A new survey has found that most British Job Seekers run Internet searches on would-be employers, making a compelling online presence and positive reputation essential. It found that having a credible online reputation is more important than ever for attracting top talent, with a whopping 70% of job seekers saying they won’t apply for a role until they’ve researched the employer’s reputation online. More than half (56%) say they wouldn’t even apply for a role at a company with no online presence.

While we know that reputation has always been important for any employer, in the digital age it’s increasingly vital for companies to be transparent as they bid to attract the best talent in a highly competitive landscape, with vacancies in the UK at a record high and unemployment now at its joint-lowest level since 1975.*

The research from the world’s largest job site, Indeed, even found that companies with no online profile risk being dismissed out of hand by job seekers, with 57% saying they would automatically distrust a company with no Internet presence.

Information about employee satisfaction and how companies treat their staff is also a key factor in a typical job seeker’s decision on whether to apply for – and then accept – a job.

The Internet is the main source of information for job seekers

A strong brand name remains a vital asset for a company seeking to recruit. Just one in nine job seekers (11%) classes a recognisable name as unimportant when deciding whether to apply for a role. What job seekers see when they search for employers online is also replacing word of mouth as a trusted source of information about a potential employer, only 23% of job seekers are willing to overlook a negative online reputation when they’re searching for a new role.

Roz Sheldon, Managing Partner of Igniyte, the online reputation experts, says: “We know that job seekers want to find out as much as possible about a prospective employer before deciding to apply for or accept a job. While word of mouth is great, the Internet is the main source of information for job seekers. Companies check out candidates’ social media profiles and their online presence including videos and images to assess their suitability for a job, and this now goes both ways.

“People don’t want to see negative press, poor customer and employee reviews or outdated content. They want to see positive press and new and relevant content, plenty of social media activity – and they’ll definitely be checking out reviews from employees and customers online. They’ll also look at images and videos about the company, customers and people online, all of which needs to show your company in the best possible light to attract top talent.”

In fact, there’s a whole raft of research evidencing the impact of online reputation on both companies and individuals.

Bill Richards, UK Managing Director of Indeed adds: “Employers need to win the trust of potential recruits, and transparency is one of the most effective ways to achieve this. Our research suggests the smartest companies are embracing the connective power of the Internet to ensure they attract the best possible candidates, and that they inform them as well as possible.”

Top tips for attracting top talent to your business

Igniyte’s top tips for creating a positive company reputation online and attracting top talent to your company include:

• Ensuring that your company has a strong and high-ranking website, with consistent and up to date messaging and that is quick to lead and easy to use on desktop and mobile – give visitors the best experience you can.
• Ensuring that all online profiles about your company are consistent – any discrepancies can negatively influence trust and credibility Consistent.
• Regularly adding new news and blog content – it shows you are current and relevant – people don’t want to see content that’s 3 years old.
• Managing and posting regular activity across your social media channels.
• Promoting the good work your company is doing – for its employees and customers – share positive news and PR about growth, investments, innovations, CSR, your people, customers, etc.
• Having a crisis management plan in place to deal with any negative press.
• Having a review management and response strategy in place – so that you can promote the positive and deal with the negative.
• Ensuring that images and videos people see when they search for you online present your company, work environment and people in the best light is also important in attracting top talent.

Censuswide surveyed 545 UK workers on behalf of Indeed in April 2018. *Source ONS Labour Market data, July 2018. There were 824,000 job vacancies in the UK between April and June 2018.

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