An Indian professional who graduated from Harvard Business School in 2024 has shared how he spent months searching for a full-time role before eventually securing a position at Google, despite holding a degree from one of the world's most prestigious business schools.
Abhijay Vuyyuru, now a product manager at Google, said he graduated without a job offer, faced visa-related pressure as an international student and relied heavily on networking before landing what he describes as his dream role.
Job search proved difficult despite Harvard degree
In an essay published by Business Insider, Vuyyuru said he had long aspired to work for major technology companies such as Google or Apple.
After completing his bachelor's degree in India in 2017, he worked in data science and product management roles across Europe before enrolling at Harvard Business School in 2022.
According to Vuyyuru, the US job market proved far more challenging than expected. While searching for internships, he initially relied on conventional applications but mostly received automated rejections.
He said he later realised that hiring in the US was heavily influenced by networking and personal connections rather than traditional campus recruitment processes.
LinkedIn outreach led to Apple internship
To improve his chances, Vuyyuru began reaching out directly to hiring managers on LinkedIn.
He said only a small percentage of people responded, but the approach eventually helped him secure a product manager internship at Apple in 2023.
Vuyyuru hoped the internship would lead to a permanent position after graduation. However, he was informed that no headcount was available for a full-time role, prompting him to continue searching for opportunities.
Graduated without an offer amid financial and visa pressure
By the time he completed his MBA in May 2024, Vuyyuru still did not have a full-time job.
He also undertook an unpaid externship at a venture capital firm during his final semester but did not receive a permanent offer despite positive feedback.
Vuyyuru said the uncertainty was compounded by graduate school loans and preparations for family members travelling to the US for his graduation ceremony.
As an international student, he also faced the challenge of securing employment within 90 days of graduation to maintain his status in the country.
Google opportunity came through Harvard network
While continuing his job search, Vuyyuru accepted a three-month product management internship at a private equity firm.
He said the internship provided valuable experience and gave him additional time to pursue full-time opportunities.
The breakthrough came when a former Harvard classmate informed him about an opening for a product manager position within Google's YouTube division and offered a referral.
After completing five rounds of interviews, Vuyyuru secured the role and joined Google in November 2024, six months after graduating from Harvard.
Networking key lesson from experience
Reflecting on the journey, Vuyyuru said networking played a crucial role in helping him access opportunities that standard job applications did not.
Today, he works on products used by millions of people and describes the position as his dream job.
Beyond his role at Google, Vuyyuru also shares career-related content on social media, where he has built an audience of more than 750,000 followers across Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.
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