Exciting environment, needs to mature. - Anonymous employee Airbnb Employee Review

3.0
Nov 3, 2016
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

-Very exciting to be at a rocket-ship startup like Airbnb. This is the epicenter of the "tech" universe. This place has got it all over Silicon Valley, the show. The beards are luscious and everyone get everything delivered....even cookies!! -Many very smart people work here. Lots of A players. The new "adults" on the exec team are fantastic additions and are making progress. -Amenities are unparalleled. Workspaces are beautifully designed, the food team is really fantastic especially if you are interested in the origin and quality of your food. Really top notch. -Great events, some good internal education opportunities. -Great tech provided for every employee. Support team is fantastic. -If you are entrepreneurial and have the right boss you can accomplish big things. -Some great benefits, lyft for work,travel coupons etc....

Cons

These arent so much "cons" as things to be aware of. 1. The emperor has no clothes. Everyone seems afraid to tell Brian Chesky that nobody and I mean nobody thinks the upcoming product is a good idea. 2. So much Kool-Aid I mean its organic and locally sourced but you better be ready to drink from the fire-hose. If you can go full Stockholm syndrome you will enjoy the "culture". 3. Core-values are mostly phony-baloney and a way to sort out the cool kids from the rest. The company misses out on serious talent due to people being eliminated in core values interviews (google it). 4. Work-life balance does not exist yet. people are trying but dont be fooled you will suffer for trying to maintain balance in your life esp. if you have a family or priorities outside Airbnb. 5. Emphasis on drinking at company events and off-sites is not like anything ive ever seen. If you arent a drinker you will feel left-out at events. 6. Most middle managers are inexperienced or coming fromm non-management roles. 7. Developing your skills here is tough at best.....

Explore other reviews about Airbnb

5.0
Jun 4, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Airbnb's mission of creating a world where anyone can belong anywhere strongly resonates with me. I'm excited by the opportunity to build products that operate at global scale and directly impact millions of users. My background in full-stack engineering, distributed systems, cloud infrastructure, and AI-powered applications aligns well with Airbnb's focus on innovation, reliability, and exceptional user experiences. I am particularly attracted to Airbnb's engineering culture, emphasis on ownership, and commitment to solving complex technical challenges while delivering meaningful value to hosts, guests, and communities worldwide.

Cons

One challenge of working at Airbnb is the complexity that comes with operating a global platform at scale. Engineering teams must balance reliability, performance, compliance, and user experience across many markets and stakeholders. While this can make development and decision-making more complex, it is also one of the aspects that makes the work technically interesting and professionally rewarding.

1.0
Apr 10, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

- Friendly and inviting environment - Inclusive - Autonomy

Cons

- Poor training (gaps exist in workflows, workflows are tailored to senior agents only and not new joiners) - Metrics (discussed briefly, but never something emphasized until it's too late) - Low pay (you're criminally being underpaid for this role and it's responsibilities despite the company being massive) - False expectations (be okay with metrics that were closed to meeting, but suddenly, cutting you loose without any advance notice)

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