A software developer with 9 years of experience in the US is facing an unexpected challenge as he prepares to return to India: finding a job. In a heartfelt Reddit post, the developer, who spent 12 years in the US, including earning a master's degree from the University of Michigan, shared his struggle to secure a job despite an impressive resume.
In his post on Reddit, the user @Free-Length-683 shared that he is currently working as a Full Stack Developer at a US university and he specialises in Python, Django, Django REST, JavaScript, Vue.js, and PostgreSQL. However, due to the techie's ageing parents- his mother developing a disability and their father being 78-he has made the difficult decision to return to India in May.
Returning to India and can't get a single interview call!
byu/Free-Length-683 indevelopersIndia
The Reddit user shared that despite six months of applying, the user has landed only one interview, which ended in rejection. The user believes his lack of experience with modern technologies like cloud computing, Docker, Kubernetes, and message queues is holding him back. The techie also admits to never working with highly scalable applications since his jobs in academic settings didn't require them.
Feeling like the Redditor has fallen behind their peers, they asked the Reddit community: "Should I just upgrade my skillset for six months and then apply for jobs? Will my current skills prevent me from landing a decent role in India?"
Reddit users quickly flooded the post with support, advice, and solutions. Many reassured him that his experience is still valuable, but suggested they should focus on upskilling to align with industry expectations in India.
Others pointed out that since his background is strong in Python and Django, they could leverage his expertise for remote jobs or freelance consulting while upskilling.
"Join a company with India presence and ask for move to India," a user suggested.
A few users also suggested networking aggressively, reaching out to ex-colleagues, and targeting startups where flexibility in skill requirements is higher.
