A video of a woman speaking outside Google’s office in New York has sparked a wider conversation on how many Indians and NRIs attach their identity to job titles, company names and professional status.
(Also read: Google Hyderabad employee recalls failing JEE twice, facing 520 rejections before landing dream job)
Taking to Instagram, Nupur Dave shared a clip in which she reflected on what she described as two different types of Indians working abroad.
‘There are two types of Indians here’
In the clip, Dave can be heard saying, “Standing outside New York’s Google office because there are two types of Indians here, and the difference matters. Type one: their job is their identity. ‘I’m a Google L5 PM’ at parties, within 30 seconds you know their level, their team, their TC. Every conversation circles back to work. Type two: their job is one part of life. They work here, but they’re also learning salsa, advising startups, building side projects, studying Spanish.”
She further explained that the first category often receives “massive validation,” especially from Indian families, where job titles can influence “marriage proposals, family respect, social standing back home.”
Dave added, “So Indians and NRIs become their jobs more than anyone else. But here’s the cost of it: Type one people are fragile. Layoffs destroy them. Bad performance reviews shatter their identity. They can’t separate self-worth from job title. Type two are more resilient. Job loss hurts but doesn’t erase who they are.”
She concluded the clip with a sharp reminder: “So the status obsession looks smart until your company takes away your entire identity in 15 minutes. Remember: your job is what you do, not who you are. Diversify your identity like your portfolio.”
Caption explains cultural pressure
The video was shared with a caption that read, “In Indian culture, your worth is almost always tied to external validation. It’s about family pride, what the relatives think, or making sure the neighbors are a little bit jealous.”
Dave wrote that the obsession with titles is not merely about vanity, but also a “survival strategy born from generations of scarcity.” She added that for many Indians, “a job title isn’t just an ego boost, it’s the family’s safety net.”
She further wrote, “So when someone obsesses over being a ‘Google L5,’ they aren’t just being vain. They’re signaling to their family: ‘I made it. You’re safe now. All those sacrifices you made for me actually paid off.’”
Watch the clip here:
Internet reacts
The post garnered several reactions from social media users. One user wrote, “This is painfully accurate for so many Indians abroad.” Another said, “A job title should never become your whole personality.” A third commented, “Indian parents also need to hear this because the pressure starts at home.”
(Also read: Ex-Google contractor says Indians hire Indians in Silicon Valley: ‘There’s a network’)
Another user wrote, “The fear of losing status is stronger than the fear of losing the job itself.” Someone else added, “This explains why layoffs feel so personal for many people.”
HT.com has reached out to the user for her comments, and the copy will be updated once her response is received.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)
