Graduates about to enter the workforce are often disappointed with
the lack of information when researching what jobs to go for and where to
apply. Fortunately a new, interactive website is up and running to help, called
Inside Buzz. The website is aimed at giving graduates and young professionals
an internal look into the job before they start, by presenting quotes from
current employees at a host of UK companies. Inside Buzz works with HR
departments to gather quotes about everything from pay to hours to diversity in
the workplace.
Founder Thomas Nutt explained: “Inside Buzz came out of the
frustration from students that career publications simply rehash the same
information found on corporate websites. So we began to think about how we
gather information and we immediately thought of the websites Top Table and
Trip Advisor, where people share comments about their experiences. We wanted to
bring that structure to the recruitment field so that graduates could have
access to employees to find out what life is really like on the job.”
Inside Buzz generates this content by having HR departments
distribute a survey to employees at all levels, then Inside Buzz distils those
quotes to show potential employees authentic accounts from current staff,
always making sure that a fair representation of all opinions is expressed. The
survey asks employees a range of questions about their daily workload, job
satisfaction, the culture of the company, and what relationships are like
between different departments and responsibility levels. Currently Inside Buzz
works with over 70 UK companies including KPMG, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Boston
Consulting Group, Thales, and Allen & Overy.
Students and young professionals have responded positively to the
site since it launched in early 2010, and the content continues to grow with
employee quotes, job listings, and helpful articles about different sectors and
tips on getting hired. HR managers appreciate Inside Buzz not only for
increased brand awareness and visibility, but also for that layer of
transparency that potential employees really value.
Besides working with companies, Inside Buzz also partners with
university societies and career services to make sure that those coming into
the workforce have a good understanding of their potential employers. Jake
Foster, sponsorship secretary of the Cambridge University Law Society,
remarked: “I used Inside Buzz when I was researching law firms for my
applications and found it to be an extremely valuable resource.”
Mark Powell, Head of Information
Services at the University of Bristol Careers Service, sees value in what
Inside Buzz brings to the students he works with: “Students
and graduates can browse thousands of quotes from actual employees and they
value the opportunity to read the insider’s view on what it is really like to
work for a company.”
Elizabeth Mortimer of Graduate Futures at the University of
Hertfordshire also commented on the importance of Inside Buzz to the graduates
she helps with recruitment: “I think it is always useful for students and
graduates to get an inside feel for a company before and during the application
process, as well as when conducting initial research.”
If you are interested in sending an Inside Buzz survey to your
employees, please contact Thomas Nutt at 020 7343 3600 or thomasnutt@insidebuzz.co.uk and
follow Inside Buzz on Twitter and Facebook
