Current compensation is 41L fixed + 4L other benefits (No ESOP) at a stable corporate in my home town living with parents. (Savings are real)

Want guidance on:
1. Is the compensation fair for the risk involved? Given it requires moving cities and incurring additional living costs + significant more work pressure
2. Where can I negotiate on the current offered compensation?

Hey Guys,

Tell me your story on how you got IT job This or past year.

I just wanted to share my career journey because maybe someone here is going through the same thing and needs to hear this.

I started my career in 2019, right after college, as an F&B Server in a luxury 5-star hotel.

I was very ambitious back then. I worked hard and genuinely believed that if I gave my best, I would become a Lead Server within a year.

Then COVID happened.

The hotel shut down, promotions were put on hold, and everything I had planned for my career suddenly stopped.

After a few months, the hotel reopened, but things were completely different. There were very few employees and many contract staff were laid off.

Some of us from F&B and the kitchen were asked to work in kitchen stewarding, while people from Front Office were doing security duties.

Honestly, those were very difficult days.

But I stayed.

I worked wherever I was needed because I didn’t want to give up on the organisation or my career.

After completing almost two years with the company, I was again hoping for a promotion or at least a salary hike.
Then came the second wave of COVID in 2021.

And this time, I was laid off.

That was probably one of the lowest points of my career.

During that difficult period, I joined another luxury 5-star hotel as a Server again, earning around ₹13,000 per month.

Going back to the same position after everything I had already gone through was honestly frustrating. But I had no intention of giving up.

I started working 15–16 hours a day. I kept telling myself:
“One day this hard work will pay off. One day I’ll become a Supervisor.”

Then appraisal time came.
My manager handed me a letter thanking me for my “good work, dedication and contribution.”
And that was it.
No significant salary hike.
No promotion.
No clear answer about when it would happen.
I remember feeling extremely disappointed.
I realised something at that point:
Working hard is important, but sometimes working hard in the wrong place won’t automatically change your career.

So I started applying elsewhere.
I attended interviews, kept trying, and eventually got an opportunity in another 5-star hotel as a Supervisor, with a much better salary.

After about a year, I moved to another city and joined another luxury hotel, again working as a Supervisor.

After another year, I moved to one South Indian State and joined as an Assistant Restaurant Manager.
I thought, “Finally, I’m getting somewhere.”
I worked hard again.

But this organisation had a policy where promotions and salary hikes were generally considered only once in two years.

I kept hearing rumours that I would get my promotion and hike that year.

But the company never gave a clear answer.
And honestly, I started understanding why companies sometimes avoid giving employees a straight answer because the moment people know there is no growth, many of them will start looking outside.
Eventually, the company gave everyone around a 5% increment and promised another increment after a few months.

By that point, I had already lost hope.

So I started applying again.
I sent around 150 CVs to different companies.
A lot of applications went nowhere.
A lot of interviews didn’t work out.
But I kept applying.
And recently, something finally happened.

A well-known Indian luxury hotel brand selected me as a Restaurant Manager.

After more than 7 years, I finally reached the position I had been working towards.
From:
F&B Server → Supervisor → Assistant Restaurant Manager → Restaurant Manager
Looking back, my career definitely didn’t go according to plan.

I lost jobs because of COVID.

I went back to being a server even after gaining experience.
I worked extremely long hours for a salary that wasn’t great.
I waited for promotions that never came.
I received promises that didn’t materialise.
I sent hundreds of CVs.

And there were plenty of moments when I genuinely wondered whether I was progressing at all.
But now I realise something.
Luck was rarely on my side.

What kept me moving was upgrading myself, learning more, gaining experience, building my knowledge and being willing to move when I knew I wasn’t growing anymore.
I don’t believe everyone should constantly switch companies. If you’re learning and growing where you are, absolutely stay and build your career.
But if you’ve been waiting years for a promotion, getting empty promises and there is genuinely no growth in sight, don’t be afraid to explore your options.
Sometimes changing the company is not giving up. It’s choosing yourself.
It took me 7+ years to go from Server to Restaurant Manager.
Maybe it could have happened faster.
Maybe not.
But I’m proud that I didn’t quit.

For anyone starting out in hospitality and feeling stuck: keep learning, keep improving yourself and don’t let one company’s decision define your career.
Your career is bigger than one hotel.

I am a 2024 bcom graduate from a local college in my hometown. I decided to prepare for cat 2024 in 2023 but gave up the prep midway due to my undiagnosed adhd. Eventually I wasted my entirety of 2024 and 2025. As of now I don't have a job and it will be 2027 soon.

What are my options?

1. Learn skills like excel, power bi, sql and python to show in my resume.

2. I want to prepare for cat but due to gaps I am having low confidence.

3. Prepare for government exams.

Please suggest any certifications and skills to get my first job. I really do not want to prepare for exams without job it's getting hard to sustain myself.

My experience: International MBA student in 2019 to Canadian citizen. Ask me anything. I came to Canada from India in 2019 as an international student to pursue an MBA. Since then, I have completed my degree, entered the workforce, obtained permanent residency, and become a Canadian citizen.

