Land Your Dream
Job at YouTube
Here's How to Get Hired
YouTube is one of the world’s leading entertainment and social media platforms. It isn’t surprising that so many people are interested in working at this international organization. With billions of hours of content available on the platform, the company needs a strong team to help manage the content landscape.
The company has employees in sales, IT, finance, engineering, production, and management, who help YouTube keep up with its increasing number of users, video content creators, and advertisers.
This article provides an overview of the company’s history and culture. We want to help you learn how to get a job at YouTube. We will also explore the hiring process and what it takes to work for this social media platform. Hopefully, this information will bring you a little closer to your dream job at YouTube.
What Is YouTube? YouTube Company Overview
Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim founded YouTube as a dating website in February 2005. The founders created a platform for people to upload videos talking about their dream partners. However, this didn’t last long, and YouTube turned into the biggest content sharing platform with people posting all kinds of home videos from around the globe.
In under 20 years, YouTube has amassed over two billion users, becoming the second most popular social network, after Facebook. The company employs over 10,000 people in the United States and beyond. While its headquarters are in San Bruno, California, YouTube has also established several branches worldwide.
YouTube has since expanded to new streaming platforms that allow content creators to showcase their talents and make money while helping YouTube attract more advertisers. As of September 2021, YouTube had pulled in seven billion dollars in advertising revenue.
What Is It Like to Work at YouTube?
The working environment at YouTube is fun, engaging, innovative, and fast-paced. Employees spend approximately 10 hours in the office and receive at least two off days every week. They have the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology to provide users and advertisers with the highest quality of customer experience and viewership.
YouTube accommodates millions of active users and includes many hours of video content. You must be professional, creative, and above all, portray a positive attitude if you want to work for this company. Although it may seem like the workload is overwhelming, YouTube has set measures to ensure all employees feel comfortable within their working environment.
What’s the Company Culture at YouTube?
YouTube prioritizes diversity and inclusivity among all employees. The company provides an excellent workplace culture by upholding values like freedom of expression, information, opportunity, and a sense of belonging. YouTube aims to support and encourage its employees to have a voice, embrace their creativity, and explore the world.
The company’s vision, mission, and core values are among the top factors that instill loyalty among its employees. YouTube believes in having a greater social impact by giving back and using the organization’s reach to ignite movements that drive social change.
What’s the Average Salary at YouTube?
According to Payscale, YouTube employees make an average of $91,000 per year. However, the average salary can differ depending on your job role. For example, talent acquisition directors earn $114,313 and strategy associates have an average salary of $94,675.
You can always enhance your skills through coding bootcamps, pursuing online courses, or pursuing a higher university degree and this can give you the leverage to bargain for a higher salary.
What Employee Benefits and Perks Can You Get at YouTube?
Working at YouTube comes with a lot of perks and benefits. Employees receive comprehensive dental and health insurance, paid sick leave, paid holidays, and free drinks and snacks at the office. Depending on your department, you will also have access to company transport and the freedom to dress casually.
Most YouTube employees receive 401(k) plans, which allows them to save untaxed money toward their retirement. Moreover, according to Glassdoor reviews, YouTube had arranged for its employees to receive a stipend as an additional benefit while working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
YouTube Employee Reviews
According to the reviews on Glassdoor, Indeed, and Comparably, YouTube is a great place to work. In fact, 71 percent of the reviews on Comparably were positive and in favor of the organization. Most employees enjoy the work-life balance, opportunities for career growth, diversity, competitive pay and benefits, and the prestige of working for YouTube.
Some negative reviews highlighted the potential that employees can be overlooked due to the company’s size, while others stated that YouTube doesn’t offer a fair wage. But all in all, a large percentage of employees enjoy working at YouTube and they intend to work at the company for a long time.
YouTube Hiring Process: Getting a Job at YouTube
YouTube’s hiring process upholds integrity, diversity, and transparency. The company assesses your skills, experience, and passion for the job and does an in-depth background check. Candidates are encouraged to self-reflect during the application process and apply for roles that match their expertise. On average, the hiring process takes less than 30 days.
Do You Need a Degree to Work for YouTube?
The minimum academic requirement for most job openings at YouTube is a bachelor’s degree. A large percentage of the roles are technical roles that require extensive academic experience and a bachelor’s degree or equivalent. However, having a combination of practical experience and a relevant skill set is an excellent start.
YouTube Job Application and Interview Process
YouTube implements a straightforward creative application process and allows candidates to self-reflect before applying for a role. You will find a suitable job opening on the company’s job site, and you can also explore the company’s blog, set Google alerts for job notifications, or go through third-party career websites like Glassdoor.
