A brief cab ride in Bengaluru provided a powerful reminder of life's unpredictability for a recruiter. Expecting a routine commute, Rafiqa Arzuman, a talent partner at Razorpay, instead encountered a former zonal head who had built a 20-year corporate career before a sudden startup closure left him unemployed. Finding doors closed despite his extensive experience, he refused to let pride stand in the way of providing for his family and decided to be a cab driver. Deeply moved by his quiet dignity and resilience, Arzuman shared his journey to help connect him with senior leadership roles.
“Yesterday, something simple turned into a reality check I can’t stop thinking about. My friend and I booked a cab in Bangalore. The moment we got in, we looked at each other this didn’t feel like a regular cab. It felt like a premium car, owned by someone who had seen life differently,” Arzuman wrote on LinkedIn.
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Surprised, she told the driver that he did not seem to be from Bangalore. The rider, however, corrected her by saying, “I’m from Bangalore only… I’ve just recently started driving my own car.” Describing the cab driver, she added, “He spoke fluent English, carried himself with confidence, and had a presence that didn’t match the stereotype we unconsciously carry. Curious, we asked more.”
Striking up a conversation with the driver, the recruiter was stunned to realise that the man behind the wheel had once occupied senior roles in corporate boardrooms. He openly shared the sudden turn of events that completely reshaped his professional trajectory.
{{/usCountry}}Striking up a conversation with the driver, the recruiter was stunned to realise that the man behind the wheel had once occupied senior roles in corporate boardrooms. He openly shared the sudden turn of events that completely reshaped his professional trajectory.
{{/usCountry}}“He told us his story. 20+ years of experience. Former Zonal Head at Cholamandalam Insurance. Took a leap of faith to join a startup. The startup shut down in just 4 months due to funding issues, and just like that… everything changed. He became jobless.”
Harsh job market:
Though the man had over two decades of experience, it became hard for him to land another role in the brutal job market. “Not because he lacked capability but because sometimes, experience becomes ‘too expensive’.”
With a son studying mechanical engineering and a household to run, the man chose “dignity over ego” and became a cab driver. “No complaints. No excuses. Just resilience. As recruiters, this hit hard. We often talk about hiring strategies, cost optimisation, fresher vs experienced talent… But behind every ‘profile’ is a life, a family, and a story like this.”
Before stepping out of the cab, Arzuman mentioned her role in talent acquisition at Razorpay to the driver and collected his resume to help him secure a new opportunity.
What did social media say?
An individual wrote, “As someone navigating the senior-level job market, this story feels deeply personal. Experience should be seen as an asset, not a cost burden, and choosing honest work during a difficult phase is a sign of leadership, not failure. I truly hope the right opportunity comes his way soon. Sometimes one connection is all it takes to change the ending.”
Another posted, “Great going. Another point I noted is that recruiters generally focus on the most recent experience. Many people have a wide range and are well-suited according to their bundle of experience, but it's seldom taken into consideration. You didn't tell us whether he was hired or not.”
A third expressed, “Like our school and college book, subject matters rarely match up to job roles and responsibilities, in the same way experience, skill sets need not always match. People learn on the job. While conducting interviews, I have seen that many talented and resourceful candidates have been rejected because their answer could not satisfy the belief of one person.”
A fourth commented, “This is so inspiring, Rafiqa. There’s no shame in any form of work as long as you’re earning an honest living. Titles and tags are for the world to see, but they’ll rarely be the ones paying your bills.”