I have an interview tomorrow and when researching the company the Glassdoor and Indeed reviews are not just bad but abysmal.

58 Comments

1. AnonymousJanuary 9,2025 at 11:35PM UTC

   First, do the reviews come from a range of departments or do they seem concentrated in one department or business unit or branch? If that is the case and that is NOT the business unit or location you're exploring, keep your eyes open, but it may not be a deal-breaker. However, if there are MANY reviews and they fall across all business units and employee levels, that could be problematic. I don't think there's any harm in giving the company a chance to explain the poor ratings. If they get flustered and don't know what to say, that's a warning. If they are too rehearsed and "perfect" with their answer or dismissive of "bitter" former employees, that is also a warning. If they shrug and say, yes, we've had some issues along the way and here are the SPECIFIC STEPS WE'RE TAKING TO ADDRESS THEM, and how we'll evaluate the success of those steps, that is an indicator of 'self-awareness' of the organization, and it might end up being a decent opportunity. Hope that helps.

2. gailsnewglamlife@gmail.comJanuary 10,2025 at 12:50AM UTC

   Go to the interview anyway. These may come from disgruntled employees who may or may not have had the experience they reported. Go, feel the environment for yourself. You have to form your own opinion. Get excited again, do the interview. I hope it works out for you if not you move on to other interviews. Either way enjoy the process.

3. AnonymousJanuary 10,2025 at 2:34AM UTC

   It's always obvious to me when reviews are real on GD. There are details and a lot of "likes" with it-aka, others agree. The other part is when you see sooo many bad reviews and then there are suddenly all these 5 star reviews-aka HR doing damage control. I absolutely do not agree with the POV that all those negative reviews are just "disgruntled employees". Gimme a break! Why do you have so many disgruntled employees to begin with???? All of that said, always take the interview and ask probing questions.

4. AnonymousJanuary 10,2025 at 2:58AM UTC

   You could always use the excuse that you just can not relocate at this time. But I would still go into the interview, and take those reviews with a grain of salt. You don't know if they are true ~ it might be someone who got caught and was terminated for cause ~ and now they are trying to discredit a good business.

5. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistJanuary 10,2025 at 3:44AM UTC

   I recommend all Glassdoor reviews - good and bad - be taken with a grain of salt. As others mentioned, it could be disgruntled ex-employees writing those negative reviews. Think of poorly performing former team members you've had yourself - how much credence would you give their opinion?

   I've also heard of managers making folks write positive reviews or writing them themselves.

   That said, I would use that info to drill down during your interview. Were those reviews for one department or one location? Is that the department or location you're interviewing for?

   It's a potential red flag, but what's important is not what others think of the company or potential manager - what's important is what you think. Use the interview to gain as much info as you can so you can make an informed decision.

6. AnonymousJanuary 11,2025 at 1:33PM UTC

   Absolutely agree with all of your advice . I worked for a company where the positive ( great co workers , some good managers ,good benefits , opportunities and holiday parties ) and the negatives ( promotions based on friendships , nepotism , bad bonus structure , no opportunities) were both true .

   It depended on what department/ leader you worked with . It was a great place for some vs mediocre for others.

7. AnonymousJanuary 10,2025 at 5:13PM UTC

   OP: I appreciated your advice. I'm going in with a positive attitude. If there's an opportunity to address the reviews, I'll address.

8. AnonymousJanuary 12,2025 at 5:37PM UTC

   Good for you!!!Good luck!!

9. AnonymousJanuary 11,2025 at 3:10PM UTC

   First of all, if they are a disgruntled employee, there's a reason why. Research the company. Check out its website beyond the home page. Find a "staff" page. Look people up on LinkedIn and see what they post. Are these people you would want to work with?

   Does their mission and vision align with your career goals? Is their website current and appealing? If you still have bad feelings after this, and considering you must uproot yourself and your family, it may not be worth the risk. If it is all something you can live with, go on the interview and ask about it.

10. AnonymousJanuary 11,2025 at 11:58PM UTC

    Disgruntled or not, I’ve found truths in the majority of negative reviews on jobsites. I agree that missions and values should align but even if they don’t, a potential hire should be thinking beyond financials , what else they can gain then they are on the right path. Not all jobs are great and they’re not going to be. I’ve planned ahead how I’d market a role on a future resume. Thinking about how to leverage the position for more of an ultimate goal is better than just rejecting bc it’s not a culture fit when a lot of jobs on the market won’t be.

