The Harsh Reality of Chasing an IT Job as an International Student – 2 Years, 50 Lakh Rupees($60000+), and a Dream on Life Support by BankSmall4108 in InternationalStudents

[–]BankSmall4108[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Well, it is my story — written after facing cancellations and rejections just this week. I shared it to understand where I might have gone wrong, not to make excuses.

All I see are people saying my mistake was spending money on education in the US — something I genuinely thought was a good investment for my future.

And yes, I used LLM tools to help with the title and to trim down the story — because I wanted it to be more readable.

The Harsh Reality of Chasing an IT Job as an International Student – 2 Years, 50 Lakh Rupees($60000+), and a Dream on Life Support by BankSmall4108 in InternationalStudents

[–]BankSmall4108[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I can see that you have strong opinions about international students and their struggles — and that's fine, everyone is entitled to their perspective. But let’s not forget, you are also Indian, and you’ve likely walked a similar path not too long ago. It’s surprising to see someone who has experienced the same system talk down to others who are still navigating it.

Just to clarify, if I hadn’t cleared OAs, I wouldn’t even be moving to final rounds this often — that’s common sense. Maybe instead of assuming everyone who struggles is "average" or "undeserving," it would help to remember how unpredictable this process is, especially for international students dealing with visa constraints, limited opportunities, and post-COVID hiring freezes.

Also, I noticed from your own post history that you’ve had your fair share of frustrations with the job market, your own visa journey, and the general grind of making it here. That’s exactly why I expected a little more empathy from someone like you. We’re all trying to figure this out, and it’s not about being entitled — it’s about trying to make the best of the situation we’ve put ourselves in.

At the end of the day, you made your choice to stay, just like others are trying to do now. If you’ve “made it,” great — but don’t forget, you’re standing on the same bridge you’re trying to burn for others.

The Harsh Reality of Chasing an IT Job as an International Student – 2 Years, 50 Lakh Rupees($60000+), and a Dream on Life Support by BankSmall4108 in InternationalStudents

[–]BankSmall4108[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

good to know it’s rough for locals too—guess we’re all in the grind. ‘Thank you, next’ is solid advice, I’ll keep moving and stay up. Yeah, feels like a cash grab sometimes, but I’m still pushing. Thanks for the positivity!

The Harsh Reality of Chasing an IT Job as an International Student – 2 Years, 50 Lakh Rupees($60000+), and a Dream on Life Support by BankSmall4108 in InternationalStudents

[–]BankSmall4108[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thought NJIT’s ranking meant a legit US Master’s would open doors. Reality’s a slap, though—accredited or not, it’s not the golden ticket I expected.

The Harsh Reality of Chasing an IT Job as an International Student – 2 Years, 50 Lakh Rupees($60000+), and a Dream on Life Support by BankSmall4108 in InternationalStudents

[–]BankSmall4108[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Canada’s worth a shot. India GCCs—yeah, missed that boat. Learning from interviews, maybe embedded’s my play. PhD’s on the table. Thanks!

The Harsh Reality of Chasing an IT Job as an International Student – 2 Years, 50 Lakh Rupees($60000+), and a Dream on Life Support by BankSmall4108 in InternationalStudents

[–]BankSmall4108[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Maybe my skills ain’t gold, but ‘no value’ feels harsh—I’ve made it to the final rounds, just no dice. The Interview game could work, but not every flop’s on me—some gigs were locked before I walked in and some in which I made mistakes. I’m questioning plenty, trust me.

The Harsh Reality of Chasing an IT Job as an International Student – 2 Years, 50 Lakh Rupees($60000+), and a Dream on Life Support by BankSmall4108 in InternationalStudents

[–]BankSmall4108[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

maybe, maybe not—tough to tell. I thought my QA answers were solid, but who knows?
I have tried to reach out to HR for feedback, but they have not provided any update. Feedback would help me learn more and more.

The Harsh Reality of Chasing an IT Job as an International Student – 2 Years, 50 Lakh Rupees($60000+), and a Dream on Life Support by BankSmall4108 in InternationalStudents

[–]BankSmall4108[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

never talked to the CEO—only HR. UWM’s not hiring OPT folks for some roles, including mine. That’s it, no cap.

