From the Navy to ‘Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It’: Jobs Famous TikTokers Had Before They Went Viral

All you need is one viral video before you can quit your day job. 

TikTok has quickly become one of the most popular social media platforms — and fame and fortune could be just seconds away for its 689 million active users. Some famous TikTokers are able to make millions of dollars a year and become so close with a Kardashian that the sisters have to ask if they’re having a secret affair. 

Of course, anyone who becomes a household name had a life before fame came knocking. Nicki Minaj was a waitress at Red Lobster, Gwen Stefani worked at a Dairy Queen, Kim Kardashian was Paris Hilton’s assistant and so on. 

Just like movie stars, famous TikTokers had careers before going viral. Since most users are Generation Z, though, life “before fame” is usually just math class. 

Charli D’Amelio, who has the most followers on TikTok, currently standing at 123.4 million, has become so successful that she (and the rest of her family) has been signed to United Talent Agency, one of the most highly regarded talent agencies in the world. She appeared during a Superbowl halftime show, earned $4 million in 2019 and her family’s reality TV series, The D’Amelio Show, will hit Hulu in September. 

She’s also 17 — she started becoming TikTok famous when she was 15. 

“My life before TikTok was very normal,” Charli told The Washington Post. “I would go to school, go to dance, do my homework and go to bed. It was pretty much like every other teenager’s life.” 

She had a vision board, topped with Jennifer Lopez — who she danced with in the aforementioned Superbowl halftime show. 

Before “Jenny from the Block” became famous, she worked as a secretary in a law firm and slept in the office of her dance studio for a few months. Charli was on her way to dance class. Before class, she “had like seven followers.” After class, she had 2,000. 

TV and podcast deals are just one video away! As long as it’s below three minutes. 

Keep scrolling to see what the most popular TikTok stars did before they became famous.