An Indian woman who landed her first job in New York after 420 rejections and visa struggles talks about something most professionals won’t even dare to think of. In a video that is going viral on Instagram, Divya Bansal talks about landing her first job in New York. While she acknowledges that this is indeed a ‘big deal’, she doesn’t let it define her life.“As an international student with limited options and visa struggles, I landed this job after 420 rejections. It’s a big deal for me, but not so much that I make my life revolve around it,” she said.While she affirms that it is a ‘dream come true’ moment for her, she doesn’t want it to be her whole life. “This dream also comes with a realisation that your job is a part of your identity, not your entire being.”
Career is a part of life, and that’s it
International students navigating the US job market face constraints their peers don’t: sponsorship requirements, visa timelines, work authorisation limits, and the constant anxiety that one bad move could end the entire plan. Despite all the struggles, as she lands her dream job, the woman talks about the balance she wants in life.In a video recorded on her way to the office, she said, “I got a job in New York and today is the first day of it, and here’s the badass energy I’m starting it with. Backstory: I landed this job one week after graduating from NYU as an international student. I applied to about 420 jobs, got three interviews and landed two, and in an economy where getting a job is tied to your self-worth, it is a big deal for me. But here’s the energy I’m starting my job with. This job is not my entire life; it’s a part of a life that challenges me, helps me grow and pays my bills. But it’s not my identity.”Most career advice pivots here: land the job, pay dues, climb, repeat. Most of us are constantly pushed to make work the central organising principle of our adult lives. But Bansal wants a beautiful life outside the office too. She still wants to enjoy the little things that make her happy and make her life exciting.In the video, the woman talks about how she wants to cook her meals, continue her dance lessons, focus on her health, and live a life that is meant to be.“I am going to make my work revolve around my life and not the other way around. I will still dance, I will go to the gym, I will cook the meals that make me happy and remind me of home. I will still make time for my loved ones who need me because the moment you start making work your entire identity, you start losing interest in it,” she said.
The woman also made one thing clear. She came to New York for a reason. “I came to New York to build a life and not just a career. My career is something I do; it’s not who I am and it’s not what defines me.”Check out the video here:The Indian woman’s video has garnered over 307k views in a matter of weeks, and the internet is absolutely loving it. One netizen expressed that her thoughts were ‘inspiring’. Another spoke about how it took her years to understand the very thing she just said: “Good for you! It took me years to realise what you shared. Please – to all young people – live life positively (God first), then everything else. Work is not all that life should be about. Take time for you and your family.” A third appreciated the woman for making it, and still not obsessing about it: “Well done! That too in this economy. I can imagine your hustle. Commendable to point out that this is still not your whole life.” A fourth told her how right she is: “You’re so right. Career is just a part of your life. Wishing you all the best things ahead. 420 rejections. My God. That would have eaten up my self-esteem. But you did great.”The video has sparked discussions about work–life balance. Professional environments reward visible commitment, long hours, and the aesthetic of urgency. They reward people who make their job their whole life. And unfortunately, society tags along.