Airbnb is known for having a high bar for engineering, but an equally high bar for culture. They famously have dedicated "Core Values" interviewers whose sole job is to assess if you are a good human being who aligns with their mission.
The Airbnb Loop Structure
Their loop includes unique formats not seen at other FAANG companies. Note that their frontend loops are heavily focused on React internals and state management.
- Phone Screen: 1 hour. Can be coding or a take-home project.
- Onsite (Virtual): 5 to 6 rounds.
- 2x Coding (Often practical, real-world problems rather than LeetCode puzzles)
- 1x Architecture (System Design)
- 1x Experience / Past Projects Deep Dive
- 2x Core Values (Behavioral)
The Core Values Rounds
These rounds are critical. You will meet with people outside of engineering.
- Be a Cereal Entrepreneur: Show grit and resourcefulness.
- Champion the Mission: Show passion for travel, connection, and belonging.
- Be a Host: Show empathy for users and colleagues.
Action: Prepare stories where you went out of your way to help a teammate or a customer, demonstrating profound empathy.
Free Prep Resources
Related Resources:
- Behavioral Interview Guide — Culture fit is critical at Airbnb
- System Design Playbook — Marketplace system design
- Frontend Interview Questions — Airbnb's strong frontend focus
- Uber Interview Prep — Similar marketplace engineering
- Stripe Interview Prep — Similar engineering culture