A Northwestern grad shares how she landed job interviews at Uber, Meta, and Amazon — and a tech role at Salesforce

Karishma Mandal, a Northwestern University graduate, embarked on an ambitious quest to secure a position in the competitive tech landscape of San Francisco. After moving from India to the U.S. in 2021 to pursue a master's degree in engineering management, she graduated in January 2023 and initially took a role as a product manager in Chicago. Despite her success, Mandal found the remote nature of her job challenging, particularly missing in-person interactions and feeling disconnected from her colleagues across various time zones. Her desire for a more engaging environment, coupled with the exciting opportunities in San Francisco's tech scene, prompted her to plan a move to the Bay Area. Realizing that the heart of innovation, especially in AI, was in San Francisco, she made her transition in May 2024, all while continuing her remote position. Although she was overwhelmed with settling into a new city and building her network from scratch, Mandal was determined to start her job search in September. Faced with a challenging job market, characterized by layoffs in the tech sector, Mandal adopted a proactive approach. Instead of submitting applications blindly, she focused on connecting directly with hiring managers and recruiters. By utilizing LinkedIn strategically, she filtered job postings and reached out to those sharing opportunities, ensuring she was among the first applicants. One effective technique she employed was to modify the LinkedIn search parameters to find the latest job postings. This meticulous approach led her to engage with recruiters, which significantly enhanced her chances of landing interviews at big players like Amazon, Uber, and Meta. Although these interviews did not result in job offers, her persistence paid off when she connected with a recruiter from Salesforce regarding an AI-focused product manager role. After a rigorous seven-round interview process, which included a mix of technical assessments and discussions with various teams, Mandal received an offer from Salesforce with a salary significantly higher than her previous position. Beginning her new role in January, she expressed that, despite San Francisco's high living costs, the move had been beneficial for her career aspirations. Mandal's journey illustrates the importance of networking, strategic job searching, and adaptability in today's tech job market, particularly for those looking to make significant career advancements.