WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN READING INTERNAL REVIEWS ONLINE

Internal reviews are the best way to learn about the work ethic and work style of your potential new hires. But what should you look for when reading these reviews? We’ve compiled a list of common red flags to help you avoid misleading or missing out on great candidates.

When candidates list various jobs on their resume and do not mention how long they’ve held each position, this is a common way of hiding a job jumping problem. Pay close attention to the dates when reading this type of review. A review that states that the candidate stayed at their last job for three years will be read much differently than one that lists them as having worked at their previous job for only three months.

Many people focus too much on what was written in the review but ignore the comments in the margins. These are the real details that can help you identify a bad fit. A reviewer might complain about a candidate who doesn’t show up on time or doesn’t seem like they care about the job. This complaint may mean their work ethic is not a good match for the company’s culture, and you’re better off searching for another candidate.

Another red flag is when a reviewer states that they would have fired the candidate if they had been hired. The fact that someone would fire you should certainly be taken seriously, as this suggests that your relationship with them was not strong enough for them to even keep you on as an employee at all (though it should be noted that in some industries, this behavior is expected).

Remember that these reviews are written by whoever has the reference, so take any comments at face value. But it would be best if you also were on the lookout for common phrases or evidence that a reference has been paid off to write a review. This is easy to identify if someone is not being completely honest with you.

You can read these references yourself or have someone else do it for you to double-check the information. The person writing the review might also be interested in talking with you directly, which is another good way to know if they’re trying to play nice because they want the job or if they have some good things to say about you.