Meet the Indian engineer who submits 300 job applications and successfully lands a position at Tesla.

Engineer Dhruv Loya, of Indian descent, recently landed a position at Tesla following a rigorous and determined job search, during which he submitted over 300 applications and dispatched more than 500 emails. Loya detailed his experience on LinkedIn, describing how several months of doubt and financial pressure characterized his path before ultimately securing the position.

As an international student in the US, Loya encountered extra pressures, such as stringent visa requirements. Even with a solid academic background and having finished three internships, he found it difficult to land a job. In his post, Loya described how the pressure of being unemployed, along with the anxiety of possibly losing his visa status, intensified the challenges he faced. He described how he had to live with friends, sleeping on air mattresses, after losing his lease and health coverage.

“Despite having three internships, a good GPA, and active extracurriculars, I never imagined I would be in a position where I’d be unemployed for five months. I lost my lease, my health insurance, and constantly felt the ticking clock of my visa status, knowing I could be forced to leave the US at any moment,” he said on LinkedIn.

Despite these obstacles, Loya stayed resolute. He treated his job search as a full-time commitment, utilizing sites such as LinkedIn, Indeed, and Handshake to discover opportunities. He also utilized platforms such as Hunter.io to reach out to companies and ChatGPT to enhance his resumes and cover letters, aiming to differentiate himself in a competitive landscape. His determination ultimately bore fruit when Tesla provided him with a role.

“For months, I moved between friends’ apartments, slept on air mattresses, and saved every dollar I could to get by. I’m thrilled to share that it was all worth it — I’ve secured a full-time position as a Technical Support Specialist at Tesla,” he reported on LinkedIn.

In his note to fellow job hunters, Loya emphasized the significance of persistence and keeping an optimistic outlook. He recommended taking breaks and prioritizing mental health, reminding people that success frequently follows persistent effort. “Despite having a strong academic record and internships, I never thought I would be out of work for five months,” he stated.