A Reddit user’s candid post about jumping from an 11 LPA salary to 33 LPA within just eight months has sparked a discussion online, especially among job-seekers struggling in a tough market.
In a post titled “My job journey: 11LPA to 33LPA in 8 months”, the user detailed how 2025 began on a bleak note. He shared that he was stuck in a role with zero growth, no promotion for three years, and was eventually placed on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). “It was very demotivating,” he wrote.
By March 2025, the Redditor said that he began hunting for a new job, only to face a wall of rejections. For nearly two months, he said he received “barely any decent interviews”, with most opportunities being low-paying or irrelevant to his profile. Despite sending over 1,000 applications, cold emailing 300-plus recruiters, and continuously tweaking his resume, he said that he struggled to stand out because his previous company’s name “was not convincing enough” for many employers. “I was constantly getting low-ball offers from other companies,” he said.
Then, after months of stalled conversations and minimal visibility, he decided to take a different approach. The user shared that he built a “simple portfolio website” in which he just showcased his skills, links to projects, achievements and a small write-up about his work experience. “It wasn’t fancy — I coded it in a few hours because I’m a developer — but it was clean and personal,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Then, after months of stalled conversations and minimal visibility, he decided to take a different approach. The user shared that he built a “simple portfolio website” in which he just showcased his skills, links to projects, achievements and a small write-up about his work experience. “It wasn’t fancy — I coded it in a few hours because I’m a developer — but it was clean and personal,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}This single experiment turned things around, the Redditor said. He shared that after posting the portfolio on LinkedIn, he suddenly began seeing traction. Network connections DM’d him, recruiters reached out, and interviews poured in, including from big tech firms and well-funded startups that had previously ignored his applications.
Then by July, the OP said he had secured an offer with a 2x salary hike at one of the top three investment banks, and he joined the role last month. “It still feels unreal,” he said.
This experience, the user said, inspired him to build a tool that can convert any existing resume into a portfolio landing page without coding, aimed at helping job-seekers who don’t have the time or technical skills to craft one themselves.
He ended the post saying he shared his journey because “maybe someone out there is stuck exactly where I was a few months ago”.
Social media reactions
The post quickly caught the attention of social media, with many sharing similar job search struggle.
“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,” one user wrote.
“I think i have similar condition like you,” commented another. “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! Thanks!” wrote one user.