouldn't ask these first, and I would make sure my personality was well-communicated before going to these types of questions. Also, you want to give the interviewer a chance to speak at some length and to give you "real" answers through subtext and facial expressions, if the interviewer comes to like you.
Also, if you don't feel comfortable approaching these types of issues in this interview, that's fine. You can wait until you have a job offer, and then maybe take one or two current employees out to lunch, or talk to them on the phone, to (truthfully) get a feel for the culture and see if you'd be a good fit.
posted by amtho at 9:43 AM on April 20, 2015
This seems very reasonable to me and I know people who have done it in interviews without any problems (West Coast "tech" industry, not Silicon Valley).
The company is either aware of the issue (in which case they'll want to run damage control), or you'll be doing them a favour by letting them know about it. I don't see this as inappropriate as long as you're diplomatic about it.
posted by ripley_ at 9:46 AM on April 20, 2015
The company is either aware of the issue (in which case they'll want to run damage control), or you'll be doing them a favour by letting them know about it. I don't see this as inappropriate as long as you're diplomatic about it.
posted by ripley_ at 9:46 AM on April 20, 2015
Why bring up the negative glassdoor reviews? What would be the best possible outcome if you did so?
I'm trying, and I can't think of any. That's not to say that they have no use; they just don't do you much good to bring up in an interview.
posted by destructive cactus at 10:17 AM on April 20, 2015
I'm trying, and I can't think of any. That's not to say that they have no use; they just don't do you much good to bring up in an interview.
posted by destructive cactus at 10:17 AM on April 20, 2015
I guess it kind of depends on what you imagine to be the purpose of the interview.
If you are going into the interview wanting to nail it and get the job, then you're better off not asking tough questions like this.
If you're more focused on the right place and can afford to be choosy about the fit, then ask away.
Personally, it's important to me to work at a place where people can have direct, honest, open conversations about difficult stuff, so I'd probably be pretty up-front about my concerns. The way they respond to the question will tell you a lot about the company, in addition to whatever their answers may be.
It's up to you whether you want to mention the glassdoor reviews specifically, but I do think the more pointed, the better. Vague questions about company culture will net you vague answers. I also agree with the previous poster who suggested asking this question to a lower-level peer rather than a higher-up.
I'm an agency copywriter and I've always been very upfront about both the opportunities and challenges at my company. The last thing I want is to work with someone who feels like they were bait and switched.
posted by missjenny at 10:27 AM on April 20, 2015 [6 favorites]
If you are going into the interview wanting to nail it and get the job, then you're better off not asking tough questions like this.
If you're more focused on the right place and can afford to be choosy about the fit, then ask away.
Personally, it's important to me to work at a place where people can have direct, honest, open conversations about difficult stuff, so I'd probably be pretty up-front about my concerns. The way they respond to the question will tell you a lot about the company, in addition to whatever their answers may be.
It's up to you whether you want to mention the glassdoor reviews specifically, but I do think the more pointed, the better. Vague questions about company culture will net you vague answers. I also agree with the previous poster who suggested asking this question to a lower-level peer rather than a higher-up.
I'm an agency copywriter and I've always been very upfront about both the opportunities and challenges at my company. The last thing I want is to work with someone who feels like they were bait and switched.
posted by missjenny at 10:27 AM on April 20, 2015 [6 favorites]
To get at issues like this, I would never bring up a glassdoor review.
However, I have done a combination of what ubiquity is suggesting (plus come up with questions that you know can raise hackles in your industry, so I used to ask "Do you promote from within and how is that decision made?" Keep note in your mind as to what each person tells you.
This is what I do for step #2. I am usually invited back for an interview with another series of people and I request to meet with someone who would be categorized as a peer (if they proceed to offering a job, I still ask if I can talk with a potential colleague before making my final decision). Sometimes these people are handpicked to feed you good vibes, but ...ask the same series of questions but modify them.
So for example, if you were told "People are promoted from within, we use a checklist and evaluate it at 6 months!" by a potential manager, be enthusiastic and ask the potential colleague "So do you promote from within? Do they use a checklist?" Even if they put the happiest employee in the room with you, you will notice discrepancies and find out the ways that people were unhappy.
This has worked well for me. I usually do find out the problem areas. I still took the jobs under these circumstances (provided it was not a deal breaker situation for me), but I just wanted to know the truth vs. whatever lines you might be fed during an interview.
posted by Wolfster at 10:29 AM on April 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
However, I have done a combination of what ubiquity is suggesting (plus come up with questions that you know can raise hackles in your industry, so I used to ask "Do you promote from within and how is that decision made?" Keep note in your mind as to what each person tells you.
