When you purchase a product online you probably scroll down to read the reviews before you hand over your credit card info. Does it work as advertised? Did it arrive on time? Is it really that color? We rely on previous customers to guide the way: to reaffirm our judgement or warn us off.

The same is true when job seekers apply to jobs. Nearly half (44%) of job seekers research a company online before they apply to a job. These are potential great candidates who are trying to learn all they can about your company before you’ve even seen their name. To continue the metaphor: they’re reading the product description, browsing through pictures, looking at comparable items, and reading the reviews.

Employee reviews, much like any other product review, help job seekers get an authentic impression of what it’s like to work for your company. Whether they’re on Glassdoor, Indeed, or your careers page, employee testimonials are key to attracting top talent.

Many employees will take the initiative to review companies on their own time, but if you’re coming up dry take the initiative to ask employees to leave reviews online, or ask key employees for a testimonial to share on your careers page. The idea is not to micromanage your team or coerce employees for positive reviews, but rather to give employees a platform where they are encouraged to share their work experience and talk about the company culture.

Candidates are influenced by online reviews, and their presence will ultimately help your company stand out when job seekers conduct their research.

Next Step: Check out your presence on Glassdoor and Indeed and start collecting employee reviews to leverage your Talent Magnet!

Want the full story? Download our free ebook here: How to Build a Talent Magnet

This post was originally published on CareerPlug's Blog