‘I’m feeling super guilty’: Fresher earning ₹43,000 learns colleague with 12 years’ experience makes ₹31,000

A startup employee turned to Reddit after learning they earned more than a colleague with over a decade of experience.

A Reddit post about salaries at a startup has prompted a discussion about pay gaps, experience and whether years in the workforce always translate into better earnings. The post came from a marketing executive who recently landed their first full-time job and was left feeling conflicted after learning what two colleagues were paid.

The Reddit post raised questions about salaries, skills and experience. (Representative Image)

The user admitted they felt guilty after discovering that a co-worker with over a decade of experience was earning significantly less.

Fresher shares salary dilemma

The Reddit user wrote, “Feeling guilty about my in-hand salary. I have recently joined a startup as a Marketing Executive. My in-hand salary is ₹43,000. This is my first full-time job, but I have almost two years of internship experience. Another sales executive joined on the same day as me and opened up about his financially difficult situation. He revealed that his in-hand salary is ₹31,000 with no incentives.”

The post continued, “He has 12 years of experience in direct selling and has worked at Reliance, Vijay Sales and Croma. He recently changed industries. The office boy also overheard our conversation and shared that he earns ₹15,000. I’m feeling super guilty. I feel like the company is taking advantage of them, but at the same time I’m new to this industry and don’t know the ins and outs of it.”

Read the full story here.

How did social media react?

Many Reddit users reassured the original poster that salary depends on much more than experience alone.

One user commented, “You are all in different roles. It is also possible that the expectations from you are higher than usual or the expectations from them are lower. That will naturally reflect in compensation. As someone working in marketing at a small firm, be prepared to work odd hours. Keep learning and upskilling during your free time. Cheers and good luck.”

Another wrote, “Don’t feel guilty. Salary is not just about years of experience. It is about skills, market demand and taking risks. I have seen this first-hand. For example, I earn around ₹22 to ₹23 LPA, while some of my peers with similar experience earn ₹14 to ₹15 LPA in the same role at different companies. The difference was not experience. It was continuous upskilling and switching jobs when growth stalled. Long experience alone does not guarantee a higher pay cheque.”

Many agreed that skills, job switches and salary negotiations matter more than years of experience.

(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)