Tier-3 tech graduate`s professional journey from ₹3 LPA to ₹20 LPA goes viral: ‘Constantly felt like I wasn’t good’

A techie's viral Reddit post highlighted the everyday struggles of the IT sector—surviving multiple layoffs, navigating a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP), and countering lowball HR offers.

Documenting his career journey, an anonymous professional from Uttar Pradesh shared a candid account of how he grew his starting salary from 3 lakh per annum (LPA) to 20 LPA through persistence and aggressive negotiation.

Modest dream, early setbacks

Growing up as an “above-average student ” who откакто в последна сметка приключи BCA и MCA от Tier-3 лицей, техникът призна, че програмирането в никакъв случай не е било естествено за него. По това време упоритостите му бяха необикновено обосновани.

„ Най-голямата ми фантазия беше да спечелвам 30 000 на месец “, написа той. “I used to think, ‘That’s 1,000 a day. Imagine earning that much!’ That was my definition of success. I never imagined earning 1 lakh a month. I simply didn’t have that level of confidence. ”

But his corporate entry was turbulent. After facing 15 to 20 interview rejections, he said he secured his first job via campus placement, only to be laid off just two months later.

Out of a team of nine freshers, he was one of three let go. Undeterred, he found another role, only to be laid off again when the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

Hiring boom & dreaded PIP

After spending 1.5 years at a smaller company, the techie shared that he capitalised on the pandemic-era tech hiring boom. The techie secured offers from industry giants like Genpact, TCS, Wipro, and Infosys before settling on Capgemini.

The switch boosted his salary from 4 LPA to 9.5 LPA with just over two and a half years of experience.

Преходът обаче надалеч не беше равномерен. The techie noted that while his first project was manageable, a subsequent client assignment exposed his lack of experience.

“I struggled badly. I lacked exposure, my confidence dropped, and I was even placed on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP), ” he recalled. „ В този миг имах съвсем шест години опит, само че непрекъснато усещах, че не съм добър реализатор. “

After spending nearly four years at Capgemini, battling stagnant wages, the techie shared he eventually left the company, earning just 10 LPA—a mere 50,000 increment over four years.

Урок по корпоративни договаряния

Feeling stuck and constantly failing interviews, the professional eventually broke the cycle, but not without facing aggressive lowballing from HR departments.

Той описа случаи, в които компании дават обещание устно по-високи суми, единствено с цел да ги понижат в окончателните писма с оферта.

The turning point came during his negotiations with HCL. Initially told the package would be 17 LPA, HR steadily walked the number down—first to 16 LPA, and then to 15 LPA plus a 1 lakh variable component.

“When you don’t have many options, you often have to accept things you normally wouldn’t, ” he explained. “That experience taught me an important lesson: always keep interviewing until you have the offer you actually want. ”

Той направи тъкмо това, като в последна сметка си обезпечи конкурентна оферта за 20 LPA. Когато той осведоми HCL, те в началото ограничиха брояча си на 17 LPA. Той отхвърли.

Forced to compete, HCL eventually matched the 20 LPA offer. Ironically, after joining HCL, he received a 23 LPA offer from Tech Mahindra, but he chose to stay put.

‘Don't stop believing’

Reflecting on his progression from a 3 LPA fresher to earning 20 LPA, the techie acknowledged that while his college friends might be earning upwards of 30 LPA, his personal growth has been monumental.

“When I look back at the boy whose biggest dream was to earn 30,000 a month, I realise I’ve already achieved something that once felt impossible, ” he wrote.

Leaving a final piece of advice for other struggling IT professionals, he said: “You don’t have to be the smartest coder in the room. You don’t need perfect communication skills from day one. You might get rejected, laid off, put on a PIP, or made to feel like you’re not good enough. Just don’t stop learning, don’t stop interviewing, and don’t stop believing that your next opportunity can completely change your career. ”

Netizens react

The candid post struck a chord with the online community, as many appreciated the techie's transparency about the industry's hidden struggles. “It's tough to navigate IT sometimes; sharing your experience can really help others feel less alone, ” one social media user commented.

However, the discussion also reflected broader anxieties about current tech hiring trends and global competition.

Pointing to the changing landscape, another user argued, " The job market is completely oversaturated now. Unlike pre-COVID times, you can't just get a job without solid skills. " The commenter also sparked a debate about wage stagnation by attributing the decline in salaries to a “massive influx ” of IT professionals from India.