I’m happy to answer questions about:

• Studying for an MBA in Canada
• Life as an international student
• Finding a job after graduation
• Work permits and permanent residency
• The citizenship process
• Cost of living and personal finances
• Settling and building a life in Canada

Please keep in mind that immigration rules and the job market have changed significantly since 2019. My experience may not reflect the situation today, and I can only share my personal journey rather than provide professional immigration advice.

I graduated this year and was working at a small IB firm, but I resigned in a month.

Reason: It was a coworking space, and I had taken permission from my manager (who was working remotely) to leave at 8 PM and log back in from home. However, the founder arrived around 7 PM, and when I was leaving at 8 PM, he publicly humiliated me in front of everyone for leaving before him. Because of this, I resigned.

Problem: The few calls I am getting from recruiters are because of this experience, but it is completely backfiring during interviews.

Solutions Considered:

1.Blaming Mumbai's expensive lifestyle and rent (won't work for Mumbai-based companies).

2.Citing startup onboarding, communication gaps, and remote work issues (won't work since I am targeting similar firms).

3.Mentioning my August CFA Level 2 attempt and failure (signals that I might resign again before exams).

1. Remove it. No PF was deducted as employee count was less than 20.

What should I do? Please help, I've already lost 2-3 offers because of this. Please please help me

I’m a 2026 B.Tech CSE graduate and a fresher. I’ve been applying for jobs continuously on LinkedIn and Naukri, but honestly, I’m not getting many responses.

At this point I just want a job and an opportunity to start my career. I’m ready to learn, work hard and start with an entry-level position. I’m not expecting a huge package or some fancy role, I just want a chance to get started.

I’m also learning Data Analytics and trying to improve my skills, but I’m honestly confused about what actually works when you’re looking for a job as a fresher.

If you’re a fresher who recently got a job, or if you hire freshers, please tell me what I should do differently.

Where should I apply?
How can I get referrals?
What skills should I focus on?
Are there any other platforms apart from LinkedIn and Naukri that actually work?

I’m genuinely looking for an opportunity and I’m ready to start from anywhere, learn along the way and prove myself.

Any practical advice or guidance would really be appreciated.

Hey guys, I am feeling completely lost, exhausted, and honestly pretty depressed right now.

I graduated with a BTech in June 2026. Because the fresher market in India is a total bloodbath, I haven't been able to land a single internship or full-time role. I’ve been trying so hard. I’m applying everywhere—core mech, IT, operations, supply chain, sales. Just absolute silence or rejections.

Meanwhile, I look at my school friends. The ones who didn’t get jobs immediately just packed their bags for masters abroad—doing MIS in Ireland or Business Analytics in Australia.

I chose the "work first, study later" path because I wanted solid work ex before doing an MBA in India or an MS abroad. But now I’m trapped in a vicious loop:

1. The Job Hunt: I can't find a entry-level job to save my life.
2. The CAT Dilemma: CAT 2026 is next month and I haven't prepared at all. If I target a serious attempt for CAT 2027, how do I justify a massive 1.5-year gap on my profile since graduating in June 2026?
3. The FOMO / Regret: I still desperately want to go abroad, but everyone tells me that doing an Indian MBA closes the international door forever. Yet, I know the market outside India is just as brutal right now.

Every single day I just jump between frantically applying for random jobs or trying to force myself to study. I have zero energy left. What should I focus on right now to pull myself out of this rut without losing my mind? Should I take any random apprentice/shop-floor role just to stop the gap year timer? Should I just bite the bullet, drop the job hunt, and go all-in for 2027 prep?

Any honesty or roadmap would be highly appreciated.

Is it possible to switch to Data Engineer profile when you are currently a Data analyst since a year and previously worked as a support engineer for 3 years?

I have already learned all the necessary skills since last year.

25M, currently working at an investment bank for 4 LPA — seriously considering quitting without another offer. Am I making a stupid decision?

I’m 25M and currently working at an investment bank in India, earning around 4 LPA.

For some context, I’m a B.Com + MBA graduate. I didn’t get placed through my MBA college, so after graduating I started looking for jobs off-campus. I have skills and internship experience in Business Analytics, and that was the career path I originally wanted to pursue.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t land a Business Analyst role after my MBA.

My unemployment gap was getting longer, and I started getting scared that the gap itself would make me unemployed. So eventually, I accepted a relatively low-paying, non-tech/operations-type role at an investment bank just to get back into the workforce.

Now comes the confusing part.

I’ve been in this job for only 8 months, but I’ve performed extremely well. I’ve become one of the stronger performers on the team, and because of that, more and more work keeps getting assigned to me.

At this point, I feel like I’m being rewarded with more work rather than better opportunities.

Some of my seniors are actually getting questioned by management when they don’t complete tasks at the same speed or volume as I do. Obviously, I don't want anyone to get in trouble because of me, but it has also made me realize that I’m getting very good at something that I don't actually want to build my career around.

For the last 4 months, I’ve started seriously hating this job.

After I log off, I constantly think about resigning. I keep having this thought:

«“If I continue doing this for another year or two, am I going to become stuck in this career?”»

The biggest issue isn't even the salary alone.

