The job interview is a nerve-wracking experience. But some companies do better than others to make prospective employees comfortable on the job hunt.
That matters in today’s hot recruiting environment where battles rage over top engineers and developers.
The Glassdoor Candidates’ Choice Awards, released today, found that Seattle-based coffee retailer Starbucks had one of the best hiring processes, with 76 percent of respondents reporting a positive experience.
For tech workers, Intel topped the charts with 71 percent reporting a positive interview experience, and just eight percent describing a negative experience. The semiconductor giant was followed by Cerner, IBM, H-P, Apple and VMware, all of which had interview approval ratings above 65 percent.
Microsoft also cracked the top 10, with a 64 percent reporting a positive interview experience. Eleven percent of interview candidates said they had a negative experience at Microsoft.
The software giant’s Seattle area neighbor did not fare quite as well.
Seattle-based Amazon.com, whose hard-charging workplace culture was chronicled in an in-depth story in The New York Times last month, saw just 56 percent saying they had a positive interview experience at the online retailer.
Google was not too far ahead, with 57 percent describing a positive interview experience.
“In today’s competitive recruiting market, the interview process has become an even more crucial gateway to introducing an organization and its culture to potential talent,” said Mariah DeLeon, Glassdoor vice president of people, in a statement. “Employers who offer candidates a great experience have the recruiting advantage and for the first time, we’re proud to honor companies that are leading the way when it comes to the job candidate experience.”
Other industries didn’t have such glowing job interview reviews. For the Financial Transaction Processing category, American Express came out on top with just 59 percent of job applicants saying they had a good experience.
Tech firms usually have to try harder to draw in top talent, with intense competition among large companies. However, the highest interview rating overall went to grocery chain Publix, with 80 percent of interviewees rating their interview experience as positive.
Editor’s note: Glassdoor CEO Robert Hohman will speak at the GeekWire Summit, taking place Oct. 1-2 in Seattle. Tickets and details here.
