Just as Snapchat reinvented the camera, a Snapchat career can help you reinvent your professional life. If you’ve ever wondered how to get a job at Snapchat, you’ve come to the right place.
The Snapchat mobile app has evolved a lot since its original release, but the core idea remains the same. Snap employees around the world are working tirelessly to produce a new generation of products and social media services that can replicate this winning combination of stability and growth.
But what does working at Snapchat look like? For a peek behind the curtain of this successful business, read on.
Snapchat: Company Background
Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Brown created Snapchat in 2011 while they were students at Stanford University. It was Brown who came up with the original idea of taking videos and photos that disappeared a few seconds later.
In 2013, the creators followed with the Stories and Chat features, which also disappear after 24 hours. The chat function increased the popularity of the app, paving the way for bolder innovations. In 2014 came Geofilters, which gave users the option to sync their content with location data. And 2016 saw the release of Snap Spectacles, the company’s smart glasses.
Snapchat continues to grow in popularity. Over 360 million Snapchatters have used the app, and over three billion Snaps are taken every day. Its continued success relies on its street cred with teenagers, which it enjoys without the security and privacy risks of Google and Facebook. Snap, the company that owns Snapchat, expects to be profitable by 2022.
What’s It Like to Work at Snapchat?
For any job seekers out there, working at this fast-growing and fast-paced Los Angeles tech startup can be fun, exciting, and daunting all at the same time. Employees who work there have mentioned how no two days are the same. The work can be chaotic yet exhilarating.
But a lot of companies are like that. Below are three things that distinguish the unique work environment at Snap offices around the world.
Lots of Innovative Ideas
The open floor plan of the offices may or may not be to your liking, but this structure helps foster new and innovative ideas. And the secure buildings where Snap employees do their work keeps everything under lock and key, and away from the competition.
Snap is prone to bursts of creativity and subsequent hiring sprees. After the launch of Snap Spectacles, for example, the company hired 200 people in just 60 days. Given this recent foray into AR/VR technologies, you would be wise to start learning virtual reality and augmented reality if you’re keen on getting a job at Snapchat.
Never a Dull Moment
Located in sunny southern California, the main Snap offices offer employees a relaxing and hip ambiance, including access to the ocean and amazing dining options. If you flash your employee badge at local restaurants, you can treat yourself to free meals. Or if you want to stay in, the cafeteria at Snap headquarters serves free breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Unconventional Meetings
Instead of the endless string of tedious meetings that most companies indulge in, Snapchat hosts bi-weekly council sessions, with each session limited to a small number of employees.
In this intimate setting, employees gather in a circle and pass a talking stick. Sometimes the sessions are held off-site, and conversation has been known to veer away from explicit work chatter toward more unorthodox topics, such as mixology and feeding chickens.
Getting a Job at Snapchat
Snapchat is very appealing to its 100 million daily active users, and other social media companies have struggled just to keep up.
If you’re wondering how to get a taste of Snap’s secret sauce, there’s no better way than to get a job with the Snap developer team, or with its mobile-focused marketing team. But to be a competitive applicant, you’ll want to start learning product design or studying to become a mobile app developer. Even better, you can get a mobile app development degree.
Let’s look at how to get a job at Snapchat in greater detail.
How Hard Is It to Land a Job at Snapchat?
It can be quite tough to get a job at Snapchat. For new graduates, the process is not an easy one, but it can be done.
The first step is a phone screening where they give you a hard problem to solve. If you do well, you’re flown on-site for four more interviews between medium to hard ratings. They move quickly and the results of all four interviews are given to you on the same day.
One piece of advice would be to look at Snapchat interview questions online and study them thoroughly. Also, practice for technical interviews.
CEO and co-founder Evan Spiegel is the machine that keeps this company running. According to personal accounts of employees, he is the main decision-maker, so if you impress him, you are in. It is not your typical tech company, and Spiegel likes to keep things private, which could give you some indication of the type of company you’ll be working for—cautious and meticulous.
Applying for a Job at Snapchat
The Snap website is the best place to look for available jobs. They are usually hiring in communications, content, engineering, and data and analytics, both in the United States and around the world.
