Family. Visa exhaustion. Just done with it. Whatever brought you back - the market here is real now. But the job search works differently.
Here's what actually works.
1. Skip platforms. Go direct.
Their career pages have roles that never hit the aggregators. Pick 15 companies you'd want to work at, bookmark them, check weekly. Zepto, Razorpay, CRED, Browserstack - all post directly.
2. Message 10 people before you land.
Not "do you have openings." Just "moving back in March, would love to catch up." Most people who return get their job through a single WhatsApp message. Referrals close faster here than anywhere.
3. Know your number before any call.
Levels.fyi doesn't work for India. Use Glassdoor India, Blind, or just ask people directly. Indian tech Twitter is surprisingly open about comp. Negotiation is expected - first offers always have room.
4. Keep two resume versions.
Your one-pager that worked at Amazon Seattle looks sparse to Indian HR. But a four-page resume gets ignored at a funded startup. Unicorns and FAANG India want US format. Traditional companies want detail. I built ResumeForge partly for this - switching formats without rewriting everything.
5. Give yourself 90 days.
Everyone thinks 4 weeks. Reality is 2-3 months for a good offer. Start reaching out before you land. By the time you touch down, have 3-4 processes already running.
Welcome back.
HiroCV - AI resume builder for tech job seekers.
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