Design gets big respect - Design Manager Airbnb Employee Review

5.0
Jul 14, 2019
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

So great to be in a company where I don't have to constantly sell the need for design, content, and research. Design-led is accepted and embraced way of working at Airbnb. Designers are more like product managers at other companies, making business cases, and leading the full vision for new products and features. The Design team is super, super talented too. The best I've ever work with.

Cons

The only real bummer is the product team is terrible. I still have no idea what product managers do here. They aren't decision makers, they don't drive the business case, and they don't seem to have any responsibility for team culture. If Airbnb could solve this, they'd be unstoppable.

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.

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