The advent of online media has ushered in an era of unprecedented and radical transparency. In today’s hyper-connected world, there is nothing more important than your online reputation. Most of the job searchers these days are well aware of how their web presence impacts their personal brand. Recruiters often research applicants online and screen them partly based on their ‘Googleability’ rating. However, it’s not just the candidates who need to be aware of their online presence. A recent survey by global job site Indeed delves into how a company’s online reputation influences talent attraction.

Employer reputation is a key factor in a typical job seeker’s decision on whether to apply for a job. The survey was conducted on a sample of 502 employers and 1,208 employees in India.

Key findings:

A whopping 97% of job aspirants deemed it essential to have insight into a company’s reputation when considering a new job opportunity.

71% of job seekers said they would not apply to a position if there was no information about a company’s reputation online.

67% of respondents agreed that they would automatically distrust the company with no information about the employer reputation.

72 % of those surveyed said that they would doubt that the job opportunity was even real if there was no information about the employer’s reputation online.

Almost 65 % of respondents said their perception of a company would become more positive if employers respond to a negative review online.

When researching a company before submitting an application, the most important considerations were career growth opportunity (59%), followed by insights around stability and salary ranges for relevant roles (49%). Next up were information about perks, benefits, and flexibility (46%) and the company leadership and other management levels (44%).

Moreover, 63% of job-seekers said online company reviews by current and former employees would be the most crucial factor in deciding whether to apply for a role at a company. 

The competition for talent is fierce. A stellar online reputation can give you an edge. As an employer, how are you managing and building your online reputation to attract the best talent?