Bandaid over a gapping wound. - Client Engagement Specialist Zillow Employee Review

1.0
31 May 2018
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The pros are the bandaids. They offer amazing benefits, snacks, outings, etc. Any benefit you could hope for is offered, which causes employees to drink the “Zillow Kool-Aid” and ignore the real problems this company has.

Cons

Management is on separate playing fields. There is no constant when it comes to everyday operations and systems, each member of management you speak to has a different answer and they tend to conflict with each other, causing issues for the employee. There are cliques within every department, which is somewhat normal, but at Zillow, it’s extreme. The management plays into the cliques, causing more problems. Favoritism is the way to win in this company. If you suck up to the right people, you will excel and move within the company, but if you make one mistake, or if someone in a management position does not like you, you will be stuck or be fired without communication. I experienced many situations where employees where fired with very little warning. The way they fire employees is absurd as well, they will pack your desk while you are in the restroom or on break, and meet you in the hall (keep in mind this is an open floor that all of the employees and management share) with your box of things and walk you out. In front of everyone. When they try to offer some reasoning for the employees dismissal, they are very hush hush and do not posses transparency. They do not “turn on the lights”. The core and heart of the company has major faults, unfortunately nothing is being done about those faults. They are simply covering them with bandaids and even offering a candy wall for your troubles. My advice; don’t give into the gimmicks, save yourself the stress of job security and the stress of pettiness; do not work for Zillow.

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Zillow Response
8y
I'm sorry you felt your experience with Zillow was poor. I respectfully disagree with much of your assessment. Based on our company-wide employee engagement survey that just came out, over 90% of teammates in our department said they would recommend Zillow to a friend as a great place to work, and more than 80% are planning on staying for at least 2 years. This, to me, means we have a vibrant and productive team with a solid culture. Regarding performance management, we have a robust process that includes clear expectations, thorough documentation, and in-person conversations. The goal is always to move someone up, not out. You are correct that we don't share reasons for individual termination with the teams, out of respect for the individual impacted. If you have other direct feedback you'd like to share, I'm happy to connect with you directly at jrg@zillowgroup.com. JR Gast, VP Client Experience.

Explore other reviews about Zillow

5.0
8 Feb 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The posts about AWS culture infiltrating Zillow must be pretty team or person specific, as I've seen nothing but leaders who really care about their teams and the business. Middle managers can often drag down morale and culture - and working remote makes that hard to see/fix. But generally, the culture and support at Zillow is WAY better than any other tech company I've worked at (or heard about from friends). Fully remote with decent benefits and people who generally care about each other is fantastic (and hard to find in today's market). For those complaining about bad culture - I'd suggest you look at another role in another org, you might be pleasantly surprised the ZG people first culture is still strong.

Cons

Fully remote makes it hard to get the right visibility and promotions and ratings are unfortunately tied to whether senior leaders see your work and know who you are. You have to make an effort to be "seen" and that's hard to do remote. The news cycle is noisy with lawsuits, but I think a lot of that is because we're a big name with a big target on our back. A judge just ruled in Zillow's favor, against Compass.

2
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Zillow Response
3mo
Thank you for taking the time to share your review. It’s great to hear that leadership support, flexibility, and a people-first culture have stood out in your experience. We also recognize that visibility and growth can feel different in a remote environment, and feedback like this helps highlight where continued focus and clarity matter. We appreciate you sharing your perspective.
3.0
8 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

You can make good money here.

Cons

In sales, job can change often. For example: I was making good money and excelling because I am a relationship Sales person. Then they changed it to where you get the sale, and instead of being able to grow that account via that relationship you just broke into, you have to pass it to an account manager and go back to cold/robo calling. You "book" of business you recive to prospect from is a lottery. I received a book of prospects/accounts that most of the were low income, or senior living properties. They don't have a budget and have a line of renter on a waitlist. No way to convince them to spend money on advertising but you still have the same quota.

2
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Zillow Response
2w
Thank you for sharing such a detailed perspective. We understand that frequent changes to roles, account ownership and business priorities can have a real impact on relationship-building and the day-to-day experience in sales. We’re glad to hear compensation was a positive part of your time at Zillow, and we appreciate you being candid about where the model and structure felt frustrating. Feedback like yours helps us better understand how these changes are experienced across teams as the business evolves.
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