From Boredom to Breakthrough: How Rathesh Prabakar Used AI to Find His Dream Job
In a world marked by geopolitical tensions, inflation, and social media controversies, a stable life is something many aspire to. But what happens when your own job leaves you feeling unsatisfied? For Rathesh Prabakar, a 26-year-old software engineer in Bengaluru, the answer was to quit and find a new path.
After four years in the tech industry, Prabakar grew tired of repetitive tasks and a static work environment. His career began in 2021 when he joined a billing company, eventually rising to senior software engineer. "I wanted to explore different businesses and learn how other industries solved user problems," he told Business Insider. After months of deliberation, he submitted his resignation in October 2025.
While supporting his parents financially, he convinced them that quitting would improve his chances of finding a better job. In a climate where AI was feared for replacing roles and hiring was sluggish, Prabakar turned to ChatGPT to aid his search. "After searching for less than a month, I landed a job as a software engineer for a product-based company, where I'm doing exciting work that I look forward to every day," he said.
Using AI to Apply for Jobs
Prabakar had planned to use his 90-day notice period to search, but after resigning, he discovered he only had 15 days. He spent the first two days updating his LinkedIn profile and resume with recent projects and skills. "Before starting work, I'd apply for jobs online for two hours. After work, I'd prepare for interviews from 8 p.m. to as late as midnight. I didn't tailor my résumé for each application, but I adjusted my preparation according to the job description," he explained.
ChatGPT became his secret weapon. He prompted the AI to act as an experienced resume creator. "Once I landed an interview, I'd feed ChatGPT information about my skill set, experience, and the job description and ask it to create a preparation plan based on my spare time," he said. The AI generated interview questions that often appeared in actual interviews. When he didn't know an answer, he asked ChatGPT to explain and then prepared for the next round. "I'm aware that you can't believe AI all the time, but I'd question its responses and manually cross-check doubtful answers on Google," he noted.
The Human Connection Still Matters
Despite AI's help, Prabakar emphasized the importance of human networking. "When I saw a software engineer job posting at a company where someone in my network worked, I messaged him about the role. He put in a referral for me, and soon after I received an interview offer. Even though we didn't know each other well, he said my posts and industry knowledge gave him confidence to refer me," he shared.
Within a month, Prabakar secured a role he was genuinely excited about. His advice: "Believe in yourself and be smart with your time. Since I was short on time, I took advantage of AI. If you use AI as your friend, you can move very fast."
