“People should probably coordinate together if you’re going to take this building. ... We’ve got another window to break so they can get in …”

—One of the rioters outside the Capitol last week, captured in a lengthy video as she used a bullhorn to direct other rioters as they broke into the building. (Starts at about 0:35 in this video).

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Have you ever had to hire someone to do search engine optimization?

My theory is that it’s the one time that it makes sense just to hire whatever comes up first on Google.

I was thinking about that as I scrolled through the top 100 employers in the country according to Glassdoor, which came out yesterday. (Yes, I pried myself from the impeachment and all that for a while.)

A few of them don’t make of ton of sense to me, not that I’ve ever worked at any of them.

However, back when I was still doing the Inc. This Morning email (some of you were with me then, thanks!) I wrote about how a lot of big companies now “stuff the ballot box” on Glassdoor, getting their employees to post 5-star reviews so they’ll rise up the rankings.

For some, it's as simple as offering every employee who posts a review a bit of company swag, like a coffee cup. For others, apparently, it involves getting eager interns to post wide-eyed depictions of how great their companies are.

Why do it? Basically the same reason people run massive campaigns to get 5-star reviews for products on Amazon, or restaurants and attractions on Yelp or TripAdvisor: pure business.

The clear winner is Glassdoor itself, which is now visited by 60 million people each month, has a robust business model, and was acquired by a Japanese company in 2018 for $1.2 billion.

So while I’m skeptical, I still found the list interesting.

If you believe it, then Bain & Company is the #1 company to work for, with its direct competitors McKinsey & Co. and BCG coming in #5 and #12 respectively.

Is In-N-Out Burger really the #3 employer? Maybe. I did once do a story on how they pay their store managers $160,000 a year — all of whom worked their way up from entry level and most of whom don’t have high school diplomas; that buys loyalty.

It’s not surprising to see Google (#6) and Facebook (#11) on the list. I do wonder whether the luster might have come off a bit more recently; the data was gathered from employees from October 2019 to October 2020.

Although come to think of it, both companies were quick to be very flexible in the Covid era, neither had layoffs, and their stock is up compared to a year ago.

Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines? Number 7 and #21.

More surprising perhaps is Royal Caribbean coming in at #30, despite the fact that there basically isn’t a cruise ship industry anymore.

Still, even if it’s not 100 percent true that say, E. & J. Gallo Winery (#77) is exactly six notches better than T-Mobile (#83), to quote a favorite editor of mine who sometimes reads this newsletter, it might be at least “directionally accurate.”

A lot of people will be looking for jobs soon, if they aren’t already.

At the very least, if that sounds like you or someone you care about, it might be worth checking out the list. Here’s the link to the whole 100.

7 other things worth your time

• The House voted to impeach President Trump yesterday for “inciting violence against the government of the United States,” making him the only president in history to be impeached twice. Unlike a year ago, the vote this time was at least a little bit bipartisan, with 10 Republicans joining all Democrats voting in favor. (CNBC)

• I’m still surprised Trump hasn’t tried to sue Twitter. But, reports are that his relationship with his lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, has been “fracturing” and he has “instructed aides not to pay Giuliani’s legal fees.” So, I have to wonder… Separately, Trump reportedly discussed with aides the possibility of resigning, but it was “ultimately a nonstarter,” partly because he does not trust Pence to pardon him if he did. (The Washington Post $, ABC)

• More than 20,000 Army National Guard soldiers will be on hand for the inauguration now, and thousands are already camping in the Capitol itself. (Comparisons: There are 15,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan now, and the 2007 Iraq surge involved 20,000). Soldiers reportedly have been warned to “brace” for improvised explosive devices in the Capitol on Jan. 20. (The Washington Post, The Daily Beast)

• The FBI is warning local police to consider using SWAT teams when arresting suspects from the Capitol attack, especially those who wore “body armor” during the riot. Among the reported arrests—there are many—are a five-time Olympic medalist swimmer, a guy whose photo went viral due to his vile t-shirt making fun of the Auschwitz concentration camp, and the man who posed for photos in Speaker Pelosi’s office during the riot. He’s facing charges that could bring 11 years in prison. Reports say an 18-year veteran of the Houston police department will likely face federal charges, too. (CBS News, AP, CBS Local, Houston Post)

• Airbnb is canceling all Washington DC-area bookings around the inauguration, (and paying the hosts for the revenue they’ll lose) as a way to avoid contributing to a further insurrection. (Airbnb)

• Pope Francis received the Covid-19 vaccination: “I believe that everyone should receive the vaccine; it is an ethical option because your health, your life is at stake and also you are putting at stake the life of others.” (America)

• When it comes to heart health, a new study finds there’s no limit: more exercise is always better. (Reuters)

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