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      Kong

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      Kong reviews

      Only work here if you need a paycheck in a bad job market - Anonymous employee Kong Employee Review

      1.0
      15 May 2023
      Anonymous employee
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business outlook

      Pros

      The Product is really respected in the marketplace and performs. The current Product and Engineering leadership seem to know what they are doing and their teams like their work for the most part.

      Cons

      This company has churned through SO MANY mid to senior level managers over the last few years. They have a story for why people came and went, but that story is only a half truth once you get the real story. They admit to having made a bad VP of Sales hire in the past, but then repeat it by hiring yet another toxic Enterprise Sales leader who clearly went to the Glengarry Glen Ross school of sales leadership. He is a bully, bad mouths his own people in meetings, and prides himself on making really fast snap judgments without any additional perspective. The CS team has had an absentee interim VP of CS for over a year. Great PS engineers and all of the lower level leadership have all churned or been let go. They intentionally under invest in this function, and then expect the team to be effective with too many customers to manage. Here are some other lowlights: *You can look forward to receiving your comp plan so late, you have no opportunity to hit it. It is nothing but excuses as to why you get it with 3 weeks left to go in the quarter. * When there are serious issues, senior leadership is more interested in finding blame than addressing issues or even simply offering to help. *If you get promoted, you will get saddled with all of the problems and responsibilities of that new role on day 1, but you will not get the formal title or pay bump for months as they string you along. It is common to be stuck in this mode for 6+ months before you get the formal recognition for the role you have been performing.

      avatar
      Kong Response
      2y
      Hello. Thank you for the post, although it's difficult to read. The journey of a start-up, particularly at key inflection points, is full of change. Sometimes people are asked to try on new and expanded responsibilities, which ultimately lead to expanded roles. Occasionally new processes need to reviewed and adjusted. The key it to iterate well and to iterate fast. This is what start-ups are all about. We are quite open and clear about the journey and that its not for everyone. I can't be certain about your departure date, but some of your data points pre-date the alignment of CS under Sales. We made that change and we're seeing really tight alignment with common objectives, great customer results including even better expansions and retention and our CS team are motivated and empowered. Still- as with all things its a work in progress, but the the recent changes are bearing fruit. Same with the PS team. We have brought in experienced leadership in the America region and the global PS Teams are building great process, including a robust partner ecosystem and delivering exceptional services to our customers. I appreciate the that you took the time to post. We thank you for your contributions to Kong and wish you all the very best in your next chapter.

      Explore other reviews about Kong

      5.0
      1 July 2026
      Enterprise account executive
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business outlook

      Pros

      High earning potential. Product dominates in most competitive scenarios and stands out on the Gartner report at the very top right and leading the API space with the greatest vision. A testament to the CEO's ability to read into the way the market is moving based on his decades of experience and keeping up with customer demands going into the agentic era. Lucky to work here. The best and brightest in API & AI gateways are here. The pre-IPO excitement vibe is real here. Good coverage from an AE to SE standpoint (2:1). Easily able to communicate across the business to get help/answers to solving hard problems with colleagues more than happy to help.

      Cons

      Scaling into an IPO means things are moving fast so not a con per se but keeping up with small competitors, who are popping up quickly (but also leave the market quickly) as well up has its demands as clients are looking everywhere right now to survive and win in this agentic era.

      5.0
      18 May 2026
      Anonymous
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business outlook

      Pros

      The thing that stands out most at Kong is the people. This is genuinely one of the most talented, driven, and collaborative groups I've worked with — and that's not just within my immediate team. Kong has built a truly global team, and the diversity of perspective and experience you get from that is something you can feel in day-to-day work. The product speaks for itself. Kong is solving real, complex problems in the AI connectivity space, and there's a shared sense of purpose around what we're building. It's the kind of place where you actually believe in what you're selling, which makes a big difference. Culture is something a lot of companies talk about but few actually invest in. Kong's COURAGE core values aren't just words on a wall — they come up in real conversations and shape how decisions get made. Leadership is visible, engaged, and genuinely cares about the team.

      Cons

      Like any high-growth tech company, the pace is fast and there's always more work to do than hours in the day. If you thrive in ambiguity and like to move quickly, that's energizing — but it can be a lot if you're looking for a slow and steady environment.

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