Tier-3 tech graduate's career journey from ₹3 LPA to ₹20 LPA goes viral: 'I constantly felt I was no good'

A tech worker’s viral post on Reddit highlighted the day-to-day struggles of the IT sector – surviving multiple layoffs, navigating a performance improvement plan (PIP) and facing low HR offers.

An anonymous professional from Uttar Pradesh who documented his career journey shared a candid account of how he increased his starting salary. ₹3 lakh per annum (LPA) up to ₹20 LPA through persistence and aggressive negotiation.

A modest dream, early setbacks

Growing up as an “above average student”, the techie who eventually completed his BCA and MCA from a Tier-3 college admitted that programming never came naturally to him. At the time, his ambitions were incredibly grounded.

“My biggest dream was to make money ₹30,000 per month,” he wrote ₹1000 per day. Imagine earning that much!” That was my definition of success. I never imagined that I would earn ₹1 lakh per month. I just didn’t have that level of confidence.”

But his company entrance was turbulent. After facing 15 to 20 interview rejections, he said he secured his first job with an on-campus placement, but was let go just two months later.

Out of a team of nine, he was one of three dismissed. Undeterred, he found another role, but was laid off again after the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

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The hiring boom and the dreaded PIP

After spending 1.5 years at a smaller company, the techie said he cashed in on the technology hiring boom during the pandemic. The engineers secured offers from industry giants such as Genpact, TCS, Wipro and Infosys before settling on Capgemini.

The move increased his salary ₹4 LPA up to ₹9.5 LPA with a little over two and a half years of experience.

However, the transition was far from smooth. The technician noted that while his first project was manageable, subsequent client assignments revealed his lack of experience.

“I fought badly. I missed exposure, my confidence went down and I was even put on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP),” he recalled. “At that point, I had almost six years of experience, but I still felt like I wasn’t a good artist.

After spending nearly four years at Capgemini and struggling with stagnant wages, the engineer eventually left the company, earning just ₹10 LPA – Mere ₹50,000 increment in four years.

A lesson in corporate negotiation

A professional who felt stuck and kept failing interviews eventually broke the cycle, but not without aggressive humiliation from the HR department.

He described cases where companies verbally promised higher numbers, only to cut them back in final offer letters.

The turning point came during his dealings with HCL. Originally the package was said to be ₹17 LPA, HR kept going down the number – first ₹16 LPA and then till ₹15 LPA plus a ₹1 lakh variable component.

“When you don’t have a lot of options, you often have to accept things you normally wouldn’t,” he explained. “This experience taught me an important lesson: always keep interviewing until you get the offer you really want.”

He did exactly that and ended up securing a competitive bid ₹20 LPA. When informed by HCL, they first limited their counter to ₹17 LPA. he refused.

HCL was forced to compete and eventually settled ₹20 LPA offer. Ironically, after joining HCL, he got a ₹23 LPA offer from Tech Mahindra but decided to stay put.

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‘Don’t Stop Believing’

Reflections on his progress beyond ₹3 LPA fresher to earn ₹20 LPA, the technician admitted that while his college friends may earn more ₹30 LPA, his personal growth has been monumental.

“When I look back at a boy whose biggest dream was to earn money ₹30,000 per month, I realize that I have already achieved something that once seemed impossible to me,” he wrote.

Leaving some final 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 can get rejected, fired, put on PIP, or feel like you’re not good enough. Just keep learning, keep interviewing, and your next career may not completely change your career.”

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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 can be hard to navigate sometimes, sharing your experiences can really help others feel less alone,” commented one social media user.

However, the discussion also reflected broader concerns about current trends in technology recruitment and global competition.

Another user pointed to the changing landscape, claiming: “The job market is completely oversaturated now. Unlike pre-Covid times, you can’t just get a job without solid skills.” The commentator also sparked a debate about wage stagnation by attributing the drop in wages to a “massive influx” of IT professionals from India.