A Rs 1.4 crore international offer from LinkedIn made headlines, but BIT Mesra graduate Kushagra Sahay says students should focus less on the salary figure and more on building the skills that make such opportunities possible.
“I don’t want students to think that the package should be the goal,” he says. “Strong fundamentals, problem-solving skills, meaningful projects and continuous learning eventually open doors to such opportunities.”
The BTech Computer Science graduate says the offer is the result of years of preparation rather than a defining achievement.
BUILT ON FUNDAMENTALS, NOT JUST CODING
When Kushagra joined BIT Mesra, he sought advice from seniors working at top technology companies. Their guidance was consistent: maintain a good CGPA, master Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA), strengthen core Computer Science subjects and build meaningful projects.
He followed that approach throughout college, participating in coding competitions, mentoring juniors and developing software for real users instead of classroom assignments.
Among his projects were a housing society management platform used in his residential society and an academic management platform for BIT Mesra’s Computer Science department.
“Interviewers spent a lot of time discussing why I designed the projects the way I did, how the database worked and how the applications could scale,” he says.
REJECTIONS BEFORE SUCCESS
The journey was not without setbacks. Kushagra reached Google’s final internship interview rounds but did not receive an offer.
“It was disappointing and naturally made me question myself,” he says.
Instead of giving up, he continued preparing, accepted another internship and later secured an internship at LinkedIn, which eventually converted into a pre-placement offer.
WHAT THE LINKEDIN INTERVIEW WAS LIKE
The recruitment process included an online coding assessment, a DSA interview and a managerial round covering projects, Computer Science fundamentals and behavioural questions.
The toughest part, he says, was explaining engineering decisions behind his own projects.
“One interviewer opened my deployed application on a phone and questioned me about its backend architecture, scalability and database design while using it.”
The experience taught him that candidates should thoroughly understand every project listed on their resume.
HIS ADVICE FOR ENGINEERING STUDENTS
While the Rs 1.4 crore figure attracts attention, Kushagra says students often misunderstand international compensation packages.
“I completely understand why the headline attracts attention. However, CTC is very different from annual cash salary. It usually consists of multiple components.”
THE ROADMAP THAT HELPED KUSHAGRA CRACK LINKEDIN
| Focus Area | Kushagra Sahay’s Advice |
|---|---|
| Programming | Build strong programming fundamentals before chasing new technologies. |
| DSA | Practice Data Structures and Algorithms consistently. |
| Core CS | Master Operating Systems, DBMS, Computer Networks and OOP. |
| Projects | Build real-world projects and understand every technical decision behind them. |
| AI | Use AI to learn faster, not to replace your thinking. |
| Academics | Maintain a good CGPA while developing practical skills. |
| Mentorship | Learn from seniors and professors—they can save months of trial and error. |
| Peer Group | Surround yourself with curious, hardworking and supportive friends. |
| Communication | Explain your approach clearly; interviews assess communication as well as coding. |
| Consistency | Stay consistent throughout college instead of preparing only during placements. |
| Rejections | Treat setbacks as learning opportunities and keep improving. |
| Mindset | Don’t chase salary packages; chase excellence and continuous learning. |
His message to aspiring software engineers is straightforward:
“Don’t chase the package, chase excellence. The offer may make headlines, but your willingness to keep learning is what will define your career.”
– Ends
