Glassdoor Raises $50 Mil — What It Means for You

In recruiting technology news, Glassdoor raises $50 million as it prepares for international expansion. Robert Hohman, CEO of the employer review site, says that he plans to “further accelerate our growth and capitalize on our sweet spot at the intersection of social, mobile, and data to deliver on our mission to help people find the jobs and companies they love.”

The latest round of funding for Glassdoor indicates that employer branding and company culture have real value. These talent acquisition trends aren’t just buzzwords – they are here to stay.

Takeaway for Employers

There’s no escaping transparency, but you can be in charge of your message. Taking control of your employer brand is more important than ever, especially for large, public companies.

In an interview with the Motely Fool, Hohman suggests that large companies – the Nikes, Googles, and Facebooks of the world – can maintain positive employer ratings through crystal-clear employer branding. Chatter surrounds your company whether you develop an employer brand or not.

Harnessing it requires leadership, employees, customers, and stakeholders to have a clear understanding of what the message is. In a climate of intense competition for technical talent, controlling the conversation surrounding your employer brand will help to attract the best and brightest.

Takeaway for Job Seekers

As Glassdoor – and employer review sites like it – continues to grow, companies will need to beef up their employer branding efforts. As companies invest more in uncovering their culture and developing strong messaging around their employer brand, they will have higher expectations of how culture-literate job seekers are.

Going into an interview knowing that a company refers to its employees as partners (Starbucks), or that a company believes ‘if you have a body, you are an athlete’ (Nike), will set star candidates apart from the rest. As a job seeker, educating yourself of the mission, culture, and values of a company is just as important as knowing the criteria of the position.