This article originally appeared on InHerSight.com, a website where women rate the female friendliness of their employers and get matched to companies that fit their needs.
It's no secret that companies aren't always completely transparent with prospective employees during the recruiting process. Sure, you know that you'll be analyzing industry data reports or crafting pithy article headlines, but does your interviewer tell you how the boss really treats their employees or how equal the opportunities are for men and women seeking to rise in the ranks? Doubtful.
Fear not -- that's where company review sites come in handy. In the golden age of third-party review sites like Yelp and TripAdvisor, it comes as no surprise that prospective employees often turn to review sites for deeper insider info on a company and its culture. These crowdsourced reviews from both current and former employees can help you gain more insight into the work-life balance, management's attitude, and the company's stance on equality. Just like how companies may scope out your social media accounts to make sure you're a fit, you should do the equivalent and scope them out on company review sites.
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There's a dizzying amount of information on the internet, which can make it hard to distinguish which sites to trust. Every site has its pros and cons, and we've compiled a list of five great, trustworthy company review sites that excel in different categories for you to peruse before you accept your next job.
1. Glassdoor: Best employee narratives
Glassdoor is one of the most well-known company review sites -- it has everything from salary reports to interview questions to pictures of the offices. Out of all the perks, the best part of Glassdoor are the comprehensive company reviews. Of all the company review sites, Glassdoor has the most in-depth and insightful reviews from employees. This is the site where you'll find the most personal information, like how an employee was treated after a family member passed away or how well the salary actually pays the bills.
2. Indeed: Best coverage
With 72 million company ratings (compared to 40 million on Glassdoor) and 9.8 jobs added per second globally, Indeed has positioned itself as the largest job site. Similar to Glassdoor, it has salary reports and photos, but it also has a Q&A section where prospective employees can ask questions of current or former employees -- and with reviews in 63 countries, you're likely to get a quality answer. So if you're looking for a site with extensive range or job searching internationally, Indeed is your destination.
3. Kununu: Best well-rounded information
Kununu's mission is to spread transparency through company reviews and data -- in every aspect. In addition to the standard sections regarding the company's environment, career development, etc., Kununu goes the extra step to include categories you might not think about, like workplace safety, parking accessibility, environmental friendliness, desirable office location, and how challenging the work is.
4. Comparably: Best comparison functionality
Comparably is the perfect embodiment of its name -- it allows users to slice and filter company data from every perspective and compare it to other companies. The site gives an overall company culture score that's derived from employee ratings and reviews in different categories like leadership, diversity, and compensation. You can see a breakdown of the data and view culture scores by department, how different departments rank the CEO, and more. You can also see how the overall company culture score stacks up to other similar-sized companies in the United States, similar-sized companies in its area, and its industry competitors.
5. InHerSight: Best female-friendly perspective
InHerSight seeks to promote gender-diverse workplaces by helping women find female-friendly companies. The site focuses on 15 key metrics that matter most to working women, like flexible work hours, maternity and adoptive leave, management opportunities for women, and more. Women can anonymously rate their employers based on these metrics and also have the opportunity to get matched with companies that align with their interests. These female-centric metrics allow InHerSight to hold a unique position in the company review sphere.
The Motley Fool is an investor in InHerSight, and an officer of its affiliate, Motley Fool Venture Partners, sits on its board.
