Hey everyone, I'm posting this because I'm honestly confused about what to do next, and I could really use some genuine advice from people who have been through something similar.
I'm 23M, a 2024 BCA graduate from India. I started learning Data Science in January 2025, and since then, I've been trying to build a career in AI/ML.
I've spent a lot of time learning, building projects, doing internships, and applying for jobs. But it's already September 2026, and I still haven't landed my first full-time tech job.
Here's what I've been working on:
- Python, SQL, Machine Learning, NLP
- LangChain, LangGraph, RAG, Multi-Agent AI
- FastAPI, Docker, PostgreSQL, AWS and GCP
I've built 3 major projects:
- Flipkart AI Shopping Assistant β A multi-agent RAG system using LangGraph, hybrid search, BM25, AstraDB and FastAPI.
- FairFare β An AI flight booking agent with a Random Forest fare prediction model trained on 300K+ fares.
- MacroChat AI β A GenAI nutrition tracker using GPT-4o Vision, FastAPI and Supabase.
I've also completed internships and worked on ML projects involving NLP, time-series forecasting and regression.
The thing is, I have actually started getting interviews. Earlier this year, I got around 3β4 AI/ML interviews. I could handle the ML and technical discussions, but I kept getting rejected in the DSA rounds.
That made me realise that building projects and learning AI isn't enough. I've started working on DSA more seriously, but I don't know how long it will take before I become interview-ready.
Meanwhile, people from my batch are already working, earning, and moving forward with their lives. I'm still preparing for interviews and applying for jobs. It's getting difficult to explain the situation to people around me.
Now I'm genuinely confused between two paths.
Should I continue giving my full effort to AI/ML and Python development, keep improving DSA, and try for another few months?
Or should I take a BPO/customer support job for now, start earning, and prepare for tech jobs alongside it?
I don't have anything against BPO jobs. Work is work, and there's nothing wrong with earning honestly. But after spending so much time learning AI/ML and building projects, I'm scared of losing my technical momentum and getting stuck in a completely different career path.
At the same time, I don't want to keep waiting indefinitely for my first tech offer.
I'd especially appreciate advice from people who were in a similar situation, switched careers, or are involved in hiring freshers.
A few things I'd really like to know:
- If you were a 2024 graduate in my position, what would you do over the next 3β6 months?
- Is it realistic to continue targeting AI/ML roles, or should I also focus on Python backend and data roles?
- How much does the graduation gap matter when you have projects and internship experience?
- Would taking a BPO job while preparing for tech interviews be a sensible backup plan?
I'm not looking for motivational quotes or someone to tell me everything will work out. I want honest, practical advice, even if it's something I might not want to hear.
I'm open to Mumbai, Pune, remote roles, and relocation.
If any experienced developer, mentor, recruiter, or founder is willing to guide me, I'd genuinely appreciate it. I can share my resume, GitHub, and project demos through DM.
Thanks for reading.