A Bengaluru graduate with a BTech in artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) has offered to give away their entire first month's salary to anyone who helps them secure a job in AI/ML or software engineering.
The unusual offer, shared on Reddit, follows the jobseeker's account of struggling to get shortlisted despite developing practical projects using PyTorch, FastAPI and retrieval-augmented generation pipelines.
Taking to Reddit's r/bangalorejob community, the graduate posted an unconventional plea: 'Job do, paisa lo (Give job, get money) scheme: Koi AI/ML ya Software role dila do (Help me get an AI/ML or software job), 1st month salary is yours.'
Struggling to Get Past the Screening Stage
The graduate described the difficulty of breaking through what they called the 'ATS black hole', referring to applicant tracking systems (ATS) that companies use to organise applications and screen candidates during recruitment.
The graduate said that getting shortlisted remained a major hurdle despite completing practical projects involving AI and software technologies.
Offering a First Month's Salary for a Job Referral
The graduate said many vacancies advertised as entry-level positions appeared to require two to three years of prior work experience. In response, they offered their entire first month's salary to anyone who could provide a successful referral or help them secure a genuine role in software engineering or AI/ML.
The graduate also invited Reddit users to share relevant vacancies at their companies or connect them with opportunities at startups.
The offer was intended to attract attention and encourage people with useful professional contacts to help with the job search. However, the Reddit post did not establish whether the proposal had resulted in a job offer.
Reddit Users Debate the Offer
The proposal prompted differing reactions among Reddit commenters, with some questioning the idea of offering money for professional assistance while others discussed the challenges faced by fresh graduates entering the job market.
One commenter warned that such offers could make it harder for people to seek professional help without financial incentives, writing: 'People like you will ruin the market to an extent, that people won't be able to ask for help.'
The graduate defended the approach, arguing that ordinary requests for referrals often go unanswered. They said the offer was not intended as a bribe but as a way to stand out among other jobseekers asking for assistance online.
Another commenter questioned the graduate's expectations so soon after completing college, arguing that finding work takes time and that the proposed arrangement was inappropriate.
Employee Referral Bonuses Enter the Discussion
Another Reddit user claimed that employees at their company received a referral bonus of Rs 1.5 lakh when a candidate they recommended joined. The commenter argued that offering money to secure help might not be an effective approach when companies already reward successful employee referrals.
The claim was not independently verified and does not establish that such bonuses are standard across the industry.
Whether the graduate's offer will lead to employment remains unknown. The discussion highlights differing views on whether offering a financial reward is an effective way to secure professional help or an inappropriate alternative to conventional networking.
