The stakes are clear: Job seekers — especially younger ones — want to work for a company that practices transparency. But beyond publishing salary ranges for job openings, and from the outside looking in, it can be tough to tell if a company is truly showing you its hand. Here are some ways to see what cards they are dealing from the transparency deck.
All in on salary transparency
Job seekers value salary transparency — and it’s good for the business too. Check to see if the organization practices salary transparency not only for open positions but for all jobs. At companies like Glassdoor and Whole Foods, salary bands are available to employees for every single position, all the way up to the CEO. If a company openly shares salaries, it's a safe bet that they're transparent in other ways too.
Here are other ways to see if companies are keeping it real with transparency.
1. Read their news
Finding out about company culture shouldn’t be like guessing what cards they’re holding. When considering an employer, part of your research should include reading company blogs, recent news, and press releases. These are their “tells” or clues to help you assess them. Check to see that they discuss:
- A commitment to transparency and equitable compensation
- Inclusivity and diversity
- Transparency around the makeup of their staff
This research can help you ask the right questions during the interview.
2. Listen to employees
Real employee conversations are the royal flush of inside intelligence. Fishbowl conversations and Glassdoor reviews are anonymous, providing a great way to get a peek at all the cards in their deck and understand their playing strategy. Check them out to learn if the company you're interested in really walks their talk and keeps promises made to job seekers, employees, and customers.
3. Check internal practices
During the interview, you hold the cards and your actions help decide the outcome: raise, call, or fold. Be prepared to ask about transparent business practices and management styles that foster a culture of openness, shared risk, and collaboration. Look for clear pathways for career development and how they handle negative reviews. All of these practices speak to business transparency.
The winning hand
Open and transparent companies are winning the competition for talent and delivering what job seekers want. With a little research and preparation, you should be able to learn before and during the interview how a company is approaching transparency.