This is what I do for step #2. I am usually invited back for an interview with another series of people and I request to meet with someone who would be categorized as a peer (if they proceed to offering a job, I still ask if I can talk with a potential colleague before making my final decision). Sometimes these people are handpicked to feed you good vibes, but ...ask the same series of questions but modify them.
So for example, if you were told "People are promoted from within, we use a checklist and evaluate it at 6 months!" by a potential manager, be enthusiastic and ask the potential colleague "So do you promote from within? Do they use a checklist?" Even if they put the happiest employee in the room with you, you will notice discrepancies and find out the ways that people were unhappy.
This has worked well for me. I usually do find out the problem areas. I still took the jobs under these circumstances (provided it was not a deal breaker situation for me), but I just wanted to know the truth vs. whatever lines you might be fed during an interview.
posted by Wolfster at 10:29 AM on April 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
You might find this past question of mine useful.
posted by geegollygosh at 10:40 AM on April 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by geegollygosh at 10:40 AM on April 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
Why bring up the negative glassdoor reviews? What would be the best possible outcome if you did so?
You'd get a feel for whether you'd be joining a company with a toxic workplace, or whether (if the reviews were true) they're taking steps to fix it.
My 2p is that you can absolutely bring them up, but with a caveat that you realise Glassdoor reviews are generally left by people with an axe to grind - "I take the comments with a pinch of salt, but what's your feeling on X and Y?".
posted by dvrmmr at 10:45 AM on April 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
You'd get a feel for whether you'd be joining a company with a toxic workplace, or whether (if the reviews were true) they're taking steps to fix it.
My 2p is that you can absolutely bring them up, but with a caveat that you realise Glassdoor reviews are generally left by people with an axe to grind - "I take the comments with a pinch of salt, but what's your feeling on X and Y?".
posted by dvrmmr at 10:45 AM on April 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
I don't *at all* agree with vague beat-around-the-bush questions - the people you're interviewing with can see glassdoor as well as you can. I wouldn't be combative or gotcha about it, but if they are battling a reputation, give them a chance to battle it head-on. If you're vague, they'll say things like "Yeah, we respect work-life balance" because they aren't going to defend something they don't know you know. If you're specific, they'll say things like "We were under-resourced and that caused some problems, particularly in Department X and particularly among employees who weren't prepared to ride through it. We're working on increasing resources by adding x new heads and doing better resource planning, but it's true that sometimes we have a heavy load and expect employees to go above and beyond for short periods of time." You can choose to believe them or not, but to my mind you'll get much more information if you're direct.
I am not HR, nor am I a recruiter, but I interview and hire people regularly and if people addressed specific issues brought up on glassdoor I would respond to them very directly. It makes no sense to me that anyone would expect that you as a candidate would not look at them.
posted by vunder at 10:46 AM on April 20, 2015 [4 favorites]
I am not HR, nor am I a recruiter, but I interview and hire people regularly and if people addressed specific issues brought up on glassdoor I would respond to them very directly. It makes no sense to me that anyone would expect that you as a candidate would not look at them.
posted by vunder at 10:46 AM on April 20, 2015 [4 favorites]
What would be the best possible outcome if you did so?
Not spending two years of your life feeling awful all the time.
posted by amtho at 11:28 AM on April 20, 2015 [4 favorites]
Not spending two years of your life feeling awful all the time.
posted by amtho at 11:28 AM on April 20, 2015 [4 favorites]
Glassdoor is your inside scoop, but I wouldn't come out and say "HEY I READ ON THE INTERNET THAT YOU'RE A REAL DUMMY". If the GD review says, "Horrible management culture!", ask in the interview "How would you describe the management style here at Harmco Industries?".
You've got what could be real, valid, valuable information, but there's no need to tip your hand. Use it responsibly!
posted by GilloD at 11:29 AM on April 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
You've got what could be real, valid, valuable information, but there's no need to tip your hand. Use it responsibly!
posted by GilloD at 11:29 AM on April 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
I'm not sure I'd bring up the Glassdoor reviews per se, but I'd certainly be concerned about a company that scored so badly. From my experience (I am involved in hiring for a web company, so I pay attention to our own Glassdoor feedback), Glassdoor is worth paying some attention to. As with all on-line review services, you need to apply some common sense filters - how many reviews does this company have in total? Are the negative reviews focused on one business function, or are they all fairly old, etc.? It's not very likely that one disgruntled employee generated dozens of bad reviews, but it is certainly possible that there is or was a problem with one department or one manager that does not apply to the company as a whole. That said, a 1.8 rating is unusual - most companies are rated 3.0 or better - so it's at least a yellow flag.
