Lucky 13th? IIT techie finally cracks Google job after 12 rejections — here's how
We’ve all heard about ‘unlucky 13’: it’s the one day (the date, actually) when everything might go wrong. The morning coffee might get spilled, the presentation might falter, even the party might encounter odd mishaps!
But landing a job — not on that date, but on the 13th try?
Now that seems unusually miraculous!
But that miracle came true for Soumyadeep Paul.
The 27-year-old software engineer landed a job with one of the biggest tech giants in the world — Google.
Now, landing a job with a tech giant like Google looks glamorous from the outside, but getting there can be a long series of rejections. Paul knows that story all too well. He got rejected by Google a whopping 12 times before he finally landed an offer on his 13th try. When he shared his story on X (formerly Twitter), the post went viral in no time.
But Paul didn’t just celebrate getting in. He shared direct, practical advice for others grinding away at tough application cycles. He called the process at big tech companies a “numbers game” — something where you need skill, sure, but also sheer persistence. He urged people not to let rejection define them, and sparked a wave of discussion about what resilience and “breaking in” to Big Tech really look like behind the scenes.
The post that took over the internetHere’s how Paul summed things up in his viral X post:
“I got into Google after getting rejected 12 times. 13th time was the charm.
Now just Google,
Amazon - got the offer after 3 rejections
Microsoft - got the offer after 16 rejections
Apple - never got a call back
Oracle - never got a call back
Applying in these companies is literally a numbers game. You have to keep applying with referrals and work hard enough to keep luck in your corner.”
He went on, “Also don't apply to jobs just randomly. See if there is a legitimate fit between your resume and the job requirements. If you have friends working there, then get emails of HRs and mail them directly with the job Id and your resume after applying.
Also message managers of your target companies in LinkedIn. That may also open some doors if you're lucky. Though I haven't done this ever but I've seen people succeed with this.”
The mantra behind Paul’s success? It’s persistence over luck.
Paul made it clear: it’s not magic; it’s just not giving up. Getting into top companies takes grinding through lots of applications (and sometimes a ton of rejections). Tech recruiters know the reality: one job can mean thousands of people with similar skills all vying for the same slot. So if you’re rejected, it’s not always about you. Timing, the company’s needs, and just plain chance all play a part.
Simple tips for job huntersPaul offered a few takeaways for others:
But landing a job — not on that date, but on the 13th try?
Now that seems unusually miraculous!
But that miracle came true for Soumyadeep Paul.
The 27-year-old software engineer landed a job with one of the biggest tech giants in the world — Google.
Now, landing a job with a tech giant like Google looks glamorous from the outside, but getting there can be a long series of rejections. Paul knows that story all too well. He got rejected by Google a whopping 12 times before he finally landed an offer on his 13th try. When he shared his story on X (formerly Twitter), the post went viral in no time.
But Paul didn’t just celebrate getting in. He shared direct, practical advice for others grinding away at tough application cycles. He called the process at big tech companies a “numbers game” — something where you need skill, sure, but also sheer persistence. He urged people not to let rejection define them, and sparked a wave of discussion about what resilience and “breaking in” to Big Tech really look like behind the scenes.
The post that took over the internetHere’s how Paul summed things up in his viral X post:
“I got into Google after getting rejected 12 times. 13th time was the charm.
Now just Google,
Amazon - got the offer after 3 rejections
Microsoft - got the offer after 16 rejections
Apple - never got a call back
Oracle - never got a call back
Applying in these companies is literally a numbers game. You have to keep applying with referrals and work hard enough to keep luck in your corner.”
He went on, “Also don't apply to jobs just randomly. See if there is a legitimate fit between your resume and the job requirements. If you have friends working there, then get emails of HRs and mail them directly with the job Id and your resume after applying.
Also message managers of your target companies in LinkedIn. That may also open some doors if you're lucky. Though I haven't done this ever but I've seen people succeed with this.”
The mantra behind Paul’s success? It’s persistence over luck.
Paul made it clear: it’s not magic; it’s just not giving up. Getting into top companies takes grinding through lots of applications (and sometimes a ton of rejections). Tech recruiters know the reality: one job can mean thousands of people with similar skills all vying for the same slot. So if you’re rejected, it’s not always about you. Timing, the company’s needs, and just plain chance all play a part.
Simple tips for job huntersPaul offered a few takeaways for others:
- Don’t shotgun applications everywhere. Before you apply, really look at the job and see if your background fits the requirements.
- If you know someone inside, ask for help getting the right recruiter’s contact, then email them directly with your resume and the job ID after using the official application process.
- Reaching out to managers on LinkedIn can sometimes work, even though Paul never tried this himself, he’s seen others crack open doors that way.
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