How to Get an Airbnb Employee Referral

Airbnb is one of the most design-forward and mission-driven tech companies. It receives far more applications than it can process - a referral from an Airbnb employee is your fastest path to getting a real look.

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By the Numbers

6,000+

Airbnb employees globally

$3-8K

estimated referral bonus

High

referral culture strength

Airbnb went through significant layoffs in 2020 and has since rebuilt carefully, meaning its current headcount is smaller but its hiring bar is higher than ever. The company is known for its strong design culture, community-driven mission, and high standards for craft across every discipline.

Airbnb's referral program is active and employees are proud to refer strong candidates. The tight-knit alumni network from the pre-IPO era is particularly well-connected and alumni are generally willing to help qualified candidates get a foot in the door.

How to Get a Referral: Step by Step

Find Airbnb employees in your network: Airbnb has alumni from a wide range of tech companies (Uber, Google, Meta, Pinterest) and top design and engineering schools. Search for connections by shared employer or school.
Understand Airbnb's culture: Airbnb is built around belonging, design excellence, and community. Candidates who genuinely care about these values and can articulate why Airbnb specifically stand out. Generic "I want to work at a great tech company" messaging does not land here.
Target design and product roles separately: Airbnb's design and product organizations are among the most respected in tech. If you are a designer or PM, Airbnb alumni in these functions are your warmest leads and the bar for referrals in these areas is high but not impossible.
Ask for a 15-minute call: Airbnb employees respond well to genuine curiosity about the company and the work. Ask about their specific team and what they find most interesting about the product challenges they are solving.
Reference the specific open role: Find the role on careers.airbnb.com and include the link in your follow-up. This makes the referral submission fast and shows you have done your research.

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Tips That Make the Difference

Airbnb's remote culture creates more network access

Airbnb shifted to a "live and work anywhere" model post-pandemic. This means Airbnb employees are now spread across many cities. Your chances of having a geographic connection with an Airbnb employee are higher than with a company that is exclusively SF-based.

The design community is tightly networked

Airbnb's design team has an outsized reputation in the industry. Designers who want to work there often have connections to current or former Airbnb designers through design communities, conferences, and portfolios. If design is your background, lean into these community connections.

Post-IPO Airbnb is more structured

Airbnb went public in 2020. Since then, its HR and recruiting processes have become more structured. The referral program is formal and documented, making it easier for employees to submit referrals compared to the earlier startup days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Airbnb have an employee referral program?

Yes. Airbnb has a formal employee referral program. Employees can submit referrals through Airbnb's internal HR system and receive bonuses for candidates who are successfully hired. Referred candidates receive priority review and are typically contacted by a recruiter faster than cold applicants.

Is Airbnb a good place to work?

Airbnb consistently ranks highly on employer review sites for culture, design quality, and mission alignment. The company is known for caring deeply about the employee experience - fitting given its product. Post-IPO, it has become somewhat more corporate, but the core culture of belonging and craft remains strong.

What does Airbnb look for in employees?

Airbnb looks for people who are genuinely mission-driven (not just resume-driven), have high craft standards in their discipline, and can work across functions. The interview process includes culture fit conversations that probe for genuine alignment with Airbnb's core values around belonging and community.