Yerjasn Ait, who goes by Jason, wore his resume printed on a white T-shirt to stand out at a tech event. The front showed his full resume, while the back had a big message that said “Internship Wanted. CV’s on the front.”
He showed up at the GeekWire Gala in Seattle on Thursday night, where more than 750 people from the tech industry were present. With mass layoffs and a tough job market making it hard for many tech workers to find jobs, Ait’s creative idea was a smart way to get noticed.
“I was wondering how I can stand out in a crowd, because I’m an international student, my English is not perfect, and I’m still learning a lot of things,” Ait told GeekWire. Ait grew up in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and moved to the U.S. about a year and a half ago.
His bold T-shirt idea turned heads at a major tech event
He’s currently studying for his Master’s degree in Communication at the University of Washington and plans to graduate in June. He’s looking for an internship or entry-level job where he can use his skills in people management, product development, and problem solving.
The T-shirt got plenty of attention at the event. Around 25 to 30 people tapped Ait on the shoulder to praise his creative approach or give him their business cards. It was only his second time going to an event like this, and he had to push through his nervousness. In the tech world, bold moves like this are becoming more common, similar to how GameStop recently poached Best Buy’s star employee in a surprising hiring move.
However, this wasn’t the only case of jobseekers printing their resumes on T-shirts.
“I was so scared to speak with people who are very successful, they’re professionals, experts, and it was like imposter syndrome at the beginning,” he said. “Somehow I overcame this fear and just started talking with people. And that’s fun.”
Things almost went wrong before the event even started. Ait was still getting his T-shirt printed just two hours before the Gala began. A QR code that was supposed to link to his online resume didn’t make it onto the shirt, and then he got stuck in Seattle traffic on his way to the venue. Getting around Seattle can be tricky, though Google Maps’ new driving feature aims to help with navigation challenges.
Finding a job is especially tough right now. Tech job postings in Seattle are still much lower than they were before the pandemic. Changes in the tech industry, including the rise of artificial intelligence, have made things even more uncertain for job seekers. But Ait is staying hopeful and determined to find his dream job in the U.S.
Published: Dec 15, 2025 05:45 pm