BubblyBoba
BubblyBoba

What has been your career/salary progression so far?

Share your progress - the journey.

  • Where did you begin and where are you now?
  • What motivated you to go the extra mile?
  • Where do you see yourself in the next few years?
  • What did you do differently then the rest of the pack?

This can serve as a motivation to those of us who wants to improve and as a appreciation for some of us who made themselves a stellar career.

Eager to hear your stories. 🔥

20mo ago
Talking product sense with Ridhi
9 min AI interview5 questions
Round 1 by Grapevine
BubblyBoba
BubblyBoba

2018 - 7.2LPA ( Services startup ) 2019 - 15LPA ( Hike ) 2020 - 21LPA ( Switch ) 2021 - 27LPA ( Hike ) 2022 - 33 LPA ( Hike ) 2023 - 72 LPA ( Switch )

Sorry. Should have posted mine first :)

BubblyBoba
BubblyBoba

I graduated from a tier 2 or 3 college. Not very sure but the placements were average. I joined a services startup and worked there for two years. Learned a ton. Moved on to another services startup and learned more.

Finally, I wanted to try a good product org. This happened Jan 2023 and it was a great decision.

The unusual point is that in none of the interviews have I been asked DSA. The interviews were very practical and sometimes tougher than DSA.

Currently, I have about 5 YOE and work as a lead engineer.

GroovyCupcake
GroovyCupcake
Stripe20mo

Just out of curiosity, what services startup gives a hike or 100%?

GroovyCupcake
GroovyCupcake
Stripe20mo

2019 - 11 LPA
2020 - 18.5 LPA (Job switch)
2021 - 33 LPA (Twisted the same company's arm with a competing offer)
2021 - ~49 LPA (Job Switch)
2022 - ~52 LPA (Post appraisal)
2023 - ~100 LPA (Job Switch)

BubblyBoba
BubblyBoba

Nice. What role?
Did the current market hinder the job switch in 2023?

GroovyCupcake
GroovyCupcake
Stripe20mo

Software Engineer. Barely got any calls in 2023. But I suppose, all it matters is converting that 1 good opportunity :)

QuirkyPenguin
QuirkyPenguin

2015 - 1.8 LPA ( Education Co)
2016-18 - MBA 2018 -13 LPA ( Infrastructure Co ) 2019 - 7.5 LPA ( Fintech ) 2020- 13 LPA ( Fintech - same )
2021 -24 LPA ( Fintech - same )
2022 - 28.5 LPA ( Other fintech )

PrancingNugget
PrancingNugget

This is real growth man 👨 🙌

TwirlyNoodle
TwirlyNoodle

Finally a realistic answer

SparklyBoba
SparklyBoba

2006 - 2.1 services company
2007 - 2.75 same 2008 - 3.6 same 2008 - 50k USD moved yo US same company. 2009 - 55k USD same 2010 - 60k USD Same 2011 - 66k USD same
2012 - 75k USD same
2013 - moved back to India 7 lakh
2014 - 19 lakhs changed to another service company
2015 - 6 as I moved to a start up 2018 -36 raised funding 2019 - 42 same company 2020 - 60 same company
2021 - 12 lakh as I started up 2022 - 75 as we raised money.

DizzyLlama
DizzyLlama
Atlys20mo

Damn, that's amazing! So many ups and downs, you must have had phenomenal life experiences! Hope that was damn exciting. Do share!

SparklyBoba
SparklyBoba

Coming from a small town with very little means.. 4-5 lakhs/ year is enough.. only thing growing is the rent I pay as I’m moving to better homes as years pass.. wife has been cooperative for sure to sustain this kind of movement in earning and to support her during my first start up days and she was going through her masters for 3 years.. that was rough.. survived on idlis on road side cart for many months.. 20 bucks 6 idlis :)

SnoozyPotato
SnoozyPotato
AT&T20mo

2013 - Campus grad to WITCH employee - 3.25lpa 2018 - Switched to Big4 - 12lpa 2021 - Switched to another Big4. Left before Appraisals due to toxic client - 22 lpa 2022 - Switch to current org - 30lpa 2023 - Appraisal- 40lpa

Not as meteoric and absurd numbers as some of the startup folks here, but I am happy with my pace and job.

BubblyBoba
BubblyBoba

Some of our salaries are inflated, I agree. But a steady rise like yours is more sustainable in the long run. In the end, I believe all of us who are skilled enough will end up in the same place.

SnoozyPotato
SnoozyPotato
AT&T20mo

Thanks. Yes a couple of years back I used to think about this and worry that my CTC is too low. But now I see that I’ve managed to 10x my package in 10 years and that is no small growth. As long as my hike sufficiently exceeds the retail inflation, I’m content.

DerpyCoconut
DerpyCoconut

Reading this thread is depressing. My progression,

2016 - 3.26 LPA 2017 - 4.5 LPA 2018 - 5.6 LPA 2019 - 6.6 LPA
2020 - 11.5 LPA - Switch 2021 - 15.5 LPA 2022 - 24 LPA - Switch 2023 - 26 LPA - Hike

BubblyBoba
BubblyBoba

You’ve done really well for yourself and I’d say you’re just 1 step away from making the big jump.

SnoozyPotato
SnoozyPotato
AT&T20mo

Not at all depressing. You’re doing good. Keep it up 👍

FloatingPretzel
FloatingPretzel

I a slow but I am ok
2008 - 13 k / mo 2010 - 17k/ mo 2012 - 28k/mo 2014 - 60k / mo Onsite 5 years 2020 - 28 lpa 2021 - 35 lpa 2022. - 50 lpa

SleepyJellybean
SleepyJellybean

Role?

FloatingPretzel
FloatingPretzel

Multiple role did, developer, business analyst, offshore - onshore cordinator, release manager etc. And currently tech arch

GroovyMarshmallow
GroovyMarshmallow

Career

  1. 2016-19: worked with oxan analyst
  2. 19-20: marsh and mclennan actuarial consultant
  3. 20-21: built crypto products a few get acquired rest all exits in form of tokens
  4. 21-23: running a few funds and rest all 6 startups as a CTO.
BubblyBoba
BubblyBoba

Did you say you head 6 startups as a CTO?

GroovyMarshmallow
GroovyMarshmallow

Yes built like 100+ startups aa a CTO and only 9 went big for good exits. Now working on 6

ZippyDumpling
ZippyDumpling

2015 - started journey as analyst - 50K/month 2016- Left Job Became Teacher - 30K /month 2018 - Promoted to Senior Teacher - 80K/month Fast Forward today - left teacher job & heading Leadership Role in Start-Up - 350k/month
Going Forward - Planning to start-up

PrancingNugget
PrancingNugget

When you have left teaching and joined startup again ?

BubblyBoba
BubblyBoba

This is a pretty interesting journey. Analysts -> Teacher -> Leadership.

Curious about the startup. Can you elaborate?

SquishyWaffle
SquishyWaffle

2013 - 7.5 LPA (IT Services) 2014-2016 - Break for Exams.
2016 - 9 LPA (Govt Job) 2019-2020 - MBA
2020 - 20 LPA (BD for B2G) 2021 - 70 LPA (Switch) 2022 - 96 LPA (Switch)

GigglySushi
GigglySushi

How did you jump from 20 to 70?

SquishyWaffle
SquishyWaffle

Got poached by an US Startup, and they didn't know India-based salaries.

They thought they were low-balling. Lol.

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