What Is a Netflix Tagger and How Do You Become One?

Netflix taggers (who are officially known as “TV & Movie Metadata Analysts”) are professionals who categorize Netflix content according to genre and other criteria, improving the platform’s recommendation algorithms. Their work helps viewers find TV shows and movies they’ll enjoy.

Taggers are usually formally employed by Netflix (meaning they aren’t freelancers). However, their work may be full-time or part-time, and they’re often able to work remotely or in a hybrid capacity.

What does a Netflix tagger do?

Netflix taggers watch unreleased Netflix content for hours at a time, reviewing shows and films that will be streamed in the future and assigning them descriptive labels, known as metadata tags.

There are reportedly over 3,000 existing tags, and new ones may be created (and old ones eliminated) when necessary. 1

Types of Netflix tags

Many tags reflect the content’s genre, narrative structure, and overall “feel.” For instance, taggers often apply labels like “feel-good,” “suspenseful,” or “finding love.”

Taggers also add objective information, categorizing shows according to elements like:

• Cast and director
• Language (both subtitles and dubs)
• Length
• Maturity rating
• Release year

In addition to tagging fresh content, Netflix taggers may also review and optimize existing tags and conduct user tests to see how customers are responding to how content is classified and presented.

Reportedly, they often work in teams of around 30 people, regularly communicating with their coworkers about tagging best practices.

Are Netflix tagger jobs legit?

“Netflix tagger” is a legitimate job that really exists. However, getting it is quite competitive.

Many people love the idea of getting paid to binge their favorite shows on Netflix. This means that open positions are very rare and fill up quickly.

Because this is such a sought-after position, there are many fake job openings posted by fraudsters. You can protect yourself by only applying to Netflix directly and never submitting an application to a third-party website. Avoid giving any personal information in the early stages of your application process.

Exactly how much Netflix taggers make is a mystery to the general public. Several sites claim to provide salary estimates for this gig, but there isn’t much evidence behind any of them.

Netflix doesn’t disclose how they compensate their employees, and reportedly, all Netflix taggers sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) that obligate them to keep their rates confidential.

Some anecdotal reports suggest that Netflix taggers are paid quite well, with their yearly pay ranging from around $80,000 to $200,000 (presumably depending on experience and whether they work part-time or full-time).

As Netflix is a large Silicon Valley-based tech company, rates like this are within the realm of possibility. However, they’re unconfirmed; they all come from online anecdotes and aren’t backed by reliable sources.

The unfortunate truth is that nobody really knows how much taggers make. If you have the chance to apply for this job, your best bet is to ask about salary once you’ve made it reasonably far into the interview process.

As with most jobs, the requirements to become a Netflix tagger may vary over time. If you’re lucky enough to see an open job post, it’s important to carefully review it and create a tailored resume before applying.

With that said, previous (archived) Netflix tagger job posts and anecdotes from past and current taggers suggest that Netflix generally looks for the following qualities in their candidates:

Experience in media or data analytics

Netflix doesn’t hire just anyone to tag content. Even though watching Netflix professionally sounds like a relatively cushy job, the company has high standards for their workers.

Netflix looks for candidates who are knowledgeable about TV and film and are skilled at analyzing and categorizing large amounts of data.

You’ll have the best shot if you have professional experience in fields like:

• Data science
• Film criticism or analysis
• Filmmaking or directing
• Library and information science
• Marketing
• Movie or TV editing
• Screenwriting

A now-archived Netflix tagger job post from 2014 mentioned that ideal applicants will have a degree in film or film history and 1–2 years of professional experience in media.

Willingness to watch all types of content

If you’re considering becoming a Netflix tagger, you no doubt have a deep appreciation for TV shows and movies.

However, it’s important to understand that you won’t only be watching content you enjoy. Netflix looks for people who are able and willing to watch things they find relatively boring and uninspiring without losing focus.

Brace yourself to watch (and pay attention to) shows aimed at very young children, 30-hour documentaries about agricultural practices you have no interest in, and so on.

On a related note, keep in mind that the long viewing hours can take a toll on your body (especially your eyes, but also your back if you don’t maintain proper posture). To succeed as a Netflix tagger, you may need to be more physically fit than you might expect.

Attention to detail and self-motivation

To analyze and categorize the content they consume, Netflix taggers must pay close attention to both overarching themes and small details during their viewing sessions.

They also need to be highly organized, since the job involves sorting massive amounts of data in content management systems.

Moreover, taggers are tasked with improving Netflix’s recommendation algorithms and finding innovative ways of promoting content. They often need to think outside the box to come up with insightful, eye-catching tags and new ways to enhance various aspects of the user experience.

Ability to work independently or collaboratively

Remote and hybrid work models require employees to be highly disciplined and able to work without constant supervision.

However, you also can’t be too much of a lone wolf in this job. Taggers are part of large content teams, and senior taggers may even collaborate with other staff members, such as project managers and engineers, to improve other aspects of Netflix’s user experience.

You’ll need to be a good listener and communicator, and must know how to provide constructive feedback, take criticism well, and have an open mindset.

You should apply to become a Netflix tagger directly through Netflix’s jobs page.

Type keywords like “tagger,” “metadata analyst,” and “content analyst” into the search bar to see if they have any job opportunities at the moment. If they do, follow the instructions on the job listing to apply; if they don’t, you’ll just have to check back again later.

Don’t fall for scams that claim they’re accepting applications on Netflix’s behalf. Unless a link directs you to Netflix’s official website, you should ignore it, as it’s likely fake.

What’s the application process to become a Netflix tagger like?

Back in 2006, when the position of Netflix tagger was still new and experimental, the application process reportedly only involved sending in your resume and undergoing a phone interview.

One of the first Netflix taggers, Greg Harty, said in an interview with TODAY that “it was the easiest job interview ever,” and recalled that he “basically talked movies for about an hour” with the interviewer.

However, Netflix says they’ve since standardized the process, which has become more rigorous. They still haven’t disclosed exactly what they require from their applicants, but given how competitive this job is, it almost certainly involves multiple rounds of interviews and tests.

Another senior Netflix tagger, Sherrie Gulmahamad, revealed in an interview with Fast Company that candidates have to take a writing exercise to demonstrate their TV and film knowledge and tagging and content curation skills.

Many of Netflix’s other positions require candidates to pass a take-home assessment and 2–3 rounds of interviews at minimum. You can use this as a point of reference; it’s likely the application process to become a tagger is similarly challenging.

If you aren’t lucky enough to become one of the select few Netflix taggers, you can still make money from Netflix TV shows and movies by reviewing or creating other content about them.

In particular, there are several ways to get paid to review movies, either as an independent creator or a critic-for-hire.

If you like the idea of flying solo, look into how you can make money blogging (or how to make money on YouTube, if you prefer creating video content). Conversely, if you prefer the idea of writing for an existing publication, you can submit articles to websites like:

• Screen Rant
• Cineaste
• Film Daze
• Cultured Vultures
• Taste of Cinema

Writing and content creation are also competitive industries, and you probably won’t earn as much as a critic as you would as a professional Netflix tagger. However, you’ll be able to make at least a little cash doing what you love, which isn’t anything to sneeze at.

It’s also worth noting that once you have a few years of film criticism under your belt, you’ll be a much stronger candidate for Netflix tagging jobs if you decide to apply again in the future.