‘Hitting a wall’: Indian professional with 11 years of US experience struggles to find job back home
The struggle comes at a time when the job market is facing headwinds across sectors. In 2025, layoffs have continued to ripple across the globe. Tech giants including Google, Amazon, and Meta have all announced fresh rounds of workforce reductions, citing restructuring and efficiency drives.
- Sep 26, 2025,
- Updated Sep 26, 2025 6:02 PM IST
A candid post on Reddit has struck a chord with professionals navigating the uncertain job market. An Indian professional with 11 years of work experience in the United States, primarily in consulting and finance, shared frustration over being unable to secure roles in India despite multiple efforts.
“Unable to land jobs after 11 years of work experience in the US. What am I doing wrong? Have a Naukri.com profile, reaching out to people directly on LinkedIn, applying to jobs on career websites, getting referred. But nothing is working out for me,” the user wrote, adding that despite extensive applications, the process feels like “hitting a wall” and has left them “feeling like a total loser.” The professional revealed they plan to move to Bengaluru next month in search of opportunities.
The post quickly drew responses from fellow professionals and recruiters. One Redditor pointed out that Indian HRs often don’t take overseas candidates seriously until they physically relocate: “Many people say they want to move back and apply for jobs but they never move back in the end. They get scared. Once you move back it will be better.”
Another advised being upfront about relocation timelines: “Make an explicit call out at the top of your resume with the intended date of return + a working India number. Recruiters find it challenging since some returning NRIs don’t turn up to interviews, and the time zone difference doesn’t help. I got a few hits but only for jobs which had a good overlap with my past experience. Best luck!”
Layoffs and the global job crunch
The struggle comes at a time when the job market is facing headwinds across sectors. In 2025, layoffs have continued to ripple across the globe. Tech giants including Google, Amazon, and Meta have all announced fresh rounds of workforce reductions, citing restructuring and efficiency drives. Financial services and consulting firms, once considered safe havens, have also cut thousands of positions in the US and Europe.
India too has not been immune. Startups, IT service providers, and fintech companies have scaled back hiring plans or trimmed staff in response to tighter funding conditions and slowing demand. Industry analysts say mid-career professionals — those with a decade or more of experience — are finding it especially difficult, as companies lean toward younger, lower-cost talent.
Career experts suggest that while returning Indians bring global exposure and skills, they often need to recalibrate expectations. Networking on the ground, tailoring resumes to Indian markets, and demonstrating commitment to relocation are key to breaking through.
A candid post on Reddit has struck a chord with professionals navigating the uncertain job market. An Indian professional with 11 years of work experience in the United States, primarily in consulting and finance, shared frustration over being unable to secure roles in India despite multiple efforts.
“Unable to land jobs after 11 years of work experience in the US. What am I doing wrong? Have a Naukri.com profile, reaching out to people directly on LinkedIn, applying to jobs on career websites, getting referred. But nothing is working out for me,” the user wrote, adding that despite extensive applications, the process feels like “hitting a wall” and has left them “feeling like a total loser.” The professional revealed they plan to move to Bengaluru next month in search of opportunities.
The post quickly drew responses from fellow professionals and recruiters. One Redditor pointed out that Indian HRs often don’t take overseas candidates seriously until they physically relocate: “Many people say they want to move back and apply for jobs but they never move back in the end. They get scared. Once you move back it will be better.”
Another advised being upfront about relocation timelines: “Make an explicit call out at the top of your resume with the intended date of return + a working India number. Recruiters find it challenging since some returning NRIs don’t turn up to interviews, and the time zone difference doesn’t help. I got a few hits but only for jobs which had a good overlap with my past experience. Best luck!”
Layoffs and the global job crunch
The struggle comes at a time when the job market is facing headwinds across sectors. In 2025, layoffs have continued to ripple across the globe. Tech giants including Google, Amazon, and Meta have all announced fresh rounds of workforce reductions, citing restructuring and efficiency drives. Financial services and consulting firms, once considered safe havens, have also cut thousands of positions in the US and Europe.
India too has not been immune. Startups, IT service providers, and fintech companies have scaled back hiring plans or trimmed staff in response to tighter funding conditions and slowing demand. Industry analysts say mid-career professionals — those with a decade or more of experience — are finding it especially difficult, as companies lean toward younger, lower-cost talent.
Career experts suggest that while returning Indians bring global exposure and skills, they often need to recalibrate expectations. Networking on the ground, tailoring resumes to Indian markets, and demonstrating commitment to relocation are key to breaking through.