‘I Love My Job’: Making a Real Impact on Millions of Users as Part of the Global TikTok Team

Welcome to I Love My Job, the series where we hear from women who really love their jobs. In this edition, we sat down with Hao Tang, a Tech Lead on the TikTok Risk Systems and Tools team. In this role, Tang writes code and supports others doing the same. 

“Our code tries to encourage genuine interactions between TikTok users,” Tang explains. “TikTok is all about fun and creativity, which attracts a lot of interest from people. However, there are some who post spam, sell fake followers, and are even involved with illegal activities. That's where my team steps in! Our work serves to keep users safe from those potential risks.”

When asked about what drew her to this role at TikTok, Tang emphasizes the impact she’s able to make. “TikTok has billions of users worldwide, and that number is still growing. Imagine making just one percent of that user experience better. That means millions of folks are going to find awesome content without worrying about negative disturbances; millions will feel a real sense of community and thanks to the work of a genuine human behind the screen.”

This isn’t where Tang’s potential to make an impact stops either! “There are a lot of opportunities and resources available to make a positive impact,” she says. “We work with smart people from all over the world, and there are very supportive teams to help us grow and take on challenges.” Tang notes that the company still has a startup vibe that empowers team members to constantly try new ideas, stay open, and make an impact!

Check out the video below, where Tang shares more about why she loves working at TikTok. There are also highlights from the video in the following article.

Talk to us about what you find most exciting about the work you do.

What I find interesting about my work is the importance of keeping our platform and users safe. It's like playing a strategy game where we're constantly challenged to outsmart the professionals who are trying to game our system on a global level.

For example, we had a project where we tried to figure out if a user was actually a bot on the platform. We had to build all sorts of systems, tools, and machine learning models to enable us to make good decisions in a short period of time that also adapt on the fly.

Every day here involves a puzzle to solve, which keeps us excited. 

What do you find most surprising about working at TikTok?

I'm pleasantly surprised by how diverse the TikTok crew is. In fact, championing diversity and inclusion is one of our core values here. It’s awesome seeing people from different backgrounds and cultures coming together to make things happen. My teammates come from over five different countries. Each person brings their own uniqueness to the table, and those differences really shine during brainstorming sessions. Everybody contributes a different angle that completes the picture and helps us come up with some truly innovative ideas.

Talk about the benefits and support that TikTok offers.

At TikTok, there are loads of interesting challenges and opportunities to make a real impact on millions of users. The company also provides everyone with training and resources to improve our skills and help us shape our careers. The teams and leaders are extremely supportive of people's growth and encourage them to follow their passions and carve out their own path. The company openly supports internal mobility and exploring new areas to keep things fresh and exciting. This is part of “Always Day One”, which is also one of our core values. It’s all about being entrepreneurs, keeping things fresh, and making a positive impact wherever you go.

How do you balance your personal and professional life to ensure that you continue to love what you do?

1. Set clear boundaries. TikTok is a global company where we work with people from all over the world. People live in many different time zones, and sometimes it takes some mutual education to remember time differences. Small things like setting working hours in your calendar can make things easier,and people totally respect that.

2. Be true to your personal needs. We hold ourselves accountable for high-quality work, but we also respect personal priorities. For example, our hours are relatively flexible. So, if you need time to take your dog to the vet, for example, that’s totally fine. We trust our teams to do the right thing.

3. Build a support system. I'm a working mom with a one-year-old. My husband and I share day-to-day responsibilities and also get professional help to assist us with things like house chores and gardening.

What advice would you give to other women looking to work at TikTok?

We appreciate you considering joining TikTok! My advice is to be yourself and own it. We value the true you and everyone's differences. Don't hold back from showing off your skills and ideas during the application process and once you're part of the team. Lean in and be prepared for new challenges, fun, and growth!

Interested in joining the TikTok team? They’re hiring! Click the link below to browse opportunities.

Fairygodboss is proud to work with TikTok. Find a job there today!

Check out other posts in the ‘I Love My Job’ series:

• ‘I Love My Job’: My Exciting Career Pivot From Fashion to E-Commerce at TikTok

• ‘I Love My Job’: ‘I'm Challenging Myself and Having Fun’ On My Collaborative Women-Led Team

• ‘I Love My Job’: Collaborative People, Engaging Customers, and The Support You Need To Grow

• ‘I Love My Job’: Authentic Relationships, Fun Work, and Growing the Next Generation of Women Leaders

• ‘I Love My Job’: Achieving Growth ‘Beyond My Imagination’ Thanks to the Support of My Global Company