The online application process is straightforward. Below is a step-by-step process of how you should apply for Snap openings.
- Go to their jobs website: https://snap.com/en-US/jobs
- Either browse the page or use the drop-down menus at the top of the page to filter by role, team, type, and location.
- Click on your desired role.
- A separate page will appear with all the details of the job, including when the job was posted, whether it’s full-time or part-time, and the job reference number.
- Click on the Apply button at the top of the page.
- Read the job description and make sure you understand the minimum qualifications for the position.
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Apply again. You will be prompted to upload your resume as a Quick Apply option.
- At the bottom of this page, click Next, and fill out all the information boxes, especially the ones with a red asterisk next to them.
- Submit your application.
Snapchat Interview Process
The interview process may differ depending on the job you are applying for. Previous applicants have been subjected to a wide range of interview questions and tasks.
One former candidate for a role in content, for example, said that the whole process took a month. During his interview, he was asked the following questions.
- What was a favorite recent story? Least favorite story and why?
- Tell me about your non-resume self.
- Who is your favorite storyteller?
- What are your career goals?
- What is your favorite movie?
- What is a story you have not seen that you would like to see?
- Why did you want to get into a creative role?
But again, experiences vary. Whatever role you apply for, you should prepare for tough interview questions.
Snapchat Career Opportunities: Job Titles and Descriptions
Snap has offices around the globe. Most jobs come with a benefits package that includes paid maternity and paternity leave, comprehensive medical coverage, emotional and mental health support programs, and Snap stock options.
Below we look at jobs from a few different departments to give you a broad idea of what to expect.
"Career Karma entered my life when I needed it most and quickly helped me match with a bootcamp. Two months after graduating, I found my dream job that aligned with my values and goals in life!"
Venus, Software Engineer at Rockbot
Communications Manager
- Salary: Discussed once hired
- Level: Entry-level or intermediate
- Minimum Qualifications: BS/BA degree in communications, political science, or similar discipline; 8+ years of professional experience
- Preferred Experience: Previous work in public policy or as a writer or speechwriter. If you’ve taken any journalism courses, that is a plus.
As communications manager, you will be hired as a senior writer and spokesperson for the company on a number of issues ranging from equity, inclusion, diversity, trust and safety, and public policies. You would be working either in the DC office or the LA office.
Sr. Manager, Music Business Development
- Salary: Discussed once hired
- Level: Intermediate
- Minimum Qualifications: At least 7 years in a business development role and managing complex projects. Experience working with music technology.
- Preferred Experience: A hard worker who isn’t scared of getting their hands dirty and willing to go the extra mile to meet all goals of projects and the job. Someone who is passionate about the business of music.
Besides their existing ventures, Snapchat has also added its Snap music option for adding licensed music to your snaps. To support this idea, the company is looking to fill both its operations teams.
This role will suit someone who loves meeting and engaging with new people and building new business relationships with stakeholders and key partners, and of course, loves music. You will be working with record labels, music producers, and publishers.
Concept Designer
- Salary: Discussed once hired
- Level: Beginner/Intermediate
- Minimum Qualifications: Concept design and illustration education. Knowing a few different design programs besides Blender, Maya, After Effects, and Cinema 4D.
- Preferred Experience: Hands-on experience with a minimum of 3 years of experience in concept design, illustration, building 2D artwork, and UI/UX. You should also have knowledge of building 3D models.
This is one of their creative and hands-on roles for anyone looking to improve their career in graphic design or specific programs working with 3D animation. While you can’t learn how to become a graphic designer in this role, you can improve your skills and build an exceptional portfolio while working on projects.
What Does It Take to Get a Job at Snapchat?
One of the main aims of Snap is to improve the way we communicate, and that includes within Snap offices. If you are keen on working for a company that empowers people to express themselves and to live in the moment through Snapchat, then this might be the right cultural fit for you.
From what we’ve seen and heard, the best way to land a job is to have the right mix of qualifications, experience, and passion. If you’re not there yet, there are loads of online courses, degrees, and training that can help you improve your chances of getting a job at Snapchat.
About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication.