11. John HerndonJanuary 11,2025 at 4:01PM UTC

    Yes. Pay attention to the obvious but expand your search parameters to include other platforms like LinkedIn. Find former employees in your discipline and message them about their experience.

12. AnonymousJanuary 11,2025 at 4:44PM UTC

    I'm late for this and I hope the interview went well, but I agree with those who recommended just asking. If I'm interviewing and they ask me if I have questions, I run through the more standard ones first, then I'd just ask straight up "While I was doing my homework, I found your Glassdoor reviews. Do you have any insight into the overall tone of these?" or something broad like that. What you're looking for is reassurance that these reviews aren't accurate, or aren't pertinent for your role, and if they aren't the interviewer will probably have a good answer. Like someone else said, they ideally can speak to what they're doing to address the sentiments in those reviews. There's literally no way they interviewer wouldn't know about them, and a good one would be prepared for candidates who do their research and ask this question.

    We'd love to hear how it went!

13. AnonymousJanuary 11,2025 at 5:13PM UTC

    Remember the interview is a 2 way street. Do not be afraid to address the elephant in the room and ask about the most troubling one there on GD. See how they respond. Also reach out to those who have recently left the company and check blind as well which has current employee feedback there. Often squeaky unhappy employees post things publicly but there is some credibility to what you read you have to just really take in in context if you can. Good luck. And worst case you can always see if you have up to a year to relocate. Then, take your time.

14. Danielle SimonJanuary 11,2025 at 5:44PM UTC

    Just want to say that every time I've worked at a bad place, all of the negative reviews turned out to be spot on. Most of the time, the positive reviews outweigh the negative ones when I look, but the positive reviews tend to be remarkably short and lacking substance--hinting they were planted by people at the company to boost the ratings, and often a positive review was planted shortly after a negative review popped up. If they're already starting below 50%, that's a horrible sign.

    I actually have asked about reviews before during the interview process--twice--and they brushed it off, basically (stuff about it being typical for the unhappy people to post reviews while others don't and other crap). I took one of those jobs, and, like I said, the negative reviews turned out to be right. I learned from that with the second time I asked and didn't proceed.

    One thing to note, though, is the positions of the people posting negative reviews. For example, some places have customer service and warehouse jobs while your job will be corporate. I would fully expect CSR and warehouse reviews to be less positive; the corporate reviews are the ones I'd weight more.

15. AnonymousJanuary 11,2025 at 7:37PM UTC

    This happened to me while I was job searching a couple of years ago. It was a pretty well-known place, and I applied for a position and landed the interview. I was shocked when I went to glass door and there were two solid years of bad current and former employee reviews. I took the interview anyway (the salary was awesome and I’m a sucker, what can I say?), and that conversation threw up enough red flags that I decided reached out to an acquaintance that I knew had worked there a few years prior.

    his exact words were: “It’s all true and you’re too good to waste your talent there.”

    I took the second interview against my better judgement, but didn’t move forward after purposely mentioning my friend who had worked there, and I’m still relieved, lol

    Alternatively, I worked at a place for almost 6 years that barely had a three stars rating on GD it’s still one of the best jobs I’ve ever had. So…..grain of salt and contact folks might be the best way to see!

16. AnonymousJanuary 14,2025 at 2:34PM UTC

    You were lucky enough to have had a friend that worked at that very same company. Many of us are not given that option, to get a genuine idea/feedback! Remember, people do not leave "companies", they leave toxic miserable unfair unprofessional "management".

17. AnonymousJanuary 12,2025 at 12:05AM UTC

    So how did your interview go? Did you ask about the bad reviews on Glassdoor?

18. AnonymousJanuary 12,2025 at 9:50PM UTC

    The interview went well and HR addressed the situation head on....new leaders, process and things are becoming more streamlined. Some of the employees were let go and that created some hard feelings for both former and current employees. They are doing their best to address how to fix the situation and that includes bringing in more staff to help with the workload. I feel better about moving forward to the next round.

19. Joy Brand-RichardsonJanuary 12,2025 at 3:43AM UTC

    Run away!

20. Kirstie JohnsonJanuary 12,2025 at 2:55PM UTC

    Interviews are meant to be a 2 way street. If you advance after the first interview, that is your time to ask them about it.

