A London-based tech professional triggered a conversation online after he shared his thoughts on how jobseekers should present themselves when requesting referrals.

In a now-viral post on X, Kunal Kushwaha, who works in London, shared a referral request he received that began with the line, “I’m an IIT alumnus”. While he acknowledged the courage it takes to reach out, he advised applicants to put their work at the forefront rather than relying on their academic background.

“I understand how hard the job search can be. It takes courage to reach out. But when messages are short, every word matters. Leading with a college name can sometimes miss the opportunity to show what truly sets you apart,” Kunal wrote.

He encouraged candidates to showcase the value they bring, regardless of where they studied.
“Even top IITs have students who struggle with placements. What really stands out is your work, the projects you’ve built, the problems you’ve solved, your passion for the field,” he added.

From his experience working across multiple countries, Kunal also pointed out that academic tags hold limited weight beyond Indian borders. “Outside India, no one cares about your IIT tag. Maybe it still carries weight in India, but not if you’re aiming for remote roles at global companies,” he said.

Take a look at the post here:

Social media users flooded the comments section with their thoughts. One of the users felt the post implied a lack of achievement after entering a reputed institution, saying, “This could also mean that the person didn’t achieve anything significant after entering college.”

Another user had a different view: “When sent to another alum from IIT, it would create instant connection and can show as proof of past work. But for those who didn’t clear IIT, it could bring back bad memories.”

See the comments here:

While opinions differed, the message of Kunal Kushwaha’s post was clear: what truly matters in job applications is not where one started, but what one has built along the way.