Consumer review website mouthshut.com wants professionals across India and the us to honestly review their workplace; even if it means saying your boss has Paris Hilton's IQ

It's what can be called preventing the Hari-Sadu-syndrome, and it's growing online. Professionals looking to switch jobs are doing their homework, perhaps as meticulously as employers.

The Internet is their one-stop shop to dig out dirt and dope on future supervisors. Better be safe than sorry and endure a boss from hell.



"Most companies offer identical perks, but it's the company's attitude towards employees that sets it apart," says 34 year-old Mumbai entrepreneur Faisal Farooqui, whose consumer review site mouthshut.com launched a share-your-professional-experiences service, five months ago.

All one has to do is log in to comment (anonymous comments are also allowed) on the 5,000 medium to large-sized companies in sectors ranging from real estate to banking and information technology that are listed in the database, or create a new category for one's firm.

"These web posts help working professionals gain an inside understanding of company policies before deciding whether to get on board," says Farooqui.

The timing is apt considering the demographical shift. Currently, approximately 46% of the Indian population is under 25.

"We are a young country and the youth are either searching for the perfect job or the next best job. In an age of Facebook and Twitter, it makes sense to have information available at the click of a mouse."

The site has pegged the service as a democratic platform, and claims there is little monitoring done except in cases of vicious abuse. They also vouch for the fact that a person's identity or information is kept secret from a third party.

The response from employers has ranged from appreciation for the feedback to threats. The numbers say it all: more than 20,000 comments in just four months. "It's a healthy way for companies to gauge employee satisfaction. To make it fair, we allow HR personnel to post their side of the story," says Farooqui.

Farooqui's service is part of a growing trend of websites like Indianjobreviews (.com), jobeehive(.com) and talentequity(.in) that allow you to share professional stories, forcing employees to take notice.
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Infosys, in fact, will introduce a new social media policy next month that will restrict information employees will be allowed to share on social media platforms.

More chances of negative reviews on such sites
Anita Shantaram, corporate trainer
People share their joy with fewer people, misery with many. A balanced approach would be to get employees to state both positive and negative aspects of an organisation.
Pros
Information is easily accessible and readily available
Multiple user reviews on a single webpage
Cons
Credibility of comments are questionable since they are anonymous
People can make hasty judgements without cross-checking facts

Would you comment about your company online?
Savita Rijhwani (24), account supervisor with an ad agency
These sites need to build a reputation as being impartial before I can trust them. Negative comments on such sites are often planted by disgruntled employees or people with lots of time on their hands, and the positive ones by company spokespeople.

Clarence Lowden (26), manager at a PR agency
I wouldn't. Employers can easily track employees down. I am also wary about how the user info is going to be used, as one can never be sure about such things.
I wouldn't want my comments to be quoted in random surveys.