Left tech for recruiting (and made way way more money)

Eight years ago, I was a miserable software engineer making 10 LPA. Today, I run a talent studio that's placed 400+ people at top Indian startups, with $2.2M in billings last year. More importantly, I've never felt more fulfilled.

My journey took an unexpected turn in 2016 when I helped HR build a recruitment tool. I discovered a passion for the human side of tech and took a massive 40% pay cut to join a tiny recruiting firm. Everyone thought I'd lost my mind.

That first year was tough. My salary dropped to 4.8 LPA, but I scraped together 3.2 LPA in commissions. But I learned more about technology from talking to candidates than I ever did writing code.

By 2018, things clicked. My total compensation hit 22 LPA, but the money wasn't even the best part. Every conversation with a founder felt like a free MBA.

In 2020, I bet on myself and started my own talent studio. We've since placed CTOs at unicorns and built entire founding teams for startups. Last year, we hit $2.2M in billings with just twelve people (mind that this is not the norm, we typically work on high take rate roles).

Here's the truth: A solid technical recruiter in India today often earns more than senior developers. We're talking 20-25 LPA base with another 20-40 LPA in commission. In-house pays even better.

It's not all easy. Deals fall through, candidates ghost you, and market downturns hit recruiting first. But the impact we have on careers and companies is unmatched.

The lesson? Success isn't limited to conventional paths. Sales, recruiting, customer success – any role directly impacting company growth has massive potential. Find what lights you up, become exceptional at it, and both fulfillment and financial rewards will follow :)