posted by mr vino at 11:42 AM on April 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by mr vino at 11:42 AM on April 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
I interview and hire for years and I would be completely comfortable with the questions. You need to be comfortable with the company and I doubt you would accept a position until you know those issues have been addressed.
posted by ShakeyJake at 12:35 PM on April 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by ShakeyJake at 12:35 PM on April 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
Glassdoor reviews don't always strike me as entirely objective. You could have employees who are justifiably dissatisfied as well as those that are unjustifiably so. For a company that has a strong trend of negative reviews, I understand your concern. However, as someone that works for and is continually interviewing candidates for my tech company, I wouldn't recommend specifically mentioning Glassdoor (it is considered an unreliable source).
Nthing everyone who's advised you to tailor your questions as factors important to your in your choice of a workplace: "I'd love to know how this company encourages work-life balance for employees," or, "Does the company have a structured plan for employee recognition and advancement?"
I've had potential candidates that have implied that something they'd read somewhere about the company was negative, and wanted me to address it. That's fine, but many of them weren't tactful and ended up coming across as slightly confrontational/ cocky. Something to be cautious about, and again, don't specifically reference Glassdoor (or any other reviews you've read online).
posted by Everydayville at 12:59 PM on April 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
Nthing everyone who's advised you to tailor your questions as factors important to your in your choice of a workplace: "I'd love to know how this company encourages work-life balance for employees," or, "Does the company have a structured plan for employee recognition and advancement?"
I've had potential candidates that have implied that something they'd read somewhere about the company was negative, and wanted me to address it. That's fine, but many of them weren't tactful and ended up coming across as slightly confrontational/ cocky. Something to be cautious about, and again, don't specifically reference Glassdoor (or any other reviews you've read online).
posted by Everydayville at 12:59 PM on April 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
Not spending two years of your life feeling awful all the time.
But wouldn't the original glassdoor review be what saved you? What would the hiring manager say that would change your mind? How would you be able to trust them?
At most jobs I've had where nothing gets done and many employees are unhappy, it's because someone a bit higher up is really good at lying. REALLY good.
posted by destructive cactus at 3:26 PM on April 20, 2015
But wouldn't the original glassdoor review be what saved you? What would the hiring manager say that would change your mind? How would you be able to trust them?
At most jobs I've had where nothing gets done and many employees are unhappy, it's because someone a bit higher up is really good at lying. REALLY good.
posted by destructive cactus at 3:26 PM on April 20, 2015
There's a chance the interviewer won't reveal the necessary information if you ask, but there's an even greater chance the interviewer won't reveal it if you _don't_ ask.
posted by amtho at 4:12 PM on April 20, 2015
posted by amtho at 4:12 PM on April 20, 2015
Don't ask. The interviewer will just lie, and you'll jeopardize you chances of getting the job. If you are scared by the Glassdoor data, don't take the job.
By the way, I wish I'd checked the Glassdoor data before accepting my last startup job rather than after I left. The low Glassdoor score and scathing reviews matched the experience I had closely.
posted by w0mbat at 4:57 PM on April 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
By the way, I wish I'd checked the Glassdoor data before accepting my last startup job rather than after I left. The low Glassdoor score and scathing reviews matched the experience I had closely.
posted by w0mbat at 4:57 PM on April 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
You can ask about it, but I doubt you're going to learn anything that is going to override the information you got from the sum total of the reviews. Is there a good amount of data? Does it come from a variety of people (or at least from the general category of employee that you are?) If so, I doubt you're going to learn much other than how fast the interviewer thinks on her feet.
posted by fingersandtoes at 7:36 PM on April 20, 2015
posted by fingersandtoes at 7:36 PM on April 20, 2015
One more thought: by asking, you're giving them a chance to either defend themselves against anonymous and questionably-motivated accusations, or to show that they trivialize the feelings of the people who left the review (if they scoff but don't substantiate).
posted by amtho at 8:33 PM on April 20, 2015
posted by amtho at 8:33 PM on April 20, 2015
Response by poster: Follow-up: my interviewers ended up bringing it up before I even got a chance to. I asked about culture, and they were immediately like, "You've read the Glassdoor reviews, yes?" They addressed them head on and I was pleased with how the conversation went.
posted by shiggins at 11:03 AM on April 21, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by shiggins at 11:03 AM on April 21, 2015 [3 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 9:15 AM on April 20, 2015 [24 favorites]