Hi everyone, need some honest advice.

I worked as an Actuarial Analyst at a consulting/analytics firm in India until 2024 (about 9 months). After that I left to pursue my Master’s in Computer Science and transition into data science roles. There was a joining bonus of ₹50k with a 2-year clause, and since I left early I’m supposed to pay double of that. I haven’t settled that yet, so I don’t have a relieving/experience letter — but I do have offer letter, payslips, etc.

Now I’m applying for data analyst/data science roles and confused about how to handle this:

- Should I still include this experience on my resume even without a relieving letter?

- How do companies usually verify employment (UAN/background checks)?

- Do they ask for relieving letters before the offer or after?

- Is it safer to wait for an offer first and then decide whether to settle the bond?

Not trying to hide anything — just want to handle this ethically while job hunting.

Would really appreciate practical advice from recruiters or anyone who’s been in a similar situation. 🙏