Really terrible place - Software Engineer Tripadvisor Employee Review

1.0
14 Nov 2016
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

you get paid, that's it. Cannot think of anything good about the team. I am not talking about the company i am talking about teams.

Cons

The so called new hire team rotation does not exist at all! When they hire they give such option. However once you are placed in a team, you are dead. People: In the whole year we have only one team lunch(no outing at all), all my manager knows is to stand behind people and asking how's it going. Those nerds in my team never know how to have a life. All they talk about is go home and watch cartoon. and they are pool on communucation with others, all cynic. When I ask how to find sth or can you give me a demo, they would say go google. Technology: They never know how old their technology is . Java for websites, not willing to use new stuffs. You cannot find spark/ nosql/ redis/ docker/ whatever is industrial standard now. They use SOAP, HTML, Spring, all kinds of dead limbo stuffs. Managers generally come for 3 years then leave. No one cars about long term profit. Stocks: Company miss market for 3 times now it is only $50, the revenue is even lower than 2014. I cannot think of any future. Promotion: Great people leaves. My best body at the team not at google and I am at another big company. When we reunion and talked, we both agree that manager does not know how to promote right people. Salary raise cannot even counter inflation. People's title does not even change after 3 years. Energy: I can only see people in their 40s in manaqer position, which makes the whole company not enegertic at all.

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Tripadvisor Response
9y
Thank you for your comments and we apologize that you found your experience here so disappointing. Unfortunately, this is a difficult forum to understand and discuss all of the details. We appreciate your candid feedback and although you’ve since left TripAdvisor, we would still certainly welcome the opportunity to further discuss your concerns via a call, skype or an in person meeting. Please feel free to reach out to us directly. We wish you the best of luck in your new opportunity. - Sugata Mukhopadhyay , VP Engineering

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 Jun 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.

1
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