- Senior software engineer tripled salary from Rs 11L to Rs 33L in eight months
- Struggled with job hunting despite 1000+ applications and resume rewrites
- Created a simple portfolio website to showcase skills and projects
A senior software engineer's journey has gained traction on social media after they shared how they went from being on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) at the start of 2025 to tripling their annual salary in just eight months, from Rs 11 lakh to Rs 33 lakh. In a viral Reddit post titled, "My job journey: 11LPA to 33LPA in 8 months", the techie said they wanted to inspire those who were in a similar space and struggling to land a job.
"It was very demotivating. I finally started job hunting in March, 25. For the first 2 months, I was barely getting any decent interviews, mostly low-paying companies or irrelevant roles," the user wrote in the r/Indiajobs subreddit.
Despite sending over 1,000 applications across numerous job portals and cold calling recruiters, in addition to multiple resume rewrites, the user said they struggled to find a viable lead that could translate into a full-time job opportunity.
"At some point, I was not able to standout because my previous company's name was not convincing enough to land an interview and I was constantly getting low-ball offers from other companies."
As the struggle continued for months on end, the user said he finally decided to take a different approach and present themselves to the recruiters in a new manner.
"Finally, I built a simple portfolio website, just showcasing my skills, links to projects, achievements, and a small write-up about my work experience. It wasn't fancy, I coded it in a few hours because I'm a developer but it was clean and personal," they wrote.
The techie claimed that their change in approach led to a drastic surge in interest as LinkedIn connections initiated direct messages, recruiters started reaching out, and interview requests started flowing in. This included opportunities with major tech companies and well-funded startups that had previously overlooked their application.
"Around July, I got an offer with a 2X salary hike at one of the top 3 Investment Banks - can't disclose the name. I joined last month and honestly, it still feels unreal. And because the whole experience was so rough, I wanted to give something back to people who are limited on time or can't code."
Check The Viral Post Here:
My job journey: 11LPA to 33LPA in 8 months
byu/Who-let-the inIndiajobs
As the post gained traction, social media users lauded the techie for their achievement, while others said they were inspired to achieve something similar.
"I am a student and seeing people achieving their dream fills me with hope and determination," said one user while another added: "Great and congratulations bro! I'm starting my journey to become a Full Stack developer. Maybe this will help me a year down the line when my website will be full of projects!"
A third commented: "Going through the same phase, there's been no appraisal bonus. It's been 3 years in the same company. Chasing LinkedIn and naukri for new jobs, and there is no end."