21. GirlBossanova934974January 12,2025 at 4:02PM UTC

    You dodged a major bullet! Next time before you apply to some company, please check out the Glassdoor and Indeed reviews, BEFORE you apply! The only caveat is how recent are these reviews. If they are all current, it is safe to say that this is a lousy company to work for. I would also look at Better Business Reviews for companies you apply for as that tells you how they treat customers. Last, I wouldn't waste my time interrogating hiring managers about their opinions about their company's Glassdoor reviews. It is, what it is. Move on!

22. AnonymousJanuary 12,2025 at 5:35PM UTC

    Great suggestion @ BBB - unlike most sites, they actually do their due diligence in verifying who is making the review.

23. GirlBossanova934974January 13,2025 at 4:16PM UTC

    Recently, I went through an interview process with a company which left me with all sorts of misgivings. Bottom line? I was interviewing for a Marketing role and was handed out a 2 hour assessment which was far more to do with Accounting than Marketing. Then they wanted a video to go along. All about finding shipping errors and spending allocations. LONG STORY SHORT? The company hired someone else without even interviewing me. I looked at the company's BBB reviews soon thereafter......YOU GUESSED IT! Long lists of customer complaints about not shipping goods, wrong goods being shipped, angry customers up and down..........The so called Marketing Manager aka Hiring Manager sounded rather dodgy to begin with and then I found out why!

24. AnonymousJanuary 12,2025 at 5:34PM UTC

    I’m on the fence with this one…..

    Before seeing these reviews on Glassdoor, I’m guessing you were excited about this position….including a relocation? I’ve found a lot of the reviews are from previous employees who didn’t work out or just people being dramatic.

    Be 100% transparent - I’d be super uncomfortable not addressing everything before the possibility of uprooting your entire life.”

    - a lot of smart ladies here said this interview is a 2 way street- they are 100% correct- ask anything……

    at the end of the day, some people are not a good fit - no fault of the individual or company

25. AnonymousJanuary 12,2025 at 9:52PM UTC

    OP: Thank you all, the interview went better than expected. The interviewer addressed some of the issue head on and what they are doing to fix the problems. I feel better about continuing in the process.

26. AnonymousJanuary 13,2025 at 12:48AM UTC

    Oh that’s great news!! Keep us posted!

27. Elise PilkingtonJanuary 14,2025 at 2:24PM UTC

    How interesting! I have to say their response is unusual in my experience. Most would dismiss negative reviews as "sour grapes" or "disgruntled employees". Good luck in your search.

28. AnonymousJanuary 14,2025 at 2:32PM UTC

    So they are in the "midst of fixing" the issues.....so in essence, the problems may still be causing friction perhaps. For me, relocating is a huge risk, to hang on this one work opportunity. I would line up other employment offers and by that I mean (Offer Letters)! Before I make that grand move of moving there. Now if they pay for your relocation expenses, that would make it less risky. As you can tell, I don't trust any firm/company or sole proprietor at all. It's rare that any of these employers look out for anyone but THEMSELVES. Be careful and keep us posted.

29. AnonymousJanuary 13,2025 at 12:37AM UTC

    How can I see the comments?

30. Lisa SenaJanuary 14,2025 at 1:35PM UTC

    I would need to reconsider the situation. If you get the role, make sure to get everything in writing. Do they also cover your moving expenses? Is there anyone you can contact who may have more insight into the company? You are in my thoughts and prayers.

31. AnonymousJanuary 14,2025 at 1:35PM UTC

    A few questions. Are they specific to a location or department or all over? Has the company responded? Typically, I ask in the interview what steps they are taking to address and the response itself is telling.

32. Kathryn Legat-GermanJanuary 14,2025 at 1:36PM UTC

    I also was interested in joining a company that I discovered had terrible reviews for my location as this was a nationwide company with many offices. The reviews dating back 3 years at this same location showed me that it must be a "management/leadership" problem and not a "bad fit" or lack of work of the employees. I talked to the interviewers about the reviews and they brushed them off. I brought it up again that it was concerning and again I was told that they were from disgruntled employees. I might add that these reviews were from mid to upper-management ex-employees and gave a snapshot of the toxic environment created by whoever was in charge. Since it was obvious that they did not address these concerns, I let them know during the interview that their company was not a "good fit for me" and why and you should have seen their faces! Definitely move on as it is not worth it to relocate based on the word of an interviewer.

