Recently, Bengaluru-based Arpita Das, a Google software developer, published an honest story that went viral right away. The recruiter told me bluntly during an interview with a mid-tier startup, “People like you won’t make it to Google.” This remark, which was intended to demoralise and offend her, marked a turning point in her life. In the present, she works for Google, inspiring people with her perseverance and disproving her sceptics.
The Interview That Became a Viral Lesson
During a technical system design round, the startup interviewer pushed Arpita with complex questions, from CPU cost estimations to infrastructure planning. When it became clear she understood the depth of the problems, he dismissed her potential, suggesting she was overqualified for their expectations. Rather than clouding her confidence, that experience became a rallying cry, shared widely online for its raw honesty and motivating outcome.
From Doubt to Google: A Story of Resilience
Arpita refused to give up. She worked hard to improve her skills and stayed focused on her goals. Negative comments from the startup did not define her future; instead, they made her more determined.
Social media recognized her success when she landed a job at the company that told her she couldn’t work there. Many people admired her strength and called her story a modern example of perseverance against challenges.
What Employers Misunderstand About Talent
Tech hiring, especially in startups, often struggles to judge ambition and broad skill sets. Rejecting someone for being “overqualified” is not new, it frequently appears in hiring scenarios where longevity or cultural fit is questioned. In one other viral case, a Google engineer named Anu Sharma was rejected by a startup for being “too good,” with the recruiter fearing she’d leave once something better came along.
But dismissing high-calibre talent because of risk aversion, especially when their long-term potential is high, can cost companies dearly. Ambition and ability shouldn’t be seen as threats.
Why Her Story Matters for Talent and Culture
- Resilience matters more than rejection: Arpita’s post turned a discouraging moment into viral wisdom about staying focused.
- Redefining what “fit” really means: Many startups wrongly conflate lower level roles with limited potential.
- Hiring needs balance: Recruiters must weigh both cultural fit and candidate ambition, not choose one at the expense of the other.
- Representation counts: Stories like Arpita’s motivate early-career engineers, especially women in tech to keep pushing.
The Real Win
Arpita Das’ story shows that being told you don’t fit in, especially by someone who doesn’t see your full potential, doesn’t decide your future. She took a negative comment and turned it into an important step in her journey. This shows that belief in yourself and perseverance matter more than temporary setbacks. In a world where talent is often undervalued, her story encourages both engineers and recruiters to challenge assumptions and recognize the potential for growth in individuals.
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