IIM Kozhikode MBA fails to land even one interview after over 250 applications; Reddit post sparks debate

However, the story of an IIM Kozhikode graduate shared on Reddit has left many users surprised, as the degree reportedly did not translate into interview calls or a new job.

The graduate said that despite having three years of experience in data analytics and completing his MBA from IIM Kozhikode, he has been unable to secure even a single interview call after submitting more than 250 applications.

“I’m an engineer, worked 3 years in data analytics, then an MBA at IIM Kozhikode which I just finished. I don’t like my current company (Genman). So I’ve been throwing everything at the wall, that is, cold emailing recruiters and hiring managers, applying through LinkedIn, Naukri, iimjobs, you name it,” he wrote on Reddit.

The graduate said he had crossed 250 applications but had received no positive response.

“I’m past 250 applications now. Mostly straight up rejected, and for a good chunk of them I just... never hear back. Not one callback in all this,” he said.

He also said that he does not have a strong professional network to rely on for referrals.

“I don’t really have a network to fall back on for referrals, so I figured I’d try my luck here too. I’ve also run my resume through a bunch of ATS checkers and it’s sitting at 75+ consistently, so it’s probably not a keyword/formatting thing at the base level, which honestly makes the silence more confusing,” he added.

The post attracted several comments from other Reddit users, with some sharing their own concerns about the current job market and the value of higher education.

One user said they had recently started their first job after completing BCom (Hons) from a Tier-1 Delhi University college and were now reconsidering whether to pursue an MBA.

“I just started my first job this year after finishing BCom Hons from Tier 1 DU. After reading all this, I’m contemplating should I go for PhD rather than MBA as I don’t see my life getting easier even after cracking the best colleges and jobs,” the user wrote.

The commenter added that they had enjoyed research work during college and believed academia could offer more interesting work and a better work-life balance.

Another Reddit user wrote, “Market is really tough now. This will be worsened by GPT6 and further developments.”

A third user said they were also trying to switch jobs because of difficult working conditions at their current company.

“My current company is very toxic. They also gave me a remote location. The nearest town is 2 hours away. Food, living and even water is bad here. That’s why I’m trying to switch. I’d left this job if it wasn’t for my education loan,” the user said.