In the early days of ByteDance in 2012, our company only had a dozen people working out of a four-bedroom apartment. When our founding team set the ambitious goal to make 12 apps in one go, there was only one Android developer who supported all these products: Li Qiuliang.
As the lone Android developer at ByteDance in our first year, Li took on significant responsibility and made breakthroughs that were crucial to the growth and success of our products, including the development of a first-of-its-kind comment interface integrated into our news app (Toutiao). Nine years later, he continues to drive the latest innovations in tech as the leader of our Interactive Entertainment Social R&D team in Beijing.
As part of our 9th Anniversary Celebration this year, we caught up with Li and asked him to share stories from the early days of ByteDance and describe how he has grown along with the company over the past nine years.
Tell us the story of how you first joined ByteDance. What was it like?
"It's often said within the company that I drew a five-kilometer circle around where I lived, and that was how I made my choice to join ByteDance! Although I definitely wanted to work close to home, the main reason I chose ByteDance was because of the people. During the first in-person interview -- which was done by CEO Zhang Yiming himself -- I could see that everyone on the team was down-to-earth and tech-driven. There was no sense of hierarchy; communication was smooth and transparent, and efficiency was the top priority. I still feel the same way today about our people and teams. Our culture is what allows us to succeed -- and also what makes me stay."
Do you remember facing any setbacks at the start?
"We faced many of the usual challenges that start-ups face, but I'll always remember the time our entire apartment ran out of power and our computers shut off. At the time, electricity meters in residential areas couldn't be connected to the Internet, so we needed to recharge them with electricity cards. When the power went out, the balance of our electricity meter was zero and there was no balance on the card, so we all had to stop working until our colleagues ran out to refill it!
Even though our administrative department was just one person at that time, we issued an accident report and came up with follow-up improvement measures: every time the electric card was inserted into the electric meter, we needed to refill it to avoid another outage. Even with the smallest mistakes, our work style has always been this transparent. The Internet industry is fast-paced and competitive, so we encourage each other to try new things and make mistakes so that we can learn and improve. Every time we fail, we are progressing in other ways."
What are you most proud of from your time at ByteDance?
"I've always been proud of how we put ourselves in users' shoes and care about every detail of the user experience. Since our first product, we've created built-in channels for our users to provide direct feedback. Before 2015, we had no full-time testers, but actually tried out new products internally across all departments. We never wanted our products to be put on an assembly line. We needed to be dedicated users ourselves in order to identify gaps and make improvements through trial and error.
Early on, even as an engineer, I handled user feedback directly. I remember one night I was just about to leave work when I received a number of emails that one of our apps couldn't be refreshed. I immediately contacted a few of the users who had provided feedback by calling and asking them to troubleshoot. When I realized that so many users were engaged and enthusiastic about improving the product, I brought them together into a group chat for testing. After several rounds of testing and iterations, they were able to help us solve the problem. This has always been one of the most invigorating parts of my job -- seeing the value our products bring to users and how excited people are to help us improve."
You've been at ByteDance for almost a decade and know the company inside and out. What makes ByteDance different?
"To me, what sets ByteDance apart is how we encourage everyone to embrace change. Even if you're relatively senior, you'll often be asked to branch out and apply your experience to brand new projects. As I approach nearly a decade at the company, I still get to work on many new initiatives, including in my current role leading the Interactive Entertainment Social team, which was just started in March of last year. On the other side of the coin, we also encourage new joiners to join more established projects because they can bring new energy and spark new ideas. This ensures we stay agile and bring diverse perspectives and experiences to everything we do."
Given your experience, what advice would you give to young developers today?
"First and foremost, lean into your passion for technology! Never stop learning and don't set boundaries for yourself, especially when it comes to improving your communication skills. In my first interview with Yiming, I was able to stand out with my ability to explain new technology clearly and eloquently. This skill is valuable for everyone who works in the industry.
Second, be self-driven and always challenge yourself. Seek out a fast-paced and growing company that can provide you many opportunities to learn and develop your skills. Living with uncertainties is normal, especially at a start-up; what's most important is that you're part of a team you enjoy working with, and that you're headed in the same direction towards a common goal. When you're in an environment with that sense of community, you can not only receive individual recognition, but also learn and grow together along with your teammates."
As our first Android developer, Li showed a willingness to take initiative beyond his scope and push boundaries, setting an early example of what ByteDance culture is all about. If you're eager to challenge yourself and believe there is no task too big or too small, we want you on our team! Apply to openings on our jobs page and make sure to follow ByteDance on LinkedIn for the latest updates.
