From layoff to ₹1.5 million offer in UAE: How retraining helped a tech professional revive his career and boost earnings | Today’s news
A tech professional who says he was fired from his first job after failing internal exams has shared how retraining, changing jobs and career opportunities helped him move up from an annual salary of ₹2.9 lakh for a UAE consulting opportunity worth around ₹1.5 million annually.
In a post on the Reddit r/Indian_flex community, u/Aggravating_Dot_8757 recounted his career spanning L&T Infotech, IBM, Airbus and Thoughtworks before landing the latest UAE opportunity. The professional, who reported approximately 9.5 years of experience, said the journey included setbacks, periods of feeling underappreciated, and several attempts to switch to the technology specialty he wanted to pursue.
From layoffs to big data opportunity at IBM
The professional said he started his career at L&T Infotech doing manual testing but lost his job after failing seven internal examinations in eight attempts.
He joined IBM within 15 days of being laid off after encouragement from a friend who encouraged him to reapply after previous attempts had gone unanswered.
At IBM, he was assigned JD Edwards, an enterprise software platform, but wanted to work in big data. He began learning the technology independently, but said employers were reluctant to hire him because he had no manufacturing experience.
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A chance connection eventually helped him secure an opportunity on a big data project. After discussing his career concerns with his manager, he got approval to change his technology stack and joined the project in May 2020.
Although he worked long hours to learn on the job, his salary was around ₹3.78 million annually until January 2022, according to the post.
Salary negotiations and job changes drive career growth
The professional said he began interviewing elsewhere after discovering a significant pay gap between him and a colleague with less experience.
He got offers from TCS, Cognizant, Wipro and Nineleaps at ₹7.5 million, ₹9 million, ₹12 thousand and ₹13 million per year, or His manager matched the highest bid and his monthly salary reached ₹1.25 lakh by March 2022, he said.
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He later joined Airbus in ₹23 thousand per year together with sa ₹Entry bonus 5 thousand. There, he worked with the Palantir Foundry, contributing to projects that he says brought multi-million dollar savings to the organization.
After receiving a 2 out of 5 performance rating and losing ₹20,000 from his variable salary, he decided to look for another role. He subsequently received 15 offers and chose Thoughtworks at ₹48 million annually.
Two months later, another organization offered him ₹62 thousand per year aa ₹A €5,000m joining bonus along with permanent work-from-home flexibility and limited office attendance. He accepted the offer and cited the opportunity to spend more time at home after years as the reason.
Why? ₹The 1.5 million UAE opportunity is more than a salary
The professional said that the last opportunity is to move to the UAE to work for a consulting firm with an annual compensation of approx. ₹1.5 million.
He said the move was not only driven by money, but also by the prospect of international exposure, new challenges and professional growth.
Reflecting on the journey, he wrote, “I’m not saying that everything happens for a reason or that hard work guarantees success.”
He added that his progress reflected a combination of persistence, timing, connections and opportunities that he could not have planned ahead of time.
The post also drew reactions from Reddit users. One commenter congratulated him but warned that the cost of living in the UAE can be significant, writing: “Because the cost of living is extremely high. I’m happy for you.”
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Another user, who said he was recently laid off and has yet to find work, called the account inspirational.
The professional acknowledged that the next chapter may bring new challenges, adding that a high salary does not guarantee happiness and that he will have to adapt and prove himself again.