Comments on: Turning the Tables: Digging Dirt on Employers

By: Regina

Regina — Wed, 07 May 2008 17:25:42 +0000

Definitely some good ideas here. By this time, I would think most people search a prospective employer for information to improve their chances of landing a job, if nothing else. And I have seen bulletin boards in the hallways of my son’s dorm admonishing them to watch what they post on the web. But like you said, there are lots of rants, so weeding out the valid from the sour grapes is also important. On the web, everyone gets to have their say, and there will be good and/or bad, but rarely indifferent!

By: Bob Eskridge

Bob Eskridge — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:57:04 +0000

This article is spot-on! As a physician recruiter, I depend on many information sources to find the best clients and match them with physicians. It’s important to balance this information with input you get from other sources, such as client interviews and facts about the practice. One negative item on a social networking site might be taken with a grain of salt, but if there are multiple lapses in judgment or many rants from former employees, that’s a warning sign.

By: Bonnie

Bonnie — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 20:05:44 +0000

While I don’t care too much for the negative implication of “digging dirt,” I absolutely agree that job candidates need to thoroughly research the industry, the company, and the person they are hoping to work for. The tips and resources you gave are excellent, as are the reminders to be careful about what gets posted.

Candidates don’t have to look for “dirt,” though (and hopefully they won’t find much of that). Research can give insights when customizing the resume/cover letter to the job and when preparing for the interview. Anyone who DOESN’T do such research is either lazy or not serious about getting hired. With the resources available today (many you mentioned), there’s no excuse for not finding out as much as you can before submitting your resume or walking into the interview room.

Yes, there may be inaccurate and “sour grapes” info out there, but if the employer is worth working for, there should be enough positive comments and sources to counter any negative stuff (“dirt”) made by disgruntled posters. Like I said, be thorough. You’ll have a huge advantage over your competitors for the job.

Great post, Willy!

By: Peggy McKee

Peggy McKee — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 04:59:10 +0000

I think there is a big problem with this. 1. What manager would put interview feedback online in Facebook or Twitter Not mine. 2. Usually employers are only looking at candidate created material on Facebook and MySpace. Candidates are judging employers by some of the comments and blogs on sites (like http://www.cafepharma.com and http://www.biofind.com for my industry). I think most of the active posters are disgruntled employees or those who have been already fired! They don’t have a job so they spend their time bashing their past employer or any other employer that represents “the man” that is holding them down! I know of a fantastic company in the clinical diagnostics arena that is haunted by one poster who has a sole mission in life of saying outrageous statements about their former employer (including sexual harrasment allegations, illegal activities, etc.). Because of the anonymity of these sites, there is no recourse for the employer. I would hate to have any candidate turn down an opportunity with this company because of one bad egg.

*Copied from Recruiting.com comment

By: Willy Franzen

Willy Franzen — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 03:36:35 +0000

@Mike G – We respect your opinion, but the large majority of feedback on this piece has been positive. Just because it might be common sense to you doesn’t mean that it is for everyone else.

As for the situations sounding contrived, the employer’s posting about an interview on Twitter is a TRUE STORY.

By: Steven Rothberg

Steven Rothberg — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 14:16:15 +0000

Great tip. One of the Facebook friends that I have works at a recruitment advertising agency. Her Facebook page has a photo that appears to be of her and her female friend performing lap dances for a couple of guys. Maybe the guys are their husbands but you still have to wonder…

*Copied from Steven’s comment on Willy Franzen’s Facebook posting

By: Mike G

Mike G — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 21:08:21 +0000

I did not like this so much. I felt like it went on and on, when the gist of the article could have been summarized in one sentence: if you’re curious about a company or individual, Google them. Any more pearls of wisdom you’d care to share? I hear Toyota makes good cars.

Did you actually include a subsection including definitions of blogs and social networking sites? For who, rip van winkle?

Oh and the intro “interview nightmare” scenarios were more contrived than the latest crop of Hollywood romantic comedies. Meh.

By: Sabrina

Sabrina — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 19:52:15 +0000

Excellent post. I am happy to hear that you are suggesting this to those just entering into their careers. We are giving the same information to those that are at the executive level. You want to work for a company that has the same values you do – the fit must be right. You want to work for a company who you can mention with pride. In the future, being able to list reputable companies on your resume and profile will be very important. In can greatly impact a recruiter or hiring managers decision to consider your application. The resources you mention are great – Thanks!