Why Do Companies Choose to Remain Anonymous in Job Advertisements? writing by Adora Ikwuemesi

The reasons why some companies' identities are hidden in job adverts is no secret. It is often to aid objectivity and confidentiality in the recruitment process. Let me give examples of how it aids objectivity. Certain brands when revealed will over attract candidates including the wrong candidates creating a waste of recruitment resources. e.g. Everyone wants to work for an MTN. Once everyone knows MTN is recruiting, MTN starts receiving unnecessary attention from all quarters. Unsolicited applicants can go as far as harrasing MTN staff. MTN may just not want to deal with this so they hire a recruiter or an agency who keeps their identity anonymous. On the opposite side, we have some companies that have a poor or just ok brand image that If they reveal their brand they will not attract the type of candidates they want e.g. If you want to work for a Multinational and you see a job advertised for Okeke and Sons, you will run as fast as your legs can carry you. Meanwhile Okeke and Sons may just have gotten international funding from a USA grant. Thus, Okeke and Sons chooses to remain anonymous so that there will be no bias and good candidates will give them a chance. Similar example is when the candidates a company wants to attract already work with the best in their industry, if you approach such candidates revealing the company name, the candidate may refuse to go through the recruitment process citing e.g. 'I already work for Chevron why should I bother interviewing with Oando'. Meanwhile Oando really wants Chevron/Mobil candidates for a new project.

Let me give another personal example; I was recruiting for a role once for a 'not so great brand' let us call them XYZ company. I called a candidate to discuss the role and withheld the company name as confidential. The candidate was very enthusiastic about the role infact excited then said 'I hope the company is not XYZ Company because if it is, I am not interested. Well, truth be told I simply maintained the clients anonymity and arranged the interview. The candidate went for the interview, the client got the opportunity to address all the candidate's concerns and improve their brand image to the candidate. The company made the candidate an offer. The offer was accepted, everyone was happy. Now had the client not been anonymous, the recruitment process would not have been able to attract this candidate who was an ideal candidate but had a bias against XYZ company.

In terms of confidentiality, a number of roles are confidential because there may be someone still occupying the advertised role. The employer will want to remain anonymous because they will not want the incumbent or any of its employees to know about the recruitment. I am sure none of us will like to see our jobs being advertised.

Of course a lot of companies advertise jobs with their names in public view. In my experience it is done to promote the brand via publicity or to show that the role was made open to all. Government and some companies have it as policy to advertise in newspapers. I can however tell you from my own experience that the companies are often prepared for the consequences of advertising publicly with their identities revealed. I personally do not recommend it as given the nature of unemployment here it just creates extra work and stress for all parties.

These are just a few examples. They are more good reasons why companies want to remain anonymous. I hope this helps some people understand why employers identities are protected in recruitment.

Informative!

Educative

This teaches a job seeker something. Thanks