‘No one cares about IIT tag': London-based techie underscores skills over college name in job market; netizens disagree
Amid the ongoing discussion on social media regarding the value of practical skills versus education from a prestigious institution, London-based techie Kunal Kushwaha points out that the significance of attending a well-known university seems to be diminishing.
In a post on the social media platform X, Kushwaha, the Field CTO at Civo and founder of WeMakeDevs, described an incident where an alumnus from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) approached him for a job.
His post read, 'Got a message today that began with 'I'm an IIT alumnus' and asked for a referral for an AI role. I understand how hard the job search can be. It takes courage to reach out. But when messages are short, every word matters. Leading with a college name can sometimes miss the opportunity to show what truly sets you apart.'
Kushwaha highlighted how students from top IITs struggle to get work and job-seekers must focus more on developing skills.
'Even top IITs have students who struggle with placements. What really stands out is your work, the projects you've built, the problems you've solved, your passion for the field,' he wrote.
He emphasised that the name of the institution is irrelevant when applying for job roles in global companies.
'I want the best for you, truly. But it's dangerous to think your college tag will make the difference, maybe it still carries weight in India, but not if you're aiming for remote roles at global companies. I live in London now, have been around the world, and have friends in companies of all sizes. And honestly, outside India, no one cares about your IIT tag.'
He further advised to 'lead with your work, not just the name'.
However, the majority of social media users disagreed with Kushwaha's statement. Many of them emphasised the effort required to succeed in competitive exams for admission to top colleges.
One of the users wrote, 'Having IIT in his headline, tells you that this person is already hardworking enough to crack the exam. The work might not be that good but that is for later. For an opening message, this person played on their strengths/selling points. Nothing wrong IMO. What would be a great headline, as per you, to make you open the message and connect?'
Another user advised, 'Always provide your best achievements when asking for referrals. If your best achievement is that you studied hard 6 years ago to crack an exam. Then you should work on getting a better achievement.'
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