Just last month, the proverbial sh*t hit the fan at Glassdoor when a whistleblower came forward to reveal that users’ real names and job info was being added to their anonymous profiles without their consent, negating the entire point of anonymous reviews being honest in the employment world.
Ever since, employees have taken to sharing the breaking story repeatedly, and whether fully fixed or not, Glassdoor has taken a severe public relations hit and trust is most certainly at an all time low.
So whether you trust Glassdoor or not, we had a recent discussion in ADJ that generated several private conversations.
The question is simply whether or not a job seeker should warn future employees of their past company via a Glassdoor review, when the information given clearly and unavoidably identifies who they are, potentially hurting their chances with future employers.
The person has a conundrum, because they feel their past employer was extremely abusive across the board. But they worry that future employers know that only one person with his job title exists at the company, and during that time, it would have been him.
As a community, here is what we came up with:
Option 01: Leave it be
The first option on the table is to leave the review to warn others, no matter the cost. Many people argued in public and in private that Glassdoor isn’t being used as a resource like that anymore, especially by employers, so its relevance is diminished.
But that’s risky and anyone in this situation should tread lightly, with open eyes.
Option 02: Delete it
Some say that the best response is to simply delete the review. Others suggested to delete it during the job search, then add it back after a new role has been secured.
The risk on this option is far lower, and could serve someone’s ethical side while not hurting their own chances at a new role.
Option 03: Change titles
Users have full control over what their job title is, so many people suggested that the job title simply be changed to something more generic, even if it’s not exactly true.
In this scenario, it can also be changed back later, but this option allows for no one to slip through the cracks and miss his warning about the company. And the risk remains low regarding future employment.
So what would you do?
Of those three options, which would you take? What would help you to sleep better at night?
Or is there a fourth option the community should consider?
Lani is the COO and News Director at The American Genius, has co-authored a book, co-founded BASHH, Austin Digital Jobs, Remote Digital Jobs, and is a seasoned business writer and editorialist with a penchant for the irreverent.
