What is AI Saying About Your Employer Brand?
Hello!
I recently met with the head of talent acquisition for an AEC firm. They're sourcing candidates, launching employer content, investing in LinkedIn. But they're still struggling to attract experienced talent—and hemorrhaging money on recruiter fees and longer time-to-hire.
I asked why. They said they weren't sure.
Familiar?
So I ran a reputation audit. I pulled their Glassdoor ratings, Indeed reviews, and Googled them.
(This is what candidates are doing for your brand anyway). There it was.
Consistent across all three sources: work-life balance was a consistent concern.
Glassdoor: 2.2/5 for work-life balance.
Indeed: Long hours and insufficient flexibility.
Google AI Overview: "Fast-paced environment with a demanding workload."
There was a particularly negative Reddit thread that was picked up in the Google AI overview.
The company had no idea this was their primary barrier to attracting talent.
Google yourself to learn what AI says about your company.
Candidates decide whether they will apply based on your reputation. A major component of that reputation is online. And now, AI summarizes that reputation for them before they ever visit your careers page.
The real problem isn't always that your reputation is wrong. Sometimes it's that your reputation is outdated. You've evolved, fixed things, made changes. But the market hasn't caught up. And if you don't know what they're saying about you, you can't change it.
Showing your story starts with knowing your story. Know how you are perceived in the market, so you can manage it. So what does AI say about what it's like to work for your company? Do this to find out:
A quick 2-minute audit:
Google your company name
Scroll down to "People Also Ask"
Look for "Is [Your Company] a good company to work for?" (usually the first or second question)
AI is generating more and more information about your company. You need to know what it says.
You've built something worth being known for. The question is: what do people actually know you for?
I'm not a LinkedIn coach. I'm not a culture consultant. I'm someone who spent 16 years leading talent acquisition at Beck Group and The Container Store. I help AEC firms close the gap between who they are and who the market thinks they are.
Whether that means responding to negative reviews, shifting what candidates see when they Google you, or building employee voices so your real story travels farther.
Do the audit. Send me a screenshot. I'll respond with one question: does this match who you are now? Let's talk about what to do about it.
