“They Said What?”: Reputation Management Tips for Employers, Part 1

By Jezabel Southard

Posted on October 17, 2014

Every job seeker has been warned to clean up their online act: employers will be Googling them. But what most employers don’t realize is that the top candidates they’re seeking will be scouring the company’s online profiles, as well.

Reputation management plays a key role in recruiting for major companies – and it can also affect retention. Here’s how.

Why Focus on Reputation Management?

Whether you’re running a small business or are part of a multinational company, proactive reputation management matters. Here’s why:

1. Negativity “sticks” less easily to a well-established online reputation. When a company is proactive in establishing its online reputation, bad comments and negative reviews don’t “stick” as easily. Because most search engines take the age of content into consideration when producing results, positive content that has been on the Web for a while will climb the list ahead of newer content produced more recently – especially when positive content includes substantive web pages, blog posts, and other pieces, and negative content consists of just a few words in a comments section or forum.

2. Mindful reputation management improves candidate interest and recruiting. The Internet offers a wealth of information, and the explosion in smartphones, tablets, and other devices means that it’s easier than ever for job seekers to search for information on companies that make job postings. When your online reputation communicates a clear, consistent, and positive brand based on your company culture, your company’s recruiting efforts are more likely to capture the attention of top candidates. Even when you work with a staffing firm, a good online reputation only improves the quality of your candidate pool: candidates are more likely to agree with the recruiter that yours is a job they ought to pursue.

3. Reputation management improves retention, too. It’s easy to see how a strong online reputation might make for better job candidates as well as happier customers. But how does your online reputation affect the people you currently have?

When a company’s online “brand” is strong and positive, staff experience the benefits in multiple ways. First, current staff members are better able to communicate what it is they love about their jobs – sometimes, with the click of a button, as they share the company’s latest blog post or announcement with their own professional networks. Second, when a company makes its culture and goals clear in its online presence, it attracts candidates whose work style and goals “fit” well with the organization’s culture, making these candidates more likely to stick around for the long term if offered employment.

Stay tuned! In part 2 of this series, we’ll talk about ways to build a strong presence and to keep your organization’s online reputation polished.

At TERRA Staffing, our experienced recruiters can help you attract, choose, and retain the best people for the job. Contact us today to learn more about our Pacific Northwest recruiting services.

Categories: HR and Management Advice, Staffing Tips & Recruiting Trends

Tags: Attracting Top Talent in Portland, Attracting Top Talent in the Pacific Northwest, How to Attract and Retain Top Talent, How to Retain Employees, Portland Recruiting Services, Reasons Employers Struggle to Attract Candidates, Why You Can’t Attract Top Job Candidates

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