Working at TryHackMe isn't for everyone.

TryHackMe is only for the bold, driven and relentless. It might not be for you.

TryHackMe isn’t your typical workplace. We’re intense, ambitious, and built for people who thrive on challenges. I want candidates to read this and say either, “TryHackMe isn’t for me” (that’s good; it’s not for everyone) or, “This sounds exactly like the environment I want to operate in.”

TryHackMe is a fully bootstrapped, profitable, scale-up, with over 100 staff from over 31 different timezones. We support ~4 million users, growing by thousands each day and they’re all waiting for us to do more, which is why we need to act with intensity and urgency. Here is what it’s like working at TryHackMe:

• Operate with intensity - We have an ethos of immediate action, demanding extreme intensity, and expect everyone to push the boundaries. There is a deep focus on executing at a high pace with urgency. Our intensity isn’t just about speed; it’s about pushing your limits to drive meaningful impact. The faster we deliver new value to our users, the better we help solve their problems before someone else does it better.

• Exceptional work requires embracing criticism - Be comfortable accepting and giving constructive feedback, however small. Accept being challenged, not just by your managers but by your peers. We expect excellence, and this is only possible when you’re open to taking feedback onboard, even in a public setting. We’re all on the same side, so hold your peers accountable and to a high standard. Would you rather hear your work is 'good enough,' or push it to be truly exceptional?

• Proactive contribution - We’re a startup, so expect to get involved with tasks that don’t strictly align with your role. TryHackMe is a product-led company that is highly cross-functional, and you should want to get involved with other initiatives internally. This is captured by one of our company values: willingness to contribute. Here, your impact extends beyond your title, everyone plays a role in moving the company forward.

• Be Visible - As a fully remote company, we rely on clear communication and expect people to be present on Slack (sometimes after hours). We also value deep work and focus. Balancing the two might seem tricky, but we trust you to make it work. Our meetings are frequent, small, and focused - no large presentations or company-wide gatherings. Read more about how we counteract working in silos here.

• Founder Mode - Both founders (Ashu, me) built the original product and remain deeply involved in every detail, from extremely small design choices or wording in content, to big strategic decisions. This means you’ll frequently interact with us, sometimes taking direction on what needs to be done. We don’t believe in a ‘hands-off’ approach; we’re actively driving the vision every day. This behaviour is best explained by an article written on a talk given by the founder of Airbnb.

• Execution > Strategy - We prioritize execution and accountability over endless planning. Success means taking ownership, moving fast, and delivering results. In a growing market like ours, where timing is so important, execution is essential. This means making decisions quickly, even when it’s challenging, and sometimes focusing on progression over perfection to keep momentum high. We count on staff to make decisions quickly and to over-communicate.

We operate this way because it’s now or never. We can’t let this opportunity pass by. Rapid execution is everything, and the bar for excellence is high - TryHackMe is positioned to win. We've impacted millions of users without funding and achieved profitability, but we haven’t won yet. This makes it essential to work relentlessly - we don’t function like we’ve won, because we haven’t, and every day competitors are working hard to beat us. We need to work smarter and harder.

Our department heads have written 'primer' documents designed to give you a no-nonsense look at what you’re signing up for. These are shared with candidates before interviews to spark discussion. We understand that not everyone will agree with or enjoy our culture - and that’s okay. The goal is to save everyone time; if you’re hired and it’s not a fit, we’ll be back to square one. We’ve made these primers public; check them out below:

• 🏒 Product Primer

• 🛠 Engineering Primer

Why is it that the top sports teams, like Manchester City or the Boston Celtics, continue to win? Many teams have endless resources, so why do some have a higher success rate? It’s because of the players. Their passion, relentless drive, and commitment make the team a winner. Like a sports team, TryHackMe is trying to find A-players who will make TryHackMe win, and I hope this article helps attract the ones who are driven to make a difference.

We’re not like Google where you can get lost in the noise, each new hire is very visible and makes a noticeable difference, even at our size. You know if you’re working at TryHackMe that you’re working with the best people, and staff won’t accept anything less. You’re working with exceptional talent, will learn a lot, be challenged, work long hours but be an environment set up to win. It’s unfair to the rest of the company if you don’t perform and everyone else does.

Brian Chesky said, 'Culture is what happens in a room when you’re not there, and brand is what people say when no one is in the room.' The culture at TryHackMe is high-intensity and fast-paced. Users are constantly learning and growing every day on our platform, 24/7, 365 days a year, driving us to move extremely fast to keep up. If you’re looking for a standard 9-5, this isn’t the place for you.

Recruiters often sell a company as a country club, only talking about the amazing benefits (we have those too) but rarely mentioning the other expectations. We want to be clear about who we’re looking for.

Who wouldn’t want to say they worked at Apple or Meta in their early days? TryHackMe is at that exciting stage of rapid growth, brimming with opportunity. If our high-energy, winning culture excites you, and you bring a deep sense of urgency, resilience, and a drive to push your limits, you’ll fit right in. If not, that’s okay - let’s save us both some time.

We’re hiring.