How to Get a Pinterest Employee Referral
Pinterest hires across engineering, product, design, data science, sales, and content moderation to build its visual discovery platform, and because referred candidates reach a real person inside the team, an employee referral is one of the strongest ways to stand out at Pinterest.
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A plain LinkedIn search buries the people who would actually help you.
It ranks by prominence, so the most-followed, most-messaged names sit on top. FindWarmIntros surfaces the coworkers who share your school or a past employer - the people most likely to reply - and hands you a ready-to-send intro.
✍️ Ready-to-send intro“Hi - we both studied at [your school]. I’d love to hear about your path to Pinterest before I apply…”
… plus everyone else in your network who can put in a good word.
See who can refer you in - pick your target company:
Quick answer
Yes, Pinterest takes employee referrals: an employee puts your name in internally, usually before you apply, and about 50% of hires come through referrals. You do not need to already know someone there. You need an employee you share a school or a past employer with, and a short conversation.
- Find Pinterest employees who share your school or a past employer (the free search above).
- Ask for a 15 minute chat about their team, not for a job.
- If it goes well, ask them to submit your referral before you apply.
Referral bonuses at large companies typically run $1,000 to $10,000, paid to the employee who refers you, never to the candidate. See reported referral bonus amounts by company.
Pinterest Referral Program Facts
Pinterest hires across software engineering, machine learning and data science, product management, product and brand design, ads and sales, trust and safety, and marketing - much of it centered on recommendations, ads, and the core Pins and boards experience. Teams in these areas tend to look for people who understand consumer products and large-scale recommendation systems.
A referral at Pinterest usually means an employee submits you through the internal hiring system for a specific role, which helps a recruiter notice your application sooner. It does not skip interviews or guarantee an offer - you still go through Pinterest's normal screening and interview loop, but a credible internal voice gives your application context most cold applicants never get.
Don't already know someone at Pinterest? You don't have to.
The steps below all start the same way - finding an insider willing to refer you. FindWarmIntros does that part for you: it surfaces the Pinterest employees who already share your school or a past employer (the people most likely to say yes) and drafts the intro. Free, no sign-up, ~10 seconds.
Show me who can refer me at Pinterest →Or read the manual version first - it's right below.
How to Get a Pinterest Referral: Step by Step
- Find a real connection: FindWarmIntros surfaces Pinterest employees who share your school or a past employer, so you reach out to someone who already has a reason to help rather than a stranger.
- Pick the right org: Pinterest's engineering, design, ads, and trust and safety teams hire differently. Decide which one your background fits before you ask, so your contact can point you to the right recruiter.
- Make the ask concrete: Send the specific Pinterest role and a short note on why your experience with consumer or recommendation products fits, so your contact can submit you quickly.
- Show you know Pinterest: Reference how you actually use Pins, boards, or search, and what you would want to improve. Pinterest's product-minded culture rewards people who think like users.
- Follow up once, politely: If you do not hear back, send one short, friendly follow-up. Employees are busy and a single reminder is usually welcome, while repeated pings are not.
Pinterest-Specific Tips
Lean into product sense
Pinterest is a consumer discovery product, so framing your work around how people find and save ideas resonates more than a generic resume summary.
Target recommendations and ads roles
Much of Pinterest's engineering and data hiring centers on recommendations and advertising. If that is your background, say so clearly to your referrer.
Respect trust and safety's seriousness
Content moderation and trust work are core to Pinterest. If you are aiming there, show you take user safety and policy nuance seriously.