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Two of the most popular names in the job search space are Glassdoor and Indeed. But is Glassdoor vs. Indeed a valid comparison? After all, they are “partner sites”, with each providing a very distinct service for both employers and job seekers.
For example, Indeed is the largest job board in the industry. Glassdoor no longer offers direct posting of job openings by employers. But they do offer employers the ability to manage their brand and follow what their own employees are saying about them on the site – in reviews that are being read by job seekers.
This review will focus on comparing Glassdoor and Indeed, however, if you are looking for other options, we would recommend ZipRecruiter. ZipRecruiter offers free job searching for jobseekers and a free trial for job seekers.
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Let’s look at Glassdoor and Indeed side-by-side and investigate the specializations of each.
Glassdoor
Glassdoor continues to post job openings on the site. But those postings come from Indeed, not Glassdoor. Superficially at least, that might seem to make Glassdoor into more of a supporting job board than the real article.
But job seekers continue to be drawn to the platform and can apply for positions even though they’re offered through Indeed. Glassdoor provides additional services not offered by Indeed. Those services are of interest to both employers and employees.
Glassdoor For An Employer
The essential feature of Glassdoor are its employee reviews. Employees can come to the platform and review and rate their employees. That can serve as either a drawing card for employers with high ratings, or a warning sign to job hunters for employers with low ratings from their own people.
That’s where employer branding comes into the picture. Glassdoor gives employers a suite of services to better manage their employer brands. This is done by responding to negative employee reviews and using them as an opportunity to address whatever the concern may be. As an employer works to improve employee reviews and ratings – making the company a more desirable place to work, it’ll naturally increase the number of job seekers applying for positions.
Managing your employer brand is also done through specific strategies to improve company image on the Glassdoor website. Employers can choose a combination of services that will provide basic company information and a mission statement, review requests and responses, and monitor employer profile analytics.
Glassdoor For A Job Seeker
Since Glassdoor displays jobs posted on Indeed, job seekers will have access to the largest job board in the industry. But Glassdoor gives jobseekers something equally important, which is the ability to view employer ratings provided by the employees who work for them.
If you’ve ever taken a new job, only to find just weeks later that you’re in the wrong place, you’ll appreciate this feature of Glassdoor. There’s no more concise glimpse of working conditions at any employer than that provided by the people actually working there. That’s what Glassdoor offers.
You can pull up a profile of many employers to see a company’s overall rating, the percentage of employees who would recommend working at the company to a friend, and even the approval rating on the company CEO.
Glassdoor also provides a wealth of information on specific careers, as well as the best jobs, places to work, and the best cities to work in.
Indeed
Indeed is the biggest job board in the world. That’s based on the platform having more monthly traffic than any other job board. As of 2021, the site has more than 700 million members and 50 million listed companies in 200 countries. That includes more than 170 million members in the US.
Based on those statistics alone, Indeed, would seem to be the go-to job board for both job seekers and employers who want to reach them.
Indeed For An Employer
Given that Indeed draws more job seekers than any other job board, it can’t be ignored by employers looking to draw the most applicants possible. This is even more compelling since employers can post jobs on the site free of charge.
But if “free” sounds too good to be true, it kind of is. Since it is the largest job board drawing the most job seeker traffic, it can be more difficult for specific job posts to attract qualified applicants.
To get around this dilemma, Indeed offers employers the opportunity to increase job posting visibility through sponsored jobs. You can think of it as a tiered pricing system, based on the specific services you need.
Employers can pay on a per click basis for a specific number of job seekers. For as little as $5 per day, sponsored job posts are several times more likely to result in filling a position. If you have budget, you can become a Featured Employer, complete with your company’s logo on your ads. You can also use Company Pages Premium to customize your ad page.
Through the Indeed Resume feature, employers will also have access to search millions of resumes. An applicant tracking system (ATS) is offered to filter resumes to narrow the search to candidates most likely to qualify for the position offered.
Indeed For A Job Seeker
Indeed provides job seekers with a platform on which they can both upload their resumes and search for an unlimited number of jobs. Both are available completely free of charge. When you find positions that interest you, you can apply through the website of the employer that posts the job.
One of the advantages of Indeed for a job seeker is simplicity. You can start by entering the position you’re looking for and your preferred location. But you can also filter your search based on more specific information. That can be done by setting criteria based on a more specific location, salary level, job type, company, and required experience level. You can even search specifically for remote positions in your field.
You can sign up for email notifications that will alert you to new jobs that match the criteria you provide.
For a more in-depth guide, check out our Indeed review.
The Difference Between Glassdoor and Indeed As An Employer
As an employer, Indeed is where you can post open positions. But Glassdoor is where you can manage your employer brand, respond to employee reviews, and analyze the performance of your job postings.
The two service packages don’t compete with each other but do provide complementary services. That makes sense since both platforms are owned by the same corporate parent.
Related: How To Post A Job On Glassdoor
The Difference Between Glassdoor and Indeed As A Job Seeker
As a job seeker, you may see little difference between Glassdoor and Indeed. That’s because both sites provide the same job listings, all of which come from Indeed. Both sites also allow you to use their respective services free of charge.
The main difference between the two are the employee reviews provided on Glassdoor. They will give you a valuable insider view of many employers, which can influence your decision to apply – or not.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Indeed better than Glassdoor?
There’s no easy answer to that question since each provides a distinct service. Indeed serves as the job board, while Glassdoor provides both job seekers and employers with a clearer picture of each other.
Are Glassdoor and Indeed the same company?
They’re not the same company, but they are related. Both are owned by Tokyo-based Recruit Holdings and provide separate but complementary services.
Is Glassdoor trustworthy?
Since both the employee reviews and employer branding are subjective, neither can be considered scientific in any way. But each will provide a view of working at an employer from a different angle. That will make it easier for job seekers to assess the work environments and opportunities with most employers.
Do employers really use Indeed?
Worldwide, at least 50 million do. That alone is a compelling reason to use Indeed as at least one of the job boards you work with.
Bottom Line
In a real way, Glassdoor and Indeed are two sides to the same coin. They don’t compete with one another but instead complement each other. Indeed serves as the basic job board – the largest in the world – while Glassdoor gives jobseekers a deeper look into employers, while giving employers a clearer view of potential job seekers. If neither Glassdoor or Indeed are right for you, we recommend ZipRecruiter.
