Things are deteriorating - Senior Software Engineer Tripadvisor Employee Review

3.0
28 Oct 2018
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Employees are smart Engineer cares about work and quality

Cons

Been with Tripadvisor since it was at Needham. It was a very positive experience the first couple of years, but since then, things have been deteriorating. It could be because of stock falling, from high above $100 down to $30 some at some point, Tripadvisor has become more tense and cautious. The motto the last few years have been 'cutting overhead'. That so-called 'overhead' leads to following effects: team downsized to half (many lefts but not many new fillings) but double up the works, snacks got cut down (even got rid of the paper cup on all of the upper floors), a handful of reorgs. When I started working at my current position, I realized the culture at Tripadvisor has not been better either. For one, Tripadvisor doesn't invest much in the employee. There weren't much of the training. For example, unless it's directly applied to the individual existing works, request for attending conference most likely will get turned down. Over the last 6 years, I haven't got to attend one single conference. Transparency at Trip hasn't been at it's best compared to other companies. For instance, employees have submitted questions but never get answered. At townhall, there is generally only a few minutes for addressing a few questions. But one thing that has gone the wrong way above all is the management. I've literally witnessed company letting the good employee go instead of working to keep them. If management wants you to go, they will make things difficult for you so you can quit yourself. If management thinks a team does not add value to their own agenda, they let the team slowly dying on its own instead. There are good management, so it depends on which you joined, but CoreX eng management is not one

Explore other reviews about Tripadvisor

5.0
18 Jan 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

people are awesome remote work is common pay and benefits are good

Cons

can they stay relevant in the world of AI

1
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Tripadvisor Response
4mo
Thank you for your positive remarks. As our company continues to evolve, we are appreciative of employee comments that highlight our strengths as well as areas we can improve upon.
2.0
21 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The people you get to work with are genuinely great, and the work-life balance remains fairly solid. In the past, the company attracted top-tier engineering talent from the most reputable tech firms, and the expectations were high but rewarding. A lot of that collaborative culture still exists among the engineers. You will be surrounded by capable individuals who want to do good work.

Cons

The company has been battered by unresolved structural issues over the last decade. The core meta-search business was crippled when Google altered its algorithms to prioritize its own travel products, effectively choking off the organic traffic Tripadvisor depended on. Combined with the impact of COVID-19, leadership tried launching new products to escape this SEO reliance, but those attempts consistently missed the mark. Now, the rapid adoption of LLMs is delivering another severe blow. Users no longer need traditional meta-search to plan travel. The core Tripadvisor product has essentially become a legacy cash cow, with the Experiences division (Viator) being the primary engine keeping the business afloat. Following the departure of the former CEO, thousands of highly skilled employees have left through attrition or ongoing restructuring. Layoffs have become a grim constant, happening once or twice a year. Even if you manage to avoid the cuts, the compensation structure is no longer competitive for the tech industry, and RSUs have virtually dried up. Because of the abysmal direction and the very high chance you won't survive the next round of looming layoffs, I strongly recommend avoiding this company as a new hire.

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