I was disappointed with the TikTok interview process. After investing significant time in 4 interviews, receiving only a generic rejection email felt disheartening. Despite informing the hiring manager that I was in advanced stages with another company and being assured a prompt response, it took almost two weeks to receive an update. The lack of personalized feedback and delays made the experience feel impersonal and unprofessional. More transparent and timely communication would greatly improve the candidate experience.

Recruiter screen → Hiring manager → Case + deck creation → Panel interview → Offer stage The interview rounds were structured and professional. The case assignment was clear, and the panel interview went smoothly, although a scheduled grandparent interviewer did not attend and there was no separate grandparent interview afterward. The experience changed at the offer stage. The level proposed did not match the scope discussed throughout the interviews, and the compensation presented was significantly below market for the responsibilities outlined. Requests for clarity on leveling criteria, compensation philosophy, and internal benchmarks were met with vague answers, making it difficult to understand how the offer was determined. The team seemed alright, but the lack of transparency and the large gap between role expectations and the final offer raised concerns about internal alignment. I ultimately declined.