I recently just left working for an employer and wanted to leave an anonymous review of their organization on glassdoor.com pertaining to my experience working with the organization. What are the possible downsides to leaving an anonymous review, especially if it may contains some less than stellar remarks?
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1What are your specific concerns? That the review will somehow be tracked back to you and used against you at a future time or just that it is bad form?– JasonJOct 17, 2016 at 18:02
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2A couple relevant questions: "Should I add a Glassdoor review for a company so small they will know it is me?" and "Leave a negative review on Glassdoor or email responsible person at previous company?"– David KOct 17, 2016 at 18:20
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4first off, nothing is ever anonymous. If they're mad enough and want to spend the time and effort, they'll find out who it was.– Old_LamplighterOct 17, 2016 at 18:26
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6Write what you feel in a paper, read it, cut it in tiny pieces and then throw it away.– undefinedOct 17, 2016 at 18:42
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6At the risk of being philosophical, let me counter with this: Is there any tangible upside? You'll feel better for a few moments but that's it. You're not hurting anyone if revenge is your aim.You're only hurting yourself by perpetuating the anger you've got. When you get screwed over, you should move past it and move on (when there's no ongoing issues you need to deal with obviously). If you're determined to "warn others" (because that's supposedly a legitimate reason) then wait 3-6 months and if you still feel like it, do it then.– Chris EOct 17, 2016 at 19:56
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4 Answers
Yes, there are downsides.
- There is precedent in which people are held liable for negative reviews that contain defamatory content. The internet is not immune to defamation laws, despite widespread poor behavior online.
- Most communities are smaller than you think, and your negative comments are often traceable back to you. Word of mouth still exists.
- Your LinkedIn information makes it fairly easy to see if you complained. You left the job with similar responsibilities to those in the complaint, at a similar time, etc.
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1I'd think 2/3 are the most likely to be problematic. While the review may be technically anonymous it is quite possible if not likely that you will say things that can partially or completely de-anonymize you. Oct 17, 2016 at 19:30
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Get your review proof-read by a friend, and have your friend read it out loud to you. The stupidest things are said on the internet due to "anonymity". Remove the stupid, and you avoid the problem.– NelsonOct 18, 2016 at 5:51
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@JoeStrazzere Unless a company is fairly large, it's reasonably easy for a recruiter to look at the time you left, and the comments left around that time, and see something that might be a match. The issue is this: why take any risk where there is no personal reward? The absence of positive comments is negative enough.– jimm101Oct 18, 2016 at 14:25
I think the first question is, as Christopher asked, is there any upside?
Everything it traceable as has been pointed out. If you make the comments, especially soon after leaving, if anyone bother looking there is a good chance they will know it was you. If they are bothered by your comments, there are ways to research it.
Next, how many people do you know that actually use services like Glassdoor? I know people who do, to laugh at comments. I know few who actually use it as a resource. In my circle, it is general considered a gripe board for disgruntled employees that has no real coloration to actual feelings of the average employee at that company. But former employees go there to vent. Doing so makes them feel better, but how does it really accomplish anything else? If I were to go, read a bunch of glowing reviews, I see that as paid employees trying to make their employer look good. If I see venting, I see just that, venting. I personally do not see it as constructive. You may disagree.
Yes, there is a downside. You're going out of your way, unasked, to maliciously write something derogatory that will be online forever. Whether they find out it was you or not I can't see how this says anything good about your personality or professionalism.
The fact that it's anonymous makes it even more shady. If you want to say something it's better to be upfront about it. Stand behind your convictions and words.
I'm sure you can find a way to rationalise it though.
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3Its not malicious in intent, nor is the subject matter derogatory. Its an honest assessment based on my experience and for the record I was not fired. If an organization is incompetent and has a toxic environment, speaking to that evidenced by their high turn over is not malicious by any means. I left the organization for a better position not for reasons of my personal performance. Oct 17, 2016 at 20:42
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1@Mark well done, you have rationalised it already (Y) Took you less than 10 minutes. I think long and hard before I put anything in writing about others. Then I write it and delete it and get on with my life.– Kilisi ♦Oct 17, 2016 at 20:43
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There may be downsides to you personally but upsides to the pool of potential employees. There is a chance that you may get caught out and have the negative review attach to your reputation. Your industry and geographic location may influence heavily how likely any of this sort of downside will be. If you are a tech worker in San Francisco working for a large company, the chances are small that anyone would would try to find out who you are or that anyone would care. If you are a vinyl gutter installer in a 30,000 person town, the chances are probably about 100% you would be discovered.
There are upsides, but none to you personally most likely. Glassdoor helps the community at large decide on where to work based on reviews from people who work there. The information has prevented me from taking jobs in the past that turned out to be the right calls. If those insiders hadn't let me know that the grass was not greener on that side of the fence, I might have made a move I regretted. A free market for employment works best when the most information is available to job seekers.
If there are serious problems, it both ups your risks and, in my opinion, ups your obligation to post. For instance, if you know that the company likes to fire people before they reach the first big stock payout so they can save money, this is a good thing for potential employees to know, but it also is a statement of fact and may be challengable in court under defamation laws if it is not true. Saying "This place stinks" is hard to challenge with a defamation suit, but doesn't particularly point out what is wrong.
It is a hard decision. If you are completely selfish, don't post as there is little if any upside to you. If you are completely altruistic, post away and take the risk for making the world a more informed place. If you are like most of us, make a call based on how important you think the information is balanced against your risk of having it come back to haunt you in some way.
