NRI Career question: Is it tough to get a job in India after returning back from abroad with international work experience?

This was a recent question that came to me from an online forum. My response follows

Yes, I won’t sugarcoat it. It is certainly tough if you are job-hunting after returning from abroad with “international work experience.” I say this from my experience after returning back to India (link to another post).

Here’s why it may be “tough” to get a job after returning back, and what you could do

• Sheer population in urban-India with lot more educated and experienced workers looking for better opportunities, and intense competition for high-end (high paying) positions.
• You might over-value your “International work experience,” but recruiters don’t. A lot of Indians, especially in Info-tech sectors have such international experience and you will find it hard to stand out just on that account.
• If you have spent an extended period abroad, you may not have a network of peers in the local market who can make introductions or give referrals to openings
• Ageism - In the west, many professionals continue to be ‘hands on’ even as they gain experience in a field. This is true for hi-tech workers too. However, in India, hi-tech workers get ‘promoted’ to management positions early in their career and those skills are as valued in experienced professionals. If you happen to be a 40-something IT programmer, you will certainly find it hard to find an IT-programming job in India.
• Lot of ‘returning NRIs’ move back as they are unable to accept changes back in India. Employers may be hesitant to hire such NRIs if they are not likely to stick around.

So, what do you do?

• Focus your job search at organizations where you think your specific skills and experience are going to be in demand 
• Revive your network. Use social-media tools like LinkedIn to re-connect with old friends and peers and seek their help in getting you referrals and opportunities
• Don’t downplay your “international experience” but show how this, along with your current skills can help prospective employers 
• If you plan a long-term tenure in India, you should demonstrate such commitment to prospective employers.

You may also check out an earlier blog of mine - Is LinkedIn a useful platform for Job hunting ?

Career advice: What is cost of TOGAF 9 certification? What are the job opportunities in Bangalore?

This was an interesting question that came to me via an online forum. My response follows

The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF) is a framework for enterprise architecture that provides an approach for designing, planning, implementing, and governing an enterprise information technology architecture.

Cost of TOGAF 9 certification may include the cost of training, certification exam and training material. This can range from $500 to $1000 depending on the training institution/academy where you seek your certification from.

Employers in Indian IT fall into three categories -

• Software service companies - Hiring managers at service firms are going to look at ‘overall marketability’ of the candidate. Certification is just one criteria. Skills and experience in functional and technical domains and platforms - e.g Cloud, infrastructure, SAP, SFDC, Java, .NET etc - matter a lot more to hiring teams.
• Captive development centers - Hiring managers look for people who can deliver solutions for their parent organization. Candidates with a strong IS delivery or Technical design background with specific technical domains and platforms - e.g Cloud, infrastructure, SAP, SFDC, Java, .NET etc - or functional domains like finance, Supply chain, manufacturing, Insurance etc - are more likely to be screened-in for interviews
• Startups - These are fast-paced, high-growth organizations that want folks who can roll up their sleeves and “just do it.” They may be light on processes and may downplay TOGAF.

So, why the hype over TOGAF? Multinational organizations looking to source work to India may have strong internal processes and delivery methodologies. Some of the Architecture and design principles may be based on TOGAF. The assumption is simple: Candidates who are “TOGAF certified” are more likely to have a breath of experience and a better fit for the organization. Therefore, hiring teams may be inclined to include the acronym while screening candidate resumes.

Will just a TOGAF 9 certification get you a job in Bangalore? No. It is not very likely under current market conditions. However, some employers use TOGAF as a screening criteria, in which case it is better to show you have the credentials.

Bottomline: There are very few "Enterprise Architect" roles in offshore centers. Don't be under an illusion that a TOGAF certification alone will land you an EA role… or for that matter any other IS job!

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• Reference - Official: TOGAF Certification Fee Schedule 
• Trainer example: “Standard cost for TOGAF training & Certification course is Rs 85,000 per participant.” TOGAF9 Certification - Novelvista learning Solution

Recent Q&A on IS Careers, Architecture and Software Engineering

Here are a few recent questions on IS Careers, Architecture and Software Programming that I answered

Question: If almost everyone can learn programming for free, why is the salary very high?

most programmers learn online or from book without degree so why the salary is high or better than other hard jobs ?

for example reporter salary is average 47k dollar while programmers 84–100,000 dollar

Ever see a duck ‘floating’ in a pond, seemingly calm on the surface

What don’t you see? The duck is really paddling furiously to stay afloat.

Programming may not sound hard. And, as a matter of fact, much of the programming activity involves applying ‘logic’ in a structured way. … almost like the seemingly calm duck floating in the pond.

What you don’t see the programmer do is furious paddling -

• Understanding cryptic requirements
• Creating mockups and clarifying user needs
• Trying to visualize a solution to a real-world problem
• Debugging pieces of code, integrating it with rest of the infrastructure and making it run

While we are at it, let’s set the record straight.

• Not all programmers are “without degree.”
• Many programmers and analysts - especially the high-paid programmers making $80–100K+ do possess 4+ year college degrees.
• Learning to program may sound easy, and some self-taught programmers are indeed good.
• However, most programmers who learn from online sources or from books may already have a background in computers (e.g A Java programmer learning .Net or the vice-versa)

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How do I get a job in US with 3 years of salesforce.com developer experience?

With 3 years of salesforce experience and 4 years total development experience how can I apply for H1 Visa or how I apply in US companies for recruitment.

Most companies look for persons who already have H1 visa. Is there way to get job on merit and not by spending money.

To get placement from existing company in India for H1 is also tough as many people are already in queue. 




In the current economic climate with Trump administration closely watching issuance of visas, most employers are cautious. You have answered your question partly


• Most companies look for persons who already have H1 visa. Is there way to get job on merit and not by spending money.
• Don’t fall for ‘consultants’ who charge candidates to sponsor their H1 visas. Not only is it illegal, it is also going to be futile since the visa may be invalidated
• To get placement from existing company in India for H1 is also tough as many people are already in queue.
• Yes, it is tough and one will have to ‘stand in the queue’ patiently


Don’t just wait for a ‘US visa’ opportunity.
• Continue to work on good SFDC projects
• Enhance your skills with experience and certifications.
• Seek other opportunities to travel to other countries and expand your horizon!