Disappointing Experience - Anonymous employee Refinery29 Employee Review

1.0
12 Dec 2016
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Free food, beauty products, fun events, some cool people.

Cons

Extremely disorganized without a clear mission. I thought it would be more pro-women and supportive, but it's actually cut-throat and has a "mean girls" culture. It feels like most people leave after less than a year because it's not worth the stress. I used to be a fan, but the company does not reflect what the writing is all about.

Explore other reviews about Refinery29

5.0
27 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great culture, extremely nice employees, diverse workplace

Cons

Not very cutting edge with their approach to tech

4.0
23 Mar 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Refinery29 was training day, every day. The pace and creative expectations forced you to sharpen fast. I cut my teeth here over four years and came out a fundamentally better strategist. The work was culturally plugged in, the people were sharp, and you were trusted with real responsibility early. If you wanted to learn how brand, content, and audience intersect at speed, there was no better place.

Cons

The intensity that makes it a great training ground also means the environment runs hot. Not everyone thrives in that — and depending on your team, support structures varied. The company went through a lot of change during my time, which created some instability.

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