Good Morning [%first_name |Dear Reader%],

A couple of months ago, The Ken was looking to hire an audio journalist for our podcast team. As usual, we put out posts on Linkedin and our website and waited for the applications to roll in.

Normally, we know what to expect: a few seasoned podcasters, plenty of career journalists curious about audio, some radio jockeys, and without fail, a handful of people from completely unrelated fields who once did theatre or debate in college and are convinced they would be naturals at storytelling.

But this time, a new kind of applicant showed up in the mix: freshly minted US graduates, back home and looking for opportunities in India. 

And they weren’t alone. These applicants are part of a much larger wave of Indian students and young professionals reckoning with the possibility that their American Dream is slipping away. Jobs for them in the US, after all, are already scarce and visas more elusive than ever. 

Last month, The Ken spoke to 50 listeners who are either currently pursuing higher education in the US or have recently graduated. About 30% have already returned to India, and another 20% are actively considering moving back.

View in Browser

Their stories pointed to a clear shift: the straight road they thought they were on now feels more like a maze. In the latest episode of 90,000 Hours, The Ken’s podcast on the future of careers and workplaces, we dive right into this shift by looking at the stories of three students who are living it first-hand: Anand, who is in the process of leaving a good job in the US to be closer to home; Saloni, whose plans were cut short by visa restrictions; and Ishan, an MBA grad from Cornell who is stuck in job-hunting limbo.  

We also hear from experts—from advocacy groups to recruiters—on why studying in the US is no longer the route to prosperity (and the eventual green card or American citizenship) it’s been for so long. 

You can check out the full episode here. 

Today, though, I want to dive into some of the interesting and—frankly—unexpected responses I received from listeners, which don’t just reflect the frustration people are experiencing but also offer a playbook of hard-earned lessons. Almost like a survival guide for anyone who is contemplating a US degree, already pursuing one, or has completed their course and is wondering whether to return home.

View in Browser

The clearest message from my conversations with listeners? A US degree doesn’t guarantee a job in the country, especially if you’re not a citizen.

This is why so many eventually move back, but even in India, jobs aren’t easy to come by.

View in Browser

“If you have a degree from an Ivy League or top liberal arts college, it might get you noticed, but not hired,” says Rituparna Chakraborty, partner at True Search India and co-founder of recruitment firm Teamlease, “what really matters is hands-on experience.”

Chakraborty adds: “I know it’s tragic, but I’d urge anyone planning to study in the US to prepare in advance. Use every break to build work experience — internships, projects, whatever you can. Because the degree alone won’t get you far. And most importantly, prepare your way back to India.”

Several people say their one big regret was not building stronger connections. They feel they focused too narrowly on coursework, only to later realise that opportunities flow through relationships, not resumés.

One of the starkest takeaways from my conversations with listeners was how much pedigree still matters. Many respondents admitted they wished they had thought harder about where and what they studied before making the leap. 

The general consensus is this: before you apply, look beyond brochures and rankings. Ask yourself whether this programme will actually give you an edge in the job market, or whether you will be walking uphill from the moment you graduate. 

But here’s the catch: pedigree helps open doors, but it can only take you so far. For instance, Ishan, who we speak to in our podcast, is a recent MBA graduate from Cornell, but has spent the last four months stuck searching for jobs. 

Which brings me to…

For years, the plan was simple: go to the US, get a degree, land a job, build a life. But that script is fraying.

Take Kshitiz, for instance. He grew up in Jaipur, studied at BITS Pilani, and after a brief corporate stint, decided that Silicon Valley was where he had to be. He got into UC Davis, moved to San Francisco, and today, works as a founding AI engineer at a Bay Area startup. By all accounts, he is living the dream he set out to chase.

And yet, he has plans to return to India. The US, he says, is a place for work, not belonging.

The American Dream for Indian students isn’t gone, but it looks different now. For some, it’s still a foothold (and eventual roots) in one of the world’s most competitive and advanced economies. For others, it’s a stepping stone to building faster and bigger back home.

Check out the episode and let me know what you think. You can mail me at [email protected].

Until next time,
Rahel

Get a premium subscription to The Ken

Unrivaled analysis and powerful stories about businesses from award-winning journalists. Read by 5,00,000+ subscribers globally who want to be prepared for what comes next.

Upgrade Now

Trusted by 5,00,000+ executives & leaders from the world's most successful organisations & students at top post-graduate campuses