TikTok has exploded in popularity over the last few years, becoming one of the most widely used social media platforms globally. As TikTok continues to grow rapidly, many people are interested in learning more about the company’s hiring process and interview questions. In this comprehensive guide, we will provide an overview of TikTok interviews, share sample interview questions, and offer tips for acing your TikTok interview.
Overview of the TikTok Interview Process
The TikTok interview process varies based on the role you are applying for. However, most candidates can expect 3-5 rounds of interviews, consisting of a mix of technical, behavioral, case study, and management interviews.
For engineering roles, candidates will complete a coding challenge or technical assessment early in the process to evaluate their programming skills and computer science fundamentals. The onsite interviews focus heavily on data structure, algorithm system design and object-oriented programming questions.
For non-technical roles like marketing sales content, and operations, the interviews center around behavioral and situational questions. Interviewers look for strong communication skills, passion for the TikTok product, creativity, and an entrepreneurial spirit.
Across all roles, TikTok looks for cultural fit with their “ByteStyle” values: aim for the highest, be open and humble, be grounded and courageous, be candid and clear, always day 1. Demonstrating these values is key.
Common TikTok Interview Questions
Here are some of the most frequently asked interview questions at TikTok:
Behavioral and Cultural Fit Questions:
- Tell me about a time you aimed for the highest quality in your work.
- Describe a situation where you had to be open and humble.
- What are you passionate about? How would you apply that passion if you worked here?
- How do you stay up-to-date with the latest trends on TikTok?
Technical Questions:
- Explain how you would design the architecture for TikTok’s “For You” feed algorithm.
- How would you optimize video streaming performance on mobile devices?
- Given a large video file, how would you compress it for storage and streaming on TikTok?
Case Study Questions:
- TikTok’s growth has plateaued in a key market. As a product manager, how would you identify the root causes and develop solutions to re-ignite growth?
- If you were the head of TikTok’s creator program, how would you attract and retain more creators?
- TikTok wants to expand e-commerce features on its platform. As a program manager, how would you approach this initiative?
Management Questions:
- How would you go about building an effective team at TikTok?
- Describe your management style and how it has evolved over time.
- Tell me about a challenging direct report you managed. How did you work to improve that relationship?
Tips for Acing the TikTok Interview
Here are some top tips for preparing for your TikTok interview:
-
Practice mock interviews – Replicate the interview setting by doing practice interviews with friends or booking sessions with a career coach.
-
Study TikTok thoroughly – Be ready to talk extensively about your favorite features, trends, creators, and improvements you would make to the app.
-
Prepare stories – Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to develop compelling stories that showcase your top skills.
-
Review technical fundamentals – For engineering roles, brush up on data structures, algorithms, object-oriented design, and system architecture.
-
Research ByteStyles – Understand TikTok’s cultural values and have specific examples ready that demonstrate you embody them.
-
Ask thoughtful questions – The interview is a two-way conversation. Ask smart, well-researched questions that show your enthusiasm for TikTok.
-
Follow up promptly – Send thank you notes to your interviewers within 24 hours and follow up on next steps in a professional manner.
With thorough preparation using the strategies above, you will be well-equipped to have a stellar interview process at TikTok. Show them you are passionate about the company’s mission and delivering creative solutions to take TikTok to the next level.
Step 2: Technical Phone Screen
TikTok’s first technical phone screen is relatively straightforward and should only take about 30 minutes. It’s usually done in HackerRank. If you brush up on LeetCode questions, you should do fine here.
At TikTok, there isn’t a discrete onsite portion of the hiring process. They will be done one at a time, and you must pass each one before you can move on. That being said, the order will be like other companies’ onsite interviews once you get past the first technical screen. On-site interview loops are also different depending on the job and level of seniority, but here’s what you can expect:
- Coding (1 hour). This is a lot tougher than the technical phone screen, and it should take an hour. HackerRank will be used during the interview, which is usually run by someone on the team you are interviewing for. Read the Coding section below to learn more about the types of questions you can expect.
- System design (1 hour). This meeting will take place in HackerRank and be led by a hiring manager on the team. Read the section below on System Design to learn more about the types of questions you can expect.
- Behavioral (1 hour). This interview will be conducted by a skip-level manager. Read the section below called “Behavioral” to learn more about the kinds of questions you can expect.
TikTok’s Interview Process for Software Engineers: 5 Steps
When mid- to senior-level engineers interview at TikTok, the following steps are usually taken, but they can be different from team to team:
- Recruiter call (30 minutes)
- The technical phone screen lasts for 30 minutes, the second technical phone screen lasts for an hour, system design lasts for an hour, and behavioral lasts for an hour. Each interview is separate, and you have to pass one before you can move on to the next.
The process at TikTok is spread out, and you can often interview for more than one team at the same time. We’ve heard that some teams don’t let you do this, but in general, you can apply for more than one job. Because each team is in charge of its own process and staff, you probably won’t be able to skip any steps for one team that you’ve already done for another. e. , you’ll still have to complete the full process each time. Your interviewers will all come from the team you are interviewing for.
Since many of TikTok’s engineers and senior managers are based in China, you may have interviews at times that are also business hours in China. g. , Sunday evenings, other evenings).
At other companies, all of your interviews will likely happen on the same day, but at TikTok, you will probably only have one at a time and have to pass each one before moving on to the next.
The entire process takes around 5 weeks, but it can go much more quickly if you tell them you need to finish your interviews by a certain date, e.g. g. , if you have competing offers. If TikTok thinks they might lose out, they’re willing to move quickly, but you’ll have to remind your recruiter over and over to move faster.
General tips for interviewing with TikTok:
- You might be asked questions in Mandarin if you put it on your resume, and the interview could happen during Chinese business hours.
- Be prepared for huge variations in the process between teams. They are hiring a lot of people, but they don’t have a formal process in place.
- You should practice questions like those on LeetCode because they are used a lot in the first few technical rounds.
- They can move quickly if you need them to, but you have to really push them and keep pushing. That goes for making plans and getting an offer quickly respectively. For as long as you say you have another offer, they will take it.
17 Questions TikTok always asks in Interviews (and how to answer them)
What is the interview process like at TikTok?
The interview process varies between teams and technical vs. non-technical roles. Usually, you can expect: Considering that TikTok is a high-growth startup, the interview process is purportedly disorganized, and interviewers don’t always communicate with each other, so you may find yourself repeating information.
How do you answer a TikTok question?
This question is a great way to test your knowledge of the app and how it can be used. You should answer this question by describing what you like about TikTok, as well as why you think others would enjoy using it too. Example: “I love TikTok because I can use it to connect with my friends in a fun way.
How do you schedule a coding interview at TikTok?
1. HR reached out for a call 2. 2 rounds of coding interviews 3. HM behavior questions 4. HR call for culture fit. HR is very efficient in scheduling interviews. I interviewed at TikTok Have two questions and you need to write down the code within 45 minutes, also have some follow-up questions.
What questions should you ask in a TikTok interview?
In the first 5 mins, it asked you some questions about your resume and introduce yourself, and you can also ask some questions of the positions and their scope and daily work in the end of the interview, Will give you feedback very quickly. I just had my final round interview with the HRBP with TikTok Shop.
