Rs 40 Lakh Loan, 2000 job application – The Harsh Truth Behind the IT job Market
Some stories hit hard not because they’re dramatic, but because they feel too real. Recently, an Indian techie’s journey went viral – after applying for more than 2000 jobs in the US, burning through savings and stacking up a Rs 40 lakh loan, he finally decided to come back to India to start his job hunt all over again. And honestly, his story is a mirror for thousands of Indians chasing the American dream, only to realise the ground has shifted under their feet.
His journey started like many others. A well-paid job in the US, decent lifestyle, visa stability — pretty much everything everyone hopes for. But when layoffs swept through the tech industry, his turn came too. “Don’t worry, you’ll find something soon,” friends told him. And he believed it too. But the job market was way tougher than anyone expected.
He started applying everywhere – big tech, startups, contract jobs, even roles slightly below his experience level. Days became weeks, weeks became months. He kept refining his resume, rewriting cover letters ( I know the pain!), and sending applications like it was a full-time job. But nothing worked. Some companies didnt reply at all, some auto-rejected his applications even before he could blink, and a few interviews went well but somehow never converted.
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And then the money problem started. The savings he thought would last a year started melting quicker than expected. Rent, groceries, subscriptions, some unexpected medical bills — everything adds up in the US. Finally he did what many of us are scared to admit: he took a loan of around Rs 40 lakhs from family and banks, hoping he’d land a job before things got worse.
But things did get worse.
After almost a year of struggle, he hit rock bottom mentally and financially. He said in a post, “Every morning I woke up thinking maybe today will be the day. But most nights I slept feeling like I was sinking more.” That line honestly stuck with me.
Finally he made the hardest decision – returning back to India. Not because he failed, but because sometimes survival > pride. He mentioned that coming home felt like “resetting life at 30+”, but strangely, he also felt relieved.
Now he’s in India again, back with family support, networking aggressively, attending events, meeting old colleagues, and trying to rebuild his career from scratch. The best part? His story got a lot of attention, and suddenly recruiters in India began reaching out. Sometimes home gives you what the world doesnt.
What I really took away from his story is this:
The US is great, but it’s not heaven. The dream looks shiny from far, but the struggle is often invisible. And in a world where layoffs are the new normal, being close to your roots is sometimes the smartest move, not the safest one.
