Meet the ByteDance Summer Interns!

Across the world, students and recent graduates are beginning their careers with ByteDance Internships. There are diverse opportunities working on many of ByteDance's products – from the collaboration tool Lark, to the social media app Lemon8, to the vital work of optimizing our platforms. We spoke to interns from Bangkok, San Francisco, and Singapore to hear what they learned – and what they loved – about their summers as ByteDancers.

What's your role? Why did you choose an internship at ByteDance?

Eashan: I'm a Solutions Engineer Intern at Lark-- ByteDance's Enterprise Collaboration platform. I chose ByteDance not only because of the brilliant and innovative minds that spearhead the company's efforts, but also because of the inclusive and positive culture that the company has fostered. It makes everyone feel welcome and motivated to do their best.

Joey: I'm a Software Engineer Intern on the Performance Optimization team for the Data Platform. We work on the database engine that drives the TikTok algorithm you know and love! I applied for a ByteDance internship for two main reasons. First, I really enjoy learning and implementing efficient C++ code. My manager and mentors are meticulous and would show me why one method is less efficient than another. Second, I have seen a lot of college seniors grow to be highly competent after their internship with ByteDance, so I thought it'd be a great place to learn and develop my skills. And it is!

Nene: I work on the Creator Partnership-Global Product team for Lemon8. I chose to intern at Bytedance for several reasons. First, Bytedance is known for its innovative approach and fast-paced growth, making it an exciting place to work. Second, I am fascinated by the company’s ability to change how people engage with content through platforms like Lark and Lemon8. I wanted to be part of a team that pushes boundaries and creates impactful technology. Third, Bytedance values diversity and inclusivity, which I believe enhances collaboration and personal growth.

What does a typical day look like for you?

Eashan: Primarily, I help Lark grow in North America. I work with the GTM (Go To Market) team to build custom, tailored solutions to solve different customers' use cases on Lark.

Joey: I implement a number of MySQL functions for our database to allow users to gain more insights from their data. I also enhance the security and stability of our system through solving bugs in our code. Since we are focused on delivering a low latency database, I take even more time after coding it to optimize its efficiency. I'd then send it to my manager and mentors for a review and they'd usually leave comments or suggestions on how to further improve it. This is what I enjoy most in my work, because I am always learning new things and how to be a better engineer.

Nene: I review creator content and give feedback, supporting the creator partnership team to identify, recruit, and partner with diversified creators. Additionally, I work on maintaining a database with up to date creator partnership information and do regular data analysis of creator content performance.

Tell us about a highlight of your summer internship at ByteDance.

Eashan: One memorable highlight was the mid-internship All Intern event in San Jose where we played a lot of games, drank boba, and competed for various prizes! The games were super fun – we played things like Red Light Green Light and had a Rock Paper Scissors tournament. Also, I got to meet Shou – TikTok's CEO! He was so nice and had such a great talk with all of us.

Joey: My main highlight was the General Availability (GA) launch of our product on June 30th, because there was so much excitement building up until then. By then, I had deployed over seventy functions and I felt really relieved when everything went smoothly.

What's something valuable you've learned so far during your internship?

Eashan: That you can learn so much from just talking to others, especially those that are around you. Although I spend a lot of time researching online, the knowledge that the people around me have accumulated in their lives can be so much more helpful and applicable to many cases.

Joey: I have learned an innumerable amount of lessons so far, but my top two are 1) be purposeful when you write code and 2) be confident in your work by delivering your best every time. I resonate with this quote a lot: "How you do anything is how you do everything".

Nene: If I were to highlight one particular lesson, it would be the importance of effective collaboration and communication. Working at Bytedance has exposed me to a diverse group of talented individuals who bring a wide range of skills and perspectives to the table. I learned that successful projects and initiatives require more than just individual contributions; they necessitate strong teamwork and open lines of communication. These experiences will undoubtedly stay with me throughout my career as I continue to work on diverse teams and tackle complex challenges.

How did your internship experience at ByteDance help build your skillsets?

Eashan: Before this internship, I had only had software engineering experience, but working with the Lark team gave me the experience of working at a startup, while being part of a much larger company. My ability to converse professionally has improved drastically over the course of this internship. I often engage with restaurant owners and other founders to gauge whether they may be interested in a product like Lark, which is something I had never done in a pure software engineering role. I loved working with the Lark team because I was able to develop so much as a professional, while also maintaining a fundamental understanding of Lark technology.

Joey: Before I came to ByteDance, I never felt competent and confident in my technical skills. I had barely written any code that was pushed to a real production. I struggled with feelings of imposter syndrome because everyone else around me seemed so good. In the last few months I started to feel confident in my abilities. I started out solving bugs for two months and this helped me a lot because my C++ knowledge truly deepened. Gradually, I was entrusted with more and more important features to implement and I always tried to deliver them as best as I could. This coupled with all of the feedback and suggestions I got led me to gain confidence in myself and my contributions.

Nene: The experience that helped me build my skillsets is learning how to maintain a database with up to date creator partnership information and doing regular data analysis of creator content performance. This work taught me how to use data to analyze what problems the app is experiencing and how data can be used to reflect user behavior.

What advice would you give to someone who is interested in a ByteDance internship?

Eashan: My advice is to speak to and network with as many people as possible! Often, with the connections I've made, I've been able to improve the work I'm doing while also gaining insight into their careers and perspectives. This helped me direct my career and learning goals in a way where I truly see myself enjoying my work and being able to make a meaningful impact.

Joey: My biggest advice is to prepare extensively for your interviews because they can get really technical and challenging. The thing that everyone here cares about most is technical competency, so you should be prepared! If you are doing a Software Engineer role too, I'd advise you to practice with Data Structure and Algorithms, Operating Systems and Computer Networks. When you're an intern, constantly seek opportunities to learn from your colleagues because they are really good at what they do and there is a multitude of learnings you can get from them.

Nene: Be proactive and eager to learn! ByteDance is a fast-paced and innovative company, so it’s important to demonstrate your enthusiasm and willingness to take on new challenges. Be curious, ask questions, and seize opportunities to expand your knowledge and skill set. Be open to collaboration. ByteDance values teamwork and diversity, so make an effort to connect and build relationships with your fellow interns and colleagues. Finally, don’t be afraid to share your ideas and take on responsibilities beyond your assigned role. Your enthusiasm and drive will be noticed and appreciated. Good luck!

At ByteDance, inspiration is infinite – there are countless ways to turn your passions and ideas into reality. If you're interested in all the ways a career at ByteDance inspires creativity and enriches life, take the first step today!