Backend Software Engineer Interview Experience - San Jose, California
Process
I had a couple of rounds of interviews.
It felt very impersonal, and no personal questions were asked.
Scheduling was tough because the available timeslots were all evenings, and the interviewers were all from China.
Questions
The first round was split between a technical DFS question and a design question. The second interview was a design question.
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Interview Statistics
The following metrics were computed from 4 interview experiences for the TikTok Backend Software Engineer role in San Jose, California.
Success Rate
TikTok's interview process for their Backend Software Engineer roles in San Jose, California is extremely selective, failing the vast majority of engineers.
Experience Rating
Candidates reported having mixed feelings for TikTok's Backend Software Engineer interview process in San Jose, California.
TikTok Work Experiences
- 3.0Bad work-life balance, kind colleague.Backend Software Engineer • Current EmployeeSan Jose, California, United StatesJanuary 16, 2025Pros: Colleagues are talented. Compensations are competitive. Good free canteen for weekdays.Cons: Bad work-life balance, often needs to meet in the evening. Bad documentation. In the risk of being banned.
- 2.0Learn Lots, Brutal On-callBackend Software Engineer • Current EmployeeSingapore, SingaporeOctober 21, 2025Pros: A lot of work, a lot of ownership. You will definitely learn a lot.Cons: High-paced, brutal on-call. If you don't know Chinese, you have no career progression.
- 5.0Great Office, No ConsBackend Software Engineer • Current EmployeeSingapore, SingaporeJune 29, 2025Pros: Nice office with good food.Cons: Not much con so far.
TikTok Interview Questions