33. AnonymousJanuary 14,2025 at 1:38PM UTC

    I put an honest, scathing, constructive review on Glassdoor (back when everything was anonymous) for a college I worked for previously, as did a LOT of other former employees. Nobody lied and nobody exaggerated---it really was that bad. The school tried to project a high-end perfect image, and when they couldn't remove those honest reviews, they required student workers and current employees to post glowing reviews. It completely diluted and distorted the truth, and it violated the Glassdoor terms of service with no consequences. So...I have a tendency to pay attention to any negative reviews on sites like that to see if there is substance there or if it's just sour grapes. I also do additional reviews and searches outside of "review" sites to see if I can find a more complete picture.

34. Michele LaCagninaJanuary 14,2025 at 1:40PM UTC

    In my experience, those reviews are usually accurate. HR departments will try to dismiss them as "disgruntled employees," but typically bad reviews are spot on. Relocating makes the decision even harder, so I'd just ensure there are other companies in the new city you'd be interested in working for in case this company doesn't work out.

35. AnonymousJanuary 14,2025 at 2:27PM UTC

    And not just checking about other companies, but also applying to them! Because relocating is a HUGE risk to undertake without a solid employment option lined up. Preferably a company you have been working at already - if you can remotely - just to see if you and they mesh before packing your home and uprooting yourself. Just saying. These companies couldn't care less about destroying people's livelihoods to get what they want.

36. Liz MilneJanuary 14,2025 at 1:49PM UTC

    Ask them - 'I see on Glassdoor there's some negative ratings. Without breaching confidentiality, can you tell me what that is all about?'

37. AnonymousJanuary 14,2025 at 1:59PM UTC

    As a job seeker, here are my 50 cents for you:

    Apply for companies that have they worth ( Blackrock, GS, BYNM, SG) . it may be more difficult to get in, but once hired they want to assure that you dont trash and viceversa and in case it happen you will be compensated, they dont want you to sue them..., there is enough happening out there..

    Smaller not - so- wellknown companies have lower budgets, and are less professional in dealing with staff, and you will wear multiple hats while performing untrained responsibilities for their profit.

    Whatch the quality of their website, does it look professional, easy to navigate and straightforward? the colours they use. .., it says a lot..

    On their website MDs, CEOs are probably mentioned, last updates etc. you can check their background, and where they have worked in the past....., and see if you feel comfortable to work with..., google their names too.

    Google the company for performances in the past years, ( remember Covid has reversed a lot many companies.. and they still do..)

    Do get everything in written and document everything, make extra copies and follow the law, so you wont be in trouble and stay on your lane always... HR is not your friend...

    Do your your numbers, do you get enough for your living, are you able to save? is the public transport nearby and reliable, do you have car, do they cover your expenses, parking, gas, insurance..

    Remember companies are for making profits, its not a family, so be political.

    Hope the above helps, ( from someone who wants genuinely go back to work, but have not that luck yet since Covid years..)

    All the best!

38. Christine TalowskiJanuary 14,2025 at 2:09PM UTC

    My advice is to RUN ! Do not accept a position with 2 stars and such an abysmal review. My feeling is that is the company was a great one, the reports would reflect the same making it attractive.

39. AnonymousJanuary 14,2025 at 2:24PM UTC

    Be EXTREMELY cautious--because having to relocate--assuming at your own cost is a HUGE endeavor and move. You are the one taking on ALL the risks here with an over abundant disadvantage if they literally decide to change their minds! Reviews on Glassdoor I find are quite accurate. If you see negative comments, believe them. People do not out of their extremely busy days to post anything untrue about companies. You were warned.

40. AnonymousJanuary 14,2025 at 2:31PM UTC

    Don't take it. Reviews, although not always 100% accurate, does have some truths in it. The culture is probably terrible and you're burn yourself out trying to change it or adapting to a toxic workplace.

41. AnonymousJanuary 14,2025 at 2:45PM UTC

    I'd ask them about it. Interviews go both ways, and if they want you, then they're going to have to speak to their past the same way employers ask about resume gaps and short employments.

42. AnonymousJanuary 14,2025 at 2:59PM UTC

    When you have been working in a particular industry for well over a decade, in a specific city, word gets around in terms of firms' reputation in terms of how they treat their employees!! I would definitely take those negative reviews to heart!!! Sorry--but just as though these firms are trying to pick us apart and check under the hood of the car....we should be doing the very same thing!!!!!!!

