A transparent and innovative software company found itself too big in an ailing economy. It is probably the right size now
A transparent and innovative software company found itself too big in an ailing economy. It is probably the right size now
The employees and the atmosphere. Having worked at large software companies before, I appreciated Zillow's open policy about everything. Even when the news isn't great, senior management is very professional about how they discuss things and they welcome an open discussion. Over time, this transparency exposed me to every aspect of managing the business outside of my job description and expectations. This is something I would have never seen from the aforementioned large software companies.
Restructuring the company to better handle a global slowdown in advertisement markets, Zillow recently went through a reduction in force (RIF).
This sudden and drastic change greatly affects the company's makeup, its culture, and it unavoidably drains the company of senior talent and "tribal" knowledge.
Rapid development and execution of ideas were largely a result of throwing lots of resources at a problem. Rather than rely on the product development team to quickly innovate and then refine an idea, execution of a plan was often bogged down quibbling over minor details.
Almost making the argument for the RIF, a smaller team with less oversight could deliver a similar, if not quite as polished, product in less time.
Some decisions are tough, but don't be afraid to openly share why certain decisions are made.
By being selective about who Zillow hires, you can find employees who are passionate about working at Zillow. While those hard decisions will be met with disappointment, they will also be met with respect and understanding.
Continue to treat your employees well, and they will continue to do their very best.
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Zillow Interview Experiences
Software Development Engineer, Test
From start to finish, very professional and efficient the whole way through. Oftentimes, I have found in my job pursuits that recruiters are very hit and miss; this was not the case with Zillow. The entire process was very smooth. Questions are not v
Software Development Engineer, Test
I randomly filled out applications online for different summer internships. Zillow was one of the few companies that reached out to me for a coding interview, which they sent over the internet. I sent it back after a couple of days and found out tha
Software Engineer (Internship)
The phone interview took around an hour, and the interviewer was very nice. He asked four questions. I don't remember them exactly, but they were all basic algorithm questions. I made some minor mistakes but figured them out at last.
Software Development Engineer, Test
Seattle, Washington, United StatesJuly 1, 2016From start to finish, very professional and efficient the whole way through. Oftentimes, I have found in my job pursuits that recruiters are very hit and miss; this was not the case with Zillow. The entire process was very smooth. Questions are not v
Software Development Engineer, Test
United StatesApril 17, 2013I randomly filled out applications online for different summer internships. Zillow was one of the few companies that reached out to me for a coding interview, which they sent over the internet. I sent it back after a couple of days and found out tha
Software Engineer (Internship)
Seattle, Washington, United StatesFebruary 1, 2017The phone interview took around an hour, and the interviewer was very nice. He asked four questions. I don't remember them exactly, but they were all basic algorithm questions. I made some minor mistakes but figured them out at last.