Once you have selected your preferred roles, you need to write a great resume and submit an online application through their job portal. Don’t forget to review your resume multiple times and ensure your expertise matches the special qualifications for the role. Remember to attach relevant documents like transcripts and recommendations. If you are successful, you will receive feedback from a recruiter who will set an interview date.
The interview process differs depending on your role, but you will sit through rounds of interviews before the hiring process is over. These informational interviews assess your communication skills, professional experience, analysis and business skills, and level of commitment.
It is an intense process that may require you to complete three to four interviews in a day. Technical applicants, such as software developers or engineers, will complete online assessments, including quizzes on programming languages and other specialized tests. You may also be required to provide code samples or prepare a case study.
Is It Hard to Get a Job at YouTube?
Yes, it is hard to get a job at YouTube. In addition to the rigorous hiring process, you must also wait for close to a month before getting feedback regarding your interview. This is because the company hires the best professionals in the industry and prioritizes candidates with experience in their respective fields.
The available jobs are highly sought-after, making the application and hiring process very competitive. If you follow the application process, align your skills to the job, submit an impressive resume, and prepare for your interview, you are likely to land your dream job.
What Data-Driven Jobs Can I Get at YouTube?
YouTube also doubles up as an American tech company providing a wide range of data-driven jobs from engineers to analysts and developers. You can work as a full-time or part-time employee, depending on your commitment to the role. If you are wondering what positions are available at YouTube, we have compiled a job list as of October 2021.
Product Manager
Who You Are: You must have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience to occupy this role. You must have four years of experience in technical product management, market strategy, and product vision implementation. Organizational and analytical thinking skills will help you stand out.
What You’ll Do: Your primary role is to conduct in-depth research, collect data, analyze market trends, and implement innovative solutions to develop successful products. You will also define the product vision and content strategies and work with a team of engineers, marketers, and UX designers to launch the final product.
Video Producer, YouTube Visual Communications
Who You Are: This role requires a bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience. You must pay attention to detail and have experience directing, scripting, and producing communications. Experience in social media management and program management is a plus.
What You’ll Do: You will play a significant role in supporting consumers and YouTube content creators. You will review video edits, give the video editor feedback, coordinate production logistics, and maintain the production budget. You will work with continent management teams to ensure consistency of content creation.
Content Moderation Quality Analyst, YouTube
Who You Are: You have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience in a related field. The role requires two years of experience in project management or process improvement. Important skills including data analysis, mentorship, leadership, problem-solving, and quality assurance are an added advantage.
What You’ll Do: You are responsible for setting and maintaining the quality in content moderation operations. You will perform quality program analysis and give actionable feedback to ensure improvements in production. The content moderation quality analyst also identifies videos that don’t abide by YouTube’s Community Guidelines.
Senior User Experience Researcher, YouTube Shorts
Who You Are: You have a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction, Cognitive Science, Statistics, or a related field. The role demands five years of experience in applied research and eight years of work experience in UX research methods and techniques.
What You’ll Do: You will work with the YouTube Shorts team to provide user-centric experiences. Your responsibilities include researching design practices that promote inclusivity and informed decision-making. You will also lead several research programs from the planning stage to strategic implementation.
Short-form Video Creator, YouTube Visual Communications
Who You Are: You will focus on content creation, research, and editing. You need a bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience in a related field and experience in video production and management. You must also showcase skills in directing, communication, content creating tools, and social media management.
What You’ll Do: Your main responsibility is to create YouTube Shorts and other short-form videos that educate consumers and content creators on the wide range of YouTube products. You will be in charge of the end-to-end process from logistics, scripting, shooting, directing, editing, and budget management.
How To Improve Your Chances of Getting Hired at YouTube
Advance your education.
Practice for the interview.
Apply for multiple positions.
How to Get a Job at YouTube FAQ
How long does the hiring process at YouTube take?
The entire hiring process takes approximately 30 days to complete. You will fill out and submit your application, wait for feedback, and prepare for the interview if you have been selected for one. The interview process involves many rounds, which can take a day or more, and after your results are reviewed, you will get a response in a week or two.
Can I apply for any job opening at YouTube?
No. The recruiters highly discourage applying for jobs that don’t match your qualifications. The first step of YouTube’s application process is to determine your goals, skills, experience, education history, and location qualifications. You will use this information to narrow down the right job for you.
Does YouTube offer data-driven jobs?
Yes. There’s a wide variety of data-driven jobs available at YouTube. You can work as a data analyst, product manager, developer, or researcher. When you visit the company’s jobs site, you will find different tech and data-driven categories.
How much can I earn working at YouTube?
As mentioned above, Payscale approximates the average salary for YouTube employees to be $91,000. However, salary can increase or decrease depending on your job title, skills, and experience.