The Marketing org has a very messy culture. Success and growth are more dependent on joining the right clique or warming up to the right leaders than on performance, and expectations are rarely communicated. You're generally rewarded for being a yes-man and punished for pointing out issues to make the work or environment stronger. The org is layered and top-heavy, with each mid- or senior-level manager trying to push their own dreams, plans, and ideas in order to prove their worth and justify their positions. The ICs are then left to support the core initiatives as well as the constant stream of pivots and pet-projects from leaders, while resources are regularly short or reallocated. I mentioned above that the work/life balance at Zillow is generally a strong point, but this only holds for those times when the org hasn't over-extended its promises and resources. In other cases, you will be expected to work evenings and weekends to move projects forward. Overall, working in the Marketing org felt like pledging a frat or sorority: get through the hazing and get into leaderships' inner circles, and you'll have an easy time. Otherwise this won't be a company where you can expect to develop your career.
