Job opportunities and salaries can be unpredictable in the technology sector. However, as professionals gain experience, develop expertise, and upgrade their skills, they may find better-paying opportunities, particularly when their current salaries no longer reflect their capabilities or expectations. The career journey of this tech professional highlights how setbacks can sometimes lead to unexpected opportunities. It also underscores the importance of acquiring relevant skills, exploring new roles, and persevering in the pursuit of career growth.
The techie has shared his career journey on Reddit, detailing how he went from being laid off from his first job, where he earned Rs 2.9 lakh per annum (LPA), to receiving an opportunity to work for a consulting firm in the UAE with annual compensation of approximately Rs 1.5 crore.
Reflecting on his nearly 9.5-year career, the man said he felt fortunate, not because everything had gone smoothly, but because several experiences that initially seemed like failures eventually led to opportunities he had never imagined.
From getting laid off to joining IBM within 15 days
The man began his career at L&T Infotech, where he was assigned manual testing and had to clear seven internal examinations within eight attempts. He said he struggled with the assigned role and was eventually laid off.
At the time, he viewed the experience as a failure. Looking back, however, he wondered whether staying at the company would have kept him on a career path he never really wanted, earning around Rs 2.9 lakh a year.
Within 15 days of being laid off, he joined IBM. He said he had applied to the company several times earlier but had never received a response. Although he was not planning to apply again, a friend encouraged him to give it another shot. This time, he received a response and was selected.
He continued applying for jobs until an unexpected connection changed things. He connected with someone working in big data who needed a replacement before moving to Bengaluru. He asked her to recommend him, and she agreed. He subsequently cleared the interview.
However, switching to a different technology stack required management approval. He said colleagues told him the request had never been approved before and was unlikely to succeed.
He eventually spoke candidly with his manager about his insecurities and concerns that his career was going nowhere. He explained that he needed an opportunity to work in the field he had been trying to enter.
His manager listened, approached the service line leader, and helped secure approval for the switch.
In May 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic, he finally joined a big data project.
Long working hours, but a salary of just Rs 3.78 LPA
The Reddit user said he worked extremely hard to learn on the job and catch up with his colleagues, as he had never worked in a production environment before.
“I worked incredibly hard. I’d never worked in a production environment before, so I was learning on the job and trying to catch up. There were periods when I worked 14-15 hours a day,” he wrote.
Despite his efforts, his annual salary had reached only around Rs 3.78 lakh by January 2022.
He then came across the salary slip of a colleague who had joined after him, had around three years of experience, and was earning Rs 1.18 lakh a month in hand.
The discovery left him frustrated. He clarified that his concern was not that the colleague was earning too much, but that he could not understand why his own efforts had not translated into comparable financial growth.
He discussed the matter with his manager, who was sympathetic but said there was little he could do without an external job offer. The manager suggested that he interview elsewhere and return if he received a better offer.
Following this advice, the professional interviewed with several companies and received offers from TCS, Cognizant, Wipro, and Nineleaps at Rs 7.5 lakh, Rs 9 lakh, Rs 12 lakh, and Rs 13 lakh per annum, respectively.
He said his manager matched the highest offer. By March 2022, his monthly salary had increased to Rs 1.25 lakh.
Later that year, however, his manager left, and the situation changed. He began exploring opportunities outside the company again and received several offers, including some worth around Rs 30 lakh per annum.
He eventually chose Airbus, which offered him an annual package of Rs 23 lakh along with a joining bonus of Rs 5 lakh.
From Rs 48 LPA to a remote role paying Rs 62 LPA
The professional had been at Thoughtworks for only two months when another organisation, which had previously offered him a job, approached him again.
The company offered him Rs 62 lakh per annum along with a joining bonus of Rs 5 lakh. He chose not to disclose the organisation’s name, describing it as a relatively small company.
The role also offered permanent work from home, with just three days of work at the client’s office each month, along with significant ownership and responsibility.
He said he had been living away from home since 2011 and wanted an opportunity to spend more time with his family. He therefore accepted the offer.
Now, he has received another opportunity to move to the UAE and work for a consulting firm, with annual compensation of approximately Rs 1.5 crore.
