Finding Indian Jobs-- Here are tricks for NRIs to land a job in India!
NRIs get this idea of moving to India while showering and get into a sudden panic about finding job, “I NEED JOB NOW!” and run out of the shower, still wet, to open LinkedIn and panic apply. NRIs end up doing this
1. Email close friends in India.
2. THEN get the resume ready.
3. Find websites like naukri.com and mass apply to jobs in LinkedIn.
4. Make a spreadsheet of top companies in India. And apply to each of them.
5. Get frustrated in two days. “I deserve to get a call. Why aren’t they calling me?”
I know because I did all of the above (except the shower running part). I also know because I get these emails from NRIs in a polite language that screams “I NOT GETTING JOB HELP ME AHHHH”.
Let me tell you the trick. If after all this you don’t find a job, remember, either you are writing crappy emails with spelling mistakes, or you haven’t tried hard enough, or you haven't shown the commitment to move to India. Here, let me distill some important pointers and processes that will help you get a job.
Points To Remember
1) It's a Globally difficult task
Keep calm and don’t panic. Remember Job search is hard anywhere in the world. Not just India. US. UK. Anywhere. It’s frustrating and needs patience. Cut yourself and India some slack on that.
2) Disconnect the move, from the job
NRIs decide they will get a job in India and THEN move. No no no no no. Stop right there. Think, please. Problems with that approach
1. You’re thinking from old school lens where you can’t be unemployed ever.
2. You’re accustomed to the feeling of worry about losing out on a few months’ salary.
3. You believe the job will be your catalyst or incentive, or ticket to move to India.
4. You’re afraid if you take a small break from working, you will never find a job, and be in unemployed peoples jail for eternity.
Chuck those job fears out of the window. Look at it this way. India affords you to live without earning for a short time. The move from continents is a BIG change, and it’s acceptable to give yourself a break to ease in. It’s also acceptable by corporates for you to take a break. It’s OK to move without a job. Just breathe. If you’re anyway stressed or in depression abroad, the break will be the best gift you can give yourself.
3) Apply after the move is in concrete cement
NRIs are like “I’m moving to India in 2 years, so let me start networking now and applying now because they will remember me after 2 years”. Chill! There’s another branch of the NRI that in June will email their friend right way, “I am moving in Dec. Put your hanky on this job in your company and save the seat for me.”. Hey NRIs, you might as well WhatsApp them a crying video “Uhh hhhhhunn hunnn please please job dayde bhai”. Stop begging for a job in your head. Apply when you have something concrete— like a flight date. Recruiters can then take you seriously and it's also fair to the hiring manager.
4) Get your variables sorted
1. Get the date you plan to move. Maybe you’re at a point when you’re looking at flight tickets. 2 Months in advance also sounds good.
2. Clean up your resume. A polished resume takes an iteration cycle of 2-3 weeks.
3. Prioritise these variables: Domain, City, and Company Size. Eg “I will work only in my domain of data science in healthcare” vs “anything will do, finance, food delivery, who cares man, job chahiye”.
5) You can visit India to interview, but.. depends
My friend visited India for a week for job interviews, pre-pandemic. You don’t need to visit India anymore. Most people interview on VC only. This is entirely up to your comfort.
6) If it comes to it, just take up any job
Listen, don’t hyper-optimise. If you’re a person with ‘bad luck kharab hai’ in job search, just take what you get at whatever salary you get. You can move to India and then search in your own time, and slowly get to the place you want to be.
Once you’re sorted on these pointers, now sit one afternoon with a nice masala chai and start with your applications.
The NRI Job Search Algorithm
#1 First, try internal transfer in the current team
Talk to your current manager and be like hey hey hey, I wanna go to India. Be actually prepared to go this time. This is a point of no return. You better be sure of this— as it's telling your manager, you’re going to leave, and they might start looking at you differently.
#2 Next, try internal transfer to an India team
Yep. I’d suggest don’t hyper optimise your team. Take what you get even if it’s at a lower salary. Idea is to make the move smooth.
#3 Company shut the door on you? Your Network is your Bhagwan
Time to email your friends. If you already panic emailed them, send them an email that shows your seriousness with proof (like a flight ticket or a video of your farewell party speech or something, so that they don’t think you ran out of the shower again). Sample email below:
Hey Friend,
I just ran out of the bathroom. I’ve booked my tickets for moving to India. I am looking for a role as a Data Analytics Manager in Hyderabad. I’ve seen these two openings in your company.
Link 1 Analytics Manager
Link 2 Analytics Regional all India Head
Can you internally refer me to them? I’ll appreciate it. My resume is attached. Let me know if you need more information!.
#4 You have no friends? Now, Contact founders through LinkedIn
You’ve made that spreadsheet with companies, right? Find the founders' profiles and message them. This works better for smaller companies. For larger companies, find friends of friends in target companies and then LinkedIn message them. Here’s a skeleton outline:
Hey Stranger,
You don’t know me— I am connected to you via awesomefriendsname. Would you be comfortable referring me? I’ve seen these two openings in your company.
Link 1,
Link 2.
My resume is attached. I’ll appreciate your help. Let me know if you need more information!.
#5 Still no leads? Spread the word
Not kidding about this. All my jobs?.... I’ve gotten through 2nd or 3rd + order contacts. See proof
1. How I transferred to a position in Google: I had what I called a "Micro-Kitchen Friend". I used to chat up with this Googler in the micro kitchen— he worked on the 2nd floor, and I was on the 1st. One day I was looking up internal positions and turns out he had a position open! I got the transfer immediately.
2. I got my current job through this route: My friend from Google (A), had a friend (B) who introduced me to a friend (C), who made friends with someone (D) in the Google gym, who left Google to join a startup. He introduced me to the founders (E) of that startup. So you see, 5th degree of connection got me the job. Turns out. I knew a person (Z) who knew the founders (E) directly, but it slipped his mind at that time.
You might not be comfortable telling others, but well, if you’re not well connected, the best way is to get the word propagated slowly. It’s a bit embarrassing, and many people feel it makes them vulnerable. What to do — gotta suck that feeling up. It’s just shorty time and then you’ll be ok, I promise.
