Business & Finance
IIT Kanpur Graduate Struggles Unemployment in Dallas, Raises $9,000 via GoFundMe
61‑year‑old Gautam Dev, an IIT Kanpur alumnus who moved to the United States for a full‑time software engineering job, said he has been unable to secure employment in Dallas for two years. Dev quit his Dallas‑based IT company in September 2024 after being told he would need to relocate to keep his position. He explained that despite extensive job searching through LinkedIn and personal contacts, he received no responses or was told hiring had been frozen at several firms.
Dev, who has more than 20 years of experience in the IT industry, said his age and a long employment gap have made it harder to find work. He also cited the changing dynamics of the industry and the rise of artificial intelligence as obstacles, noting that he lacks the expertise required for many AI roles.
After job offers stopped coming in, Dev turned to day trading, which initially paid off but later declined. He then worked as a gig worker for Uber, DoorDash and Walmart Spark, but the earnings were insufficient and his physical limitations restricted the type of work he could do. The prolonged unemployment forced him to deplete his savings and accrue credit‑card debt.
Dev said he is struggling to pay rent in Dallas and is considering moving to a cheaper area, though he worries about securing an apartment without proof of employment. In January he launched a GoFundMe campaign and raised more than $9,000 (about ₹8.71 lakh), which helped cover his bills. He said it was difficult to ask for money, but some people were generous.
He plans to continue gig work while managing expenses and will also rely on Social Security benefits when he turns 62 in January. Dev is also weighing the possibility of returning to India, where he lived before moving to the U.S. more than 20 years ago and later became a U.S. citizen. He said he is not planning to leave immediately, as returning would require careful arrangements.