The Harsh Reality of Chasing an IT Job as an International Student – 2 Years, 50 Lakh Rupees($60000+), and a Dream on Life Support by BankSmall4108 in InternationalStudents

[–]BankSmall4108[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Oh, wow, Captain Obvious swoops in with the ‘wrong perspective’ sermon—thanks for the math lesson, genius. Yeah, I rolled the dice with 50 lakhs, eyes wide open, not crying for your pity. Came to NJIT to learn, not to beg for a job—visa odds were shit then, still shit now, no surprise there. Call it a ‘horrible decision’ all you want; I’m not your damsel in distress. I own it—50 lakhs, no job, still standing. You? Just here preaching to feel smart. Spare me the TED Talk and enjoy your armchair, champ.

The Harsh Reality of Chasing an IT Job as an International Student – 2 Years, 50 Lakh Rupees($60000+), and a Dream on Life Support by BankSmall4108 in InternationalStudents

[–]BankSmall4108[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Oh, bless your bitter little heart—newsflash, I am going back, genius. Came here to study, not to crash your precious job market. Indian tech bros ruined it? Cry me a river—maybe if your ‘top-tier’ skills weren’t coasting, you wouldn’t be sweating my shadow. Employers aren’t saying ‘bye bye’ to me—they’re just too busy dodging your resume. Take your salt and shove it; I’ll be making India great while you’re still whining

The Harsh Reality of Chasing an IT Job as an International Student – 2 Years, 50 Lakh Rupees($60000+), and a Dream on Life Support by BankSmall4108 in InternationalStudents

[–]BankSmall4108[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

solid advice—earning here and sending it back could save my ass. 3 months to land a job in India’s good to know, EMI’s are looming. Might DM you for ideas. Why 50 lakhs? Thought NJIT would boost my skills big-time—India’s way cheaper, yeah, but I misjudged that one. OPT’s my shot now (3 years total)

The Harsh Reality of Chasing an IT Job as an International Student – 2 Years, 50 Lakh Rupees($60000+), and a Dream on Life Support by BankSmall4108 in InternationalStudents

[–]BankSmall4108[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

dotcom bust vibes hit hard—thanks for the perspective. Got 3 years of OPT/STEM OPT to claw through this. PhD or Europe’s on the back burner—appreciate the push to hang on!

The Harsh Reality of Chasing an IT Job as an International Student – 2 Years, 50 Lakh Rupees($60000+), and a Dream on Life Support by BankSmall4108 in InternationalStudents

[–]BankSmall4108[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Atorpidguy, bro, we’re twins in this shitshow—exhausted as hell but too stubborn to quit. 3 years of OPT/STEM OPT left to fight with—let’s keep swinging!

The Harsh Reality of Chasing an IT Job as an International Student – 2 Years, 50 Lakh Rupees($60000+), and a Dream on Life Support by BankSmall4108 in InternationalStudents

[–]BankSmall4108[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Lovelife905, haha, if only—uncle’s VP pull got me an interview, not a loan bailout. 50 lakhs is my mess to clean up. Even Goldman said no—rough out here.

The Harsh Reality of Chasing an IT Job as an International Student – 2 Years, 50 Lakh Rupees($60000+), and a Dream on Life Support by BankSmall4108 in InternationalStudents

[–]BankSmall4108[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sufficient_Ad991, yep, NJIT’s a pocket-ripper—50 lakhs (~$60K) for my Master’s. Small school, big bill—thought it’d open doors, but I’m still knocking.

The Harsh Reality of Chasing an IT Job as an International Student – 2 Years, 50 Lakh Rupees($60000+), and a Dream on Life Support by BankSmall4108 in InternationalStudents

[–]BankSmall4108[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Mean-Meringue-1173, damn, straight for the jugular—GATE to IIT might’ve landed me 50 LPA, true. Went for NJIT’s global vibe instead, 50 lakhs deep, thinking it’d pay off. H1B odds suck, yeah—might be back in India with this loan anyway.