‘My biggest dream was to earn ₹30,000’: Uttar Pradesh techie goes from earning ₹3 LPA to ₹20 LPA
The techie remembers starting their career with a ₹3 LPA salary and getting laid off just after two months.
A techie who once dreamt of earning just ₹30,000 per month shared the journey of the salary progression from ₹3 LPA to ₹20 LPA. Facing layoffs, low-tier college backgrounds, and tough salary negotiations, the individual shared their story online to inspire struggling IT professionals.

Explaining the educational background, the techie shared, “I’m from Uttar Pradesh, and growing up I was just an above-average student. I completed my BCA from a Tier-3 college and later pursued an MCA. I was never great at coding. I tried, but programming never came naturally to me.”
Also Read: ‘I’d be giving up ₹30–35 LPA’: Techie facing severe burnout considers 6-month break, Reddit reacts
The individual recalled, “One thing I still remember from my teenage years was that my biggest dream was to earn ₹30,000 per month. I used to think, ‘That’s ₹1,000 a day. Imagine earning that much!’ That was my definition of success. I never imagined earning ₹1 lakh a month. I simply didn’t have that level of confidence.”
From ₹3 LPA to ₹20 LPA:
The techie landed the first job through campus placement but was laid off after just two months. Though they managed to get another job, the entire team was laid off due to the pandemic.
The person recalled, “I joined another small company and worked there for around 1.5 years. By then, I had gained enough confidence to start interviewing again.” They added that after working at the company for over two years, they landed a role with ₹9.5 LPA at Capgemini.
The techie wrote on Reddit, “Joining Capgemini wasn’t easy. My first project was manageable, but when I moved to another client, I struggled badly,” adding, “I spent nearly four years at Capgemini. There were almost no salary increments. I joined at ₹9.5 LPA and left with only ₹10 LPA, despite having six years of experience.”
Explaining the salary progression, the person continued, “Eventually, I received an offer from one company that verbally promised ₹15 LPA, but after all the interview rounds, they offered only ₹12 LPA. Another company did something similar. Then HCL entered the picture. Initially, I was told ₹17 LPA. After clearing every interview, HR reduced it to ₹16 LPA with a ₹1 lakh variable. The very next day, they called again saying management had approved only ₹15 LPA plus the same variable.”
That is when, the techie told the company that they have received a better offer and claimed that HCL later matched that ₹20 LPA offer. “My salary journey has looked like this: ₹3 LPA (Fresher) → ₹4 LPA → ₹9.5 LPA → ₹20 LPA.”
Labelling the journey as “not really extraordinary”, the person explained that it still may serve as an inspiration to someone who is struggling.
“You don’t have to be the smartest coder in the room. You don’t need perfect communication skills from day one. You might get rejected, laid off, put on a PIP, or made to feel like you’re not good enough. Just don’t stop learning, don’t stop interviewing, and don’t stop believing that your next opportunity can completely change your career.”
What did social media say?
An individual wrote, “It's tough to navigate IT sometimes, sharing your experience can really help others feel less alone.”
Another shared, “Nothing is impossible.” A third posted, “You've been on quite a journey! If you're still working on your coding skills, try focusing on projects or problems that interest you. It can make learning more enjoyable. Practice is important, so consider building small apps or tools.”
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. Hindustantimes.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)
ABOUT THE AUTHORTrisha SenguptaTrisha Sengupta is a Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of digital newsroom experience. Specialising in high-engagement storytelling, she blends viral trends with traditional journalism to cover the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. Her reporting spans real estate and personal finance struggles in hubs like Bengaluru and Gurgaon, the NRI experience, and corporate shifts like tech layoffs. Trisha also frequently tracks global figures and writes human interest stories. Offline, Trisha is an avid reader, history enthusiast and solo traveler. She balances her journalism career with family life while actively integrating AI tools into her modern storytelling approach.Read More

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