No resume, no applications: How a college student landed two Rs 50 LPA offers

Most college students rely on campus placements and online applications to find jobs, but a third-year student chose a different path. By building an AI-powered product, showcasing his skills and approaching startup founders directly, he secured two job offers worth around Rs 50 lakh annually each.No resume, no applications: How a college student landed two Rs 50 LPA offers (AI generated image)New Delhi,Nov 3, 2026 12:28 ISTWhile many college students spend months applying for internships and attending placement interviews, one student took a different route. He focused on building products, connecting with startup founders and showcasing his work. The approach paid off, helping him secure two job offers worth around Rs 50 LPA each, without following the conventional application process.Sharing his experience on Reddit’s r/StartUpIndia, the third-year college student revealed how a personal project eventually caught the attention of a startup founder. Nearly two years ago, he teamed up with a friend to build an AI-powered video editor. Despite being buggy, the product gained traction, attracting around 13,000 users.The duo eventually discontinued the project after struggling to scale it. However, the experience of building and launching the product turned out to be more valuable than they had initially anticipated.HOW DID HIS FIRST JOB OFFER ARRIVE WITHOUT AN APPLICATION?A few days after the product launch on X (formerly Twitter), a startup founder noticed their work and reached out to him. The founder was building a product in a similar space and saw potential in the student's experience. Instead of asking him to go through a conventional recruitment process, the founder offered him a remote position with an annual package of approximately Rs 50 LPA. Interestingly, the student revealed that he did not even have a resume ready when the offer came in. Having already built a product in the same domain, he could demonstrate his technical abilities through actual work rather than simply listing skills and qualifications on a CV.The experience made him realise that building something useful and getting it in front of the right people could create opportunities that traditional job applications might not.HOW DID HE LAND ANOTHER RS 50 LPA OFFER WITHIN A WEEK? His second opportunity came when he encountered a job requirement that involved working in person. Since the arrangement did not suit his college commitments, he decided to explore other possibilities.Instead of sending applications randomly, he spent a few hours researching startups and identifying companies that matched his skills and interests.He shortlisted around 30 startups and emailed their founders directly, explaining his experience and why he could be a suitable fit for their organisations.The response was encouraging. According to his Reddit post, 13 startups replied to his emails. Within a week, he received another offer worth approximately Rs 50 LPA from a Y Combinator-backed startup.Unlike his first opportunity, which came through an unexpected connection, this one resulted from a deliberate effort to identify relevant companies and approach their decision-makers.WHAT IS HIS ADVICE TO STUDENTS LOOKING FOR HIGH-PAYING JOBS?Drawing from his experience, the student suggested that college students move beyond the practice of sending hundreds of generic job applications.He recommended choosing a specific startup category, understanding the kind of products companies in that space are developing and building a small but functional project to demonstrate relevant skills.Once they have something concrete to showcase, students can identify around 30 suitable startups and approach their founders with personalised emails.He also shared an interesting perspective on how candidates should position themselves in the job market: aim to be a 95 per cent fit for a few companies rather than a 60 per cent fit for everyone.The underlying message is to focus on relevance rather than volume. Understanding a company's requirements and demonstrating how one's work aligns with them can make a stronger impression than sending the same resume to hundreds of recruiters.HE IS NOW BUILDING AN AI AGENT TO HELP WITH COLD EMAILSThe student is also working on a project called Backdoor, an AI agent designed to help people send personalised cold emails to startups.The tool aims to make it easier for candidates to approach companies with messages tailored to their work and requirements.The project follows the same approach that helped him find his own opportunities: identifying the right companies, making direct connections and presenting skills in a meaningful way.WHAT CAN COLLEGE STUDENTS LEARN FROM HIS JOURNEY?His experience highlights how practical skills, independent projects and direct communication can create career opportunities even before graduation.Not every project needs to become a successful business to be valuable. His AI video editor did not scale as planned, but the experience of building it, attracting users and understanding the product helped him demonstrate his abilities to potential employers.For students entering an increasingly competitive job market, the takeaway is simple: instead of waiting for the right opportunity to appear on a job portal, focus on developing skills, creating something tangible and reaching out to organisations where that work can make a difference.- Ends