43. AnonymousJanuary 14,2025 at 3:25PM UTC

    I interviewed with a company that required a distant relocation. My peers took turns taking me around. And one fella asked me a lot of questions. It felt like he was discouraging me. The company closed down 3 months later. They put all their hope on this team. But saving a whole company is impossible. I was glad for that person. I’d Never relocate on your own dollar and esp. to a more expensive market.

44. AnonymousJanuary 14,2025 at 3:27PM UTC

    Take the interview and ask for remote while you figure it out.

45. AnonymousJanuary 14,2025 at 3:28PM UTC

    What are they key themes of these reviews? How frequent?

46. Titra HamiltonJanuary 14,2025 at 3:36PM UTC

    Proceed with extreme caution. Seeing as you have nothing to lose, I suggest asking the interviewer about the bad reviews. Something like, "In researching the company, I found several less-than-ideal reviews". Mention the general topics and timeframes when they were posted. Ask if they were aware of the reviews, how they feel about that feedback and what they, as a company, have done or plan to do to improve. Do they have a roadmap for that? Consider asking what your role would be in a turnaround, what resources are available to support you in your role, including engagement from your upline. Ask them to rate on a scale of one to ten, their commitment to and tolerance for change. Ask for specifics, including how those involved will be compensated. An organization that is truly committed to change will not only be transparent but also have executive support and 100% of the resources needed. You get my drift, and their response will give you all of the information you need to make a decision. I also encourage you to trust your intuition. If she tells you to decline any offer, then do that. Good luck.

47. AnonymousJanuary 14,2025 at 3:54PM UTC

    Don’t ask the interviewer about the reviews. They may get defensive. It’s happened to me and it didn’t go well. Ask other questions like “who do you think has been most successful in a role like this, and why?” That will be telling about their values. Knowledge is power but don’t reveal how much you know.

48. AnonymousJanuary 14,2025 at 4:12PM UTC

    OP: Thank you all. I progressed to the third round very quicky but declined to move forward. They weren't transparent regarding what was required so I feel I dodged a bullet. Looking back, I should have listened to my gut as I wasted a lot of time preparing for interviews for a role although I needed, wouldn't have worked in terms of location, salary, start date or workload. Some of the reviews were sadly on target!

49. Tami L CannizzaroJanuary 14,2025 at 7:28PM UTC

    Listening to your gut is (IMO) more important than reading reviews. That little voice in our head that speaks to us may be whispering for a reason. Most of the time, it's pretty silent - which is a good thing during interviews. Yet when it starts to speak to us, we should listen. Glad you did.

50. lilanell100@gmail.comJanuary 14,2025 at 5:04PM UTC

    I probably would not reply on purely subjective comments (eg, "the atmosphere is terrible") and would instead consider only statements of verifiable fact likely to indicate problems for working there (eg, "the company has had a high rate of CEO turnover in the past 3 years."

51. AnonymousJanuary 14,2025 at 5:05PM UTC

    Checking Glassdoor/other reviews is the first thing I do when looking at a company/job. It's one thing if there are a few bad reviews, but if the overall rating is super low and you're seeing the same issues/complaints repeatedly in the reviews...that says something.

52. Montoya EvansJanuary 14,2025 at 5:09PM UTC

    Use the interview to ask questions. You are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you. Look around as the pass cubicles to take you into the interview room. Are coworkers at ease, interactng? Is there any room for personal expression or is it cold and uniform? Does anyone try to get your attention and give you signals? You can ask directly, "I saw on Glassdoor that there is little opportunity for upward mobility. Is that true?" Be specific about a concern, not feelings.

53. AnonymousJanuary 15,2025 at 11:43PM UTC

    It's good that you found this out now! As others have stated, it means you'll come into the interview with any hard-hitting questions that will help you feel comfortable. I took a job at at place that had bad reviews (and from which I had talked to previous employees who told me to run, not walk, away), but I needed a job, and the hiring manager seemed great. She was -- so was my team -- and my year there was totally fine (though that was not everyone's experience). All this to say sometimes the reviews don't reflect all debts/leaders, etc. and you might land ok. Just trust your gut.

54. Farah BajwaJanuary 16,2025 at 7:08PM UTC

    and remember that its generally human nature to share the negative because they need to vent. its not as normal for people to take the time to proactively of their own accord take the time to leave a positive review.

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