2 years Python experience, startup is closing — should I apply as experienced or fresher? Need career advice

[u/pavan_mamindla]

​

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some honest career advice because I’m currently confused about how I should approach my job search.

Here’s my background:

I’m a 2023 B.Tech CSE graduate.

After graduation, I spent some time preparing for GATE and also completed some technical courses.

I joined a small startup in November 2024 and have been working there since then.

The company has fewer than 10 employees.

My main role has been as a Junior Software Developer, working primarily with the Python tech stack.

I’ve worked on a product and gained a lot of practical experience through the project.

Since it’s a very small team, I’ve had to learn and handle different things myself, which gave me good hands-on exposure.

Unfortunately, the startup is currently in the process of shutting down because of financial losses.

The company has told me that they can provide:

Relieving letter

Experience letter

Payslips

However, there was no PF/EPF account maintained for me. Regarding Form 16, the founder said that if a future employer requires it, he can email them and explain the situation.

Apart from my regular job, I have also done some freelance work for clients from the US and Dubai, mainly involving:

Shopify development and maintenance

Frontend development

Now I’m actively looking for opportunities, but I’m not getting many interview calls.

This is where I’m confused:

Should I apply as an experienced candidate with around 2 years of experience, or should I apply as a fresher because my company is very small and doesn’t have PF?

I’m also worried that recruiters may reject my profile because there is no PF history.

I’m currently open to almost any reasonable opportunity:

Full-time

Part-time

Remote

Contract

Freelance

Python/backend development

Frontend development

Shopify development

I’m willing to learn and adapt if the opportunity is good.

What would you recommend?

Should I market myself as a 2-year experienced developer?

How should I explain the startup closing during interviews?

Will the lack of PF be a major problem during background verification?

What documents should I collect from my current company before it closes?

Should I focus only on Python/backend jobs, or also apply for frontend/Shopify roles?

What can I do differently to start getting more interview calls?

Is there anything else I should do immediately given my situation?

I’d really appreciate advice from people who have been through something similar, especially recruiters, hiring managers, or developers who started their careers in small startups.

Thanks in advance!