Glassdoor facts for kids
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| Type of business | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
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Type of site
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Job search engine, review site |
| Available in | Multilingual |
| Founded | June 2007 |
| Headquarters | 50 Beale Street, San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Founder(s) |
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| Key people |
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| Industry | Internet |
| Services | Online employment |
| Parent | Recruit Holdings |
| Commercial | Yes |
| Registration | Required |
| Current status | Active |
Glassdoor is a popular American website. It lets people who work or used to work at companies share their experiences. They can write reviews and share information about salaries. This helps others learn about different workplaces.
In 2018, a Japanese company called Recruit Holdings bought Glassdoor. Recruit Holdings also owns Indeed, another big job website. Glassdoor still works on its own, even though it is part of a larger company.
Contents
How Glassdoor Started
Glassdoor was created in 2007. The founders were Tim Besse, Robert Hohman, and Rich Barton. Rich Barton also helped start Expedia. The idea for Glassdoor came from a simple accident. Rich Barton once left employee survey results on a printer. This made him and Robert Hohman wonder. What if everyone could see how employees felt about their jobs? They thought this could help people choose where to work. The company first set up its main office in Mill Valley, California.
What You Can Do on Glassdoor
Glassdoor officially launched its website in June 2008. It was designed to collect company reviews and real salaries. Employees could share this information anonymously. This means their names were kept secret. Everyone who joined the site could then see these details.
The website shows average salaries for different jobs. It also has reviews about company management and culture. You can find information on big tech companies like Google and Yahoo. Users can also upload photos of offices. Each year, Glassdoor gives out "Best Places to Work Awards." These awards are based on overall company ratings from employees.
Glassdoor also lets users share questions asked in job interviews. This helps people prepare for their own interviews. Companies can also use Glassdoor to share their own information. They can add details like executive biographies or social media links.
In 2017, Glassdoor made an important announcement. It decided not to post job ads that unfairly exclude people. This was praised by the business magazine Entrepreneur.
In 2020 and 2023, Glassdoor made some changes to its team. Many employees started working from home in March 2020. By 2024, Glassdoor closed its last offices in Chicago and San Francisco.
Recently, Glassdoor changed how users sign up. New and old users now need to share their full name, workplace, and job title. While you can hide these details, they are still linked to your account.
Glassdoor Reports and Research
Glassdoor uses the information from its users to create reports. These reports cover many topics. For example, they look at work–life balance and the best places to work. They also study how accurate some common job search tips are.
Glassdoor even uses its own research to improve its company policies. A study in the United Kingdom found that people trust Glassdoor. They often see it as more reliable than career guides or official company documents.
Company Growth and Leadership
In May 2018, Recruit Holdings announced it would buy Glassdoor. The deal was worth $1.2 billion. The purchase was completed in June 2018.
Glassdoor has also grown internationally. In September 2016, it bought a Brazilian company called Love Mondays. This helped Glassdoor expand into Latin America.
By 2015, Glassdoor had 30 million users. These users were from 190 different countries. The site also had many corporate clients, including a third of all Fortune 500 companies. That year, Glassdoor started making special websites and apps for different countries, like Germany.
In February 2019, Christian Sutherland-Wong became the President & COO of Glassdoor. In 2023, Glassdoor also bought Fishbowl, a social app for work discussions.
Investments in Glassdoor
Glassdoor received its first funding in 2008. It got $3 million before its website even launched. In 2012, Glassdoor received $20 million in venture capital. This brought its total funding to over $42 million. The company raised another $50 million the next year.
In 2015, Glassdoor raised an additional $70 million. This investment round was led by Google Capital. At this point, the company was valued at almost $1 billion. By 2016, Glassdoor had raised a total of $200 million from investors.
Anonymity on Glassdoor
Glassdoor has always focused on keeping user reviews anonymous. This means people can share their honest opinions without fear. However, in 2024, Glassdoor changed its policy. Users are now required to verify their identity. This means real names and other personal details are linked to accounts. While reviews can still be posted anonymously, this change means user information is now connected to their real identity.
