5 tips to analyse company reviews and use them in your job application

Company reviews by real employees can be a valuable source of information for those considering working for the company, or preparing for an upcoming interview. But how objective is the review, and how reliable is it? It's important to bear in mind that one's experience with the company is shaped as much by his or her relationship with the direct superior and peers, as it is by the general management and corporate culture.

Different departments might have different working atmospheres too, depending on what the department does. You wouldn't expect the Accounting Department to be as dynamic and vibrant as the Marketing Department, would you? There are many factors that affect how we feel about our job and employer.

It's always important to look at the big picture. With that in mind, here are our top 5 tips to analyse company reviews:

1. Look at the rating vs no. of reviews

At first glance, the rating might seem like the most important factor to pay attention to in the review, but remember that it is an average based on the number of reviews created. The bigger the sample size, the more reflective the rating will be. For example, a rating of 5 based on 5 reviews should be taken with a pinch of salt. It could just be a group of particularly disgruntled employees (you'll always find unhappy people everywhere, even in the best company on earth).

2. Dig deep

Pay careful attention to comments and feedback about the aspects that matter most to you, be it financial compensation, work culture, leadership, equality, career development, work-life balance, or something else. Also take note of the reviewer's job title and department—this will allow you to compare the reviewers' feedback. Are they from the same department? Are the managers happier than lower level staffers? Taking all this into consideration will give you a more well-rounded picture of what's going on in the organisation.

3. Pay attention to trending comments

If you find a number of reviewers making similar comments, such as "long working hours", "late payment of salaries", etc, you might want to make a note of this. Remember, there's no smoke without fire. If the overwhelming majority of reviewers are full of praise for the inspiring leadership and work culture, that's something to take note of too. The more you know about the company, the better prepared you can be for your interview.

4. Use reviews as interview material

Refer to comments from reviews in your interview questions. First, it shows the interviewer you've done due diligence. Second, it shows your enthusiasm to learn more about the company. Don't be afraid to ask difficult questions, such as "I noticed in your company reviews that some employees are concerned about the lack of career development opportunities. Would you mind sharing how this is being addressed?" This is a great way to verify the accuracy of those comments, as well as get clarification from the company on these issues.

5. Reserve your judgement

However convincing these reviews might be, remember that it's just one source of information. It doesn't represent the complete picture. Always get verification from different information sources. Different individuals have different priorities and perspectives. It's good to reserve judgment until you get corroborating evidence.

Company reviews can be an excellent way to get the inside scoop on a company, but it's important to factor in the variables that could be affecting the ratings of those reviews. Context makes a big difference.

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