Behind the Glass Door

Before accepting a job offer, it's wise to learn everything you can about an employer. Of course you can do your research and dig up the facts and figures on most companies, but what you really want to know is what it's like to work there. You don't want facts and figures — you want to talk to real people. That way there won't be any surprises when you start your job. A company may, on paper, look like a fine place to work. When you look deeper, though, you may discover that not everything is what it seems to be.

To get a "behind the glass door" look at a company sometimes you can talk to people in your network who have experience with a particular company or know someone who does. Other times you have to rely on the observations you make when you visit an employer for your job interview. Do workers seem happy or do they look like they rather be somewhere else? Of course you are only getting a glimpse at one point in time. Maybe it's a bad day ... or a good one. Or maybe a particular employee would be unhappy anywhere he or she worked. Wouldn't it be nice if you could talk to some employees in order to get their opinions of the company? It would be awkward to approach them when you're there for the interview and calling or emailing them would be a bit weird.

Glassdoor.com is a community-based Web Site that lets you learn what people really think of their employers. It gives you an effective way to learn about a prospective employer without having to make a bunch of phone calls or send a bizillion emails. Visitors to Glassdoor.com anonymously post reviews and ratings of their employers, or salaries for specific jobs at specific employers, and are then given access to information posted by other members of the community. There is no monetary fee for using this site — it's all about sharing information.