TikTok

Online application

To start, search for a job of interest on https://lifeattiktok.com/. Search by location, program (e.g. Bachelor/Master Graduates & Internships). Once you identify your preferred role, click the position to apply directly with your CV/Resume.

Pre-screening activities

If you are applying for a technical role, you may be invited to complete an online coding assessment to showcase your programming skills and knowledge of common algorithms and data structures. To help you get familiar with the assessment platform, you will receive a preparation kit with sample challenge questions before attempting the actual test.

Interviews

Interview and assessment

If you are shortlisted, our recruiters will be in touch with you to arrange interviews with the team. You should expect to complete two to three interviews. This is an opportunity to get to know you better and for you to learn more about the opportunity. Depending on the role and region, you may be invited to participate in an assessment.

Read below about how to prepare and what to expect.

An assessment event combines tasks and activities, where you'll have the chance to demonstrate a wide range of skills.

Hosted virtually or in person, assessment events usually take a few hours to complete, and other may candidates join you.

It's essential that you:

• Learn more about TikTok! Be ready to tell us why you want to join.
• Give yourself time to complete and practice any material you've been asked to prepare.
• Practice potential exercises with a friend or family member.
• Research the news, trends, competitors, history, and opportunities of the organization and its job sector.

Assessment event tips

• Get your thoughts and ideas across during all exercises while being mindful of allowing others to speak!
• Don't dwell on any mistakes.
• Draw others into group discussions.
• Ensure that you understand the requirements of each task by quickly digesting the brief, and revisit once you understand the overall challenge.
• Relax and let your personality shine!

Interviewing for non-technical roles

In your interviews, you will usually speak with your potential teammates, cross-functional colleagues, and your hiring manager. Each interview will typically last between 30 minutes to an hour. Be prepared for behavioral, hypothetical, and case-based questions related to the role you are interviewing for.

It is important to understand how your desired position contributes to the organisation and to your personal growth. This will help you to emphasize relevant skills and experiences during the interview process. We recommend you spend some time researching TikTok's business, technology, and culture.

At TikTok we look for candidates with a strong desire to achieve excellence, a spirit for collaboration, an 'Always Day 1' attitude, an ability to communicate candidly and openly, and a passion for technology. It is a good idea to review all your experiences to highlight stories that demonstrate these qualities. We advise candidates to use the 'STAR' method to answer questions relating to their prior experience. We encourage you to be 'YOU' and display your 'Always Day 1' attitude during the interviews. TikTok highly values authenticity and unique thought. You are advised to showcase any qualities that make you unique.

You should be prepared to do problem-solving and answer questions about your role and the industry landscape. With most questions, the interviewers are more interested in understanding your thought process and how you articulate your ideas than whether your answer is "correct." Try to think out loud to allow the interviewer to understand your thought process. TikTok expects all candidates to be candid and clear. Feel free to communicate openly with your interviewers and ask clarifying questions to make sure you fully understand their questions.

The interview is meant to be a conversation rather than a question and answer session. You should not only demonstrate your skills and experience, but also show your personality. Although we understand the situation may be stressful, try to build a rapport with your interviewer. The interview is a great chance for you to learn more about TikTok and the person you're speaking with. You can ask your interviewer questions about his or her role and experiences at TikTok, as well as any other information you would like to know. It may help to think about what you want to ask prior to the interview.

Interviewing for technical roles

The technical interview will help us assess your problem-solving skills, analytical thinking, and grasp of computer science fundamentals. We want to understand your coding, algorithm and design skills (along with your technical areas of expertise, including tools, programming languages, and technologies specific to your team). A passion for technology, adaptability, analytical ability, and an interest in TikTok are key values we look for in our candidates.

There is no better way to prepare for the interview than to practice. We recommend that you search online for resources to help develop your coding and technical interview skills. We would also encourage you to find sample coding questions through sites like HackerRank & Nowcoder. While practicing, always validate or test your solutions. Focus specifically on the technology most relevant to your potential team, as it is likely to be tested during your technical interview.

It is very important to understand the problem statement clearly. You are encouraged to ask questions to clarify or gather any information you need to solve the problem posed to you. You should be prepared to have a candid and clear discussion relating to the topics with our interviewers and talk through your solutions. We would encourage you to be grounded and courageous in these exchanges.

The interviewer is more interested in your thought process than in the final answer. You are encouraged to think out loud to allow the interviewer to understand your problem-solving approach. We have noticed that strong candidates tend to ask relevant questions before writing the code, diagram the problem, validate their assumptions, and check their work constantly without being prompted. While solving a problem, pay keen attention to the efficiency of your solution to make sure it's not unnecessarily complicated.

In a technical interview, you are expected to think on your feet. Your ability to be agile and receptive to feedback will help you solve the problems more effectively and demonstrate a willingness to grow. This can often be just as important as your programming abilities.

Although the primary purpose of a technical interview is to test your technical competence, it is a great opportunity to showcase your personality. Your interviewers will often be people with whom you will be working closely. Demonstrating your ability to work in a team and collaborate is essential.

Receive offer and next steps

Successful candidates will receive offers on a rolling basis.