‘300 Applications, 500 Cold Emails’, Indian-Origin Lands Dream Job at Elon Musk’s Tesla: Hidden Tips For Job Seekers

Dhruv Loya, an Indian-origin Biomedical Engineering graduate from the University at Buffalo, has finally achieved his long-sought dream job at Tesla, the globally renowned automotive giant led by Elon Musk.

This remarkable achievement came after an intense five-month job search, during which Loya submitted over 300 applications, sent more than 500 cold emails, and participated in ten rounds of interviews before receiving his offer. His story, shared on LinkedIn, quickly went viral, resonating with thousands of job seekers and international students navigating similar struggles.

A Journey of Determination Amid Uncertainty

Despite having three internships, a strong GPA, and a range of extracurriculars on his resume, Loya faced five challenging months of unemployment. His journey wasn’t just about overcoming professional rejection; he also dealt with deeply personal challenges. He lost his lease, health insurance, and felt the constant pressure of his visa status, which threatened to end his journey in the U.S. entirely.

“For months, I moved between friends’ apartments, slept on air mattresses, and saved every dollar I could to get by,” Loya shared in his LinkedIn post. “Today, 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!”

Overcoming the Hurdles of a Competitive Market

With the current job market tougher than ever, especially for international students, Loya’s determination struck a chord with his followers. His LinkedIn post received over 100,000 likes, with thousands commenting on his resilience and drive.

“My advice to anyone facing this struggle is to treat applying to jobs as your 9-5, but make sure to use your evenings and weekends to unwind and do things you enjoy,” Loya advised. “I understand how emotionally draining this process can be.”

He also shared his favorite job-hunting resources, including LinkedIn, Indeed, Handshake, Jobright.ai, Hunter.io for cold emailing, and ChatGPT+ for customizing his resume and cover letters.

Celebrating a Hard-Earned Success

Loya’s perseverance finally paid off with an offer from Tesla. His position as a Technical Support Specialist will involve working on Tesla’s Powerwall, the company’s revolutionary energy storage product, which aligns with his technical background and interests.

A testament to his professional determination, Loya’s path was enriched by several formative internships. He interned as a Product Engineer at CoreHaptics, worked as a research assistant and senior IT technician at the University at Buffalo, and took on the role of a Commercial Quality Intern at Boehringer Ingelheim. Reflecting on his time at Boehringer, he noted that he helped foster a culture of quality and built a Microsoft Power BI dashboard to automate reporting tasks.

Words of Advice to Fellow Job Seekers

For those on similar paths, Loya encourages job seekers to maintain a positive outlook, advising, “Just keep manifesting, stay positive, and believe that things will fall into place.” His words struck a chord with followers on LinkedIn, who found his story both motivating and relatable.

Hidden Tip for Job Seekers:

Besides using job boards and networking, consider setting up “informational interviews” with industry professionals. This approach can be especially effective, as it allows job seekers to learn more about the field, gain referrals, and even receive insider tips for open roles not listed online.

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