Pros
- Very international environment, many smart people from around the world - Good compensation and benefits - Support for you and your family with relocation and paperwork - Many opportunities for quick career growth (if you want it) - Very good office location - Good office facilities, cafeterias, cheap lunches, free snacks and fruits - Many projects to choose from (depends on a manager) - Agile attitude without too much of the methodological nonsense - Flexible working hours (not for everyone) - Various events at the office - Hotel discounts PS Things might have changed since 2016.
Cons
(This is a summary of a review I wrote before, and then deleted out of fear. I will let this one stay). When people scream "Booking can destroy your life!" on this and other websites, it's not an exaggeration. If you cross the company (and you won't even know it at the time), the retaliation will be absolutely insane. The abuse I experienced during and after my employment is unbelievable, and to this day I'm afraid to share the details publicly. Before Booking I was a traveller and a developer, now I'm unemployed for almost 3 years, with no opportunity to lead normal life at all. The level of cynicism is what makes Booking special, compared to other giant companies. Your colleagues will write blog posts about "empathy" and "kindness" while simultaneously helping to turn every day of your life into a nightmare, both online and offline. Once you are The Enemy, there are no limits. They will mock any illness or disability you or your family members had. All of your internet searches, social media posts, online purchases, email etc. will be presented in some negative light and used against you. Even if you've been a good colleague and a friend all this time, the Ministry of Truth will make sure nobody believes you (popular fairly tale cover stories for employees leaving abruptly are burnout and depression). In the end you won't be able to prove a thing - people aren't so stupid to say your name explicitly while abusing you. Any supporters will be silenced and any friendships destroyed. The negative effects will continue long after you've been forced to quit. To be fair, they will give you a good-bye bonus, to make sure you have enough money to move out of the country, if you are an expat. It's a five-star company if money is all you're after, but zero-star if you want to have a meaningful life in the process. You can succeed if you disconnect you private and work life *completely*. No personal devices, accounts, conversations, phone calls at the office. No friendships at work. No work in your free time. Be a good 9-to-5 citizen and everything will be fine. I'm aware how different this sounds from the official company mantra about openness, care, inclusiveness. The company has deep roots with some rich folklore and is well-known for its parties, but the start-up days are long gone. What's left is propaganda and a shiny image. Don't trust that image: Booking is a multi-billion giant and has enough money to do anything it wants with your life, including taking away your most fundamental rights to privacy, safety and security. Most likely it won't happen to you, but it can. Be aware.