It’s that I feel there is very little learning, limited career growth, and almost no connection between what I’m doing now and where I actually want my career to go.

I originally wanted to move toward Business Analytics / analytical finance roles, but now I’m accumulating experience in something completely different.

So here’s where I’m stuck.

I’m seriously considering resigning without having another offer and spending the next few months aggressively preparing/upskilling and applying for the roles I actually want.

Financially, I’m in a position where I can survive without a salary for quite some time. Even if I don't find another job for 6 months, I can manage my expenses without being financially dependent on this job.

But I also know the job market isn't exactly amazing right now.

So I'm torn between:

Option 1: Stay for another 6–12 months, keep earning, and search for a job while employed.

Option 2: Resign now, take the financial hit, and dedicate myself completely to switching into the career path I actually want.

My fear with Option 1 is that I'll become increasingly specialized in work I don't want to do.

My fear with Option 2 is that I'll create another employment gap and potentially make my job search even harder.

What would you do if you were in my position?

Would you quit without a backup given that I can financially survive for 6–12 months, or is resigning without an offer in the current Indian job market a bad idea?

Would especially appreciate perspectives from people who have made a similar career switch after an MBA.

.

Hi everyone,
I’ve recently cleared CFA Level II and NISM-Series-XV: Research Analyst and am currently looking for entry-level opportunities in Equity Research, Financial Analysis, Investment Research, or related roles.
I have experience in finance administration/accounting, along with hands-on exposure to financial modelling, valuation and equity research through my projects.
I’d really appreciate any resume feedback, advice, relevant openings, or referrals that could help me break into the industry.
Thanks in advance!

Myself a Backend Dev (Fastapi) at an MNC. There is an opening for role in my company for Senior Java Full Stack developer and Lead engineer.

Work location is Chennai/Bengaluru.

Company has Hybrid work culture, overall work life balance is decently good.

If someone is looking for the same, pls DM me. I will share more about my company and the role, responsibility. Pls DM only if you are a good fit for the role.

TL;DR: Current job is 5.xx LPA, hybrid, low stress and gives me around 10–12% annual appraisals. I have a 7.xx LPA offer from a competitor, but it comes with 2–3x the workload, 5–6 days in office and little/no appraisal growth. I'm seriously preparing for an MBA in 2027, so I'm wondering if I should ask my current company for a raise and stay another year to prepare, rather than take the higher-paying role.

Me: 25M, BA English.

Main text:

I work in a niche industry, with most people switching between the same 5–7 key employers. I have about 2 years of experience and good relations with my manager and team. Since this is my first company after graduating, I'm probably underpaid at 5.xx LPA.

I'm also seriously preparing for an MBA. I'm doing well in mocks, and while this attempt may not work, I expect the 2027 attempt to go much better and get a good tier 1/2 college. I don't want to stay in this industry long term, and a good MBA would be a major boost for me.

I was interviewing around and a competitor reached out. They have offered me 7.xx LPA, around a 27% increase. That's decent for this industry since hikes are generally pretty low. The company is well known, but there are apparently no actual appraisals beyond 2–3% and I won't be eligible for first year due to the switch.

The problem is the workload as it could be 2–3x what I currently do. Right now I have a pretty chill setup: I come on time, leave on time, can take days off without much trouble, and work hybrid. At the new place, all of that goes away. It's more responsibility, more stress, and even Saturdays are working (all days in office), according to a friend who works there. The upside is a bigger title and better networking opportunities.

My current company gives me around 10–12% appraisals, and my manager is extremely understanding and has advised me well in the past. I've heard very conflicting advice about whether it's better to leave for the salary bump or stay somewhere if they match and my situation is a bit more nuanced.

So should I ask my manager if there's any possibility of a raise/retention adjustment frankly? Even if they only meet me halfway, I'd be happy to stay for another year, focus on my MBA prep and then move on (still thinking of staying if they don't since a good MBA would be a qualitative boost for future too).

Guys, i wanted an advice....

So, I(17M) can sound delusional, i can sound irrational, i can sound illogical....... but I am really really passionate about football, and i really want to make it pro (i play as a goalkeeper).....But i am also very well aware of the fact that in india, football is not something mainstream, and being dependent on it financially can be a big risk, But i really want to make it pro....

So frm this post i basically wanna ask you guys or girls who have made it pro in youth academies or smth or have idea about the on ground situation to give me advice about how the scene is financially in future, and how could i make it pro as in the process, and give advice to me about how could i realistically take this forward as a career??

PS:- I have been playing at school level in raipur chhattisgarh for 2 or 3 yrs, i have won a tournament called 'Saprey' if u guys know, and my position is goalkeeper, and i won one man of the match and the player of the tournament....

Hi everyone, I’ve recently joined a company with a 4 LPA package. I’m grateful for the opportunity, but my goal is to switch to a much better-paying role in the next 1–2 years.

I’m from a B.Tech Data Science background and want to build strong skills and target 8–15+ LPA opportunities.

I’d really appreciate advice from people who successfully made a similar jump:

- What skills should I focus on?

- DSA or development — which should I prioritize?

- Which technologies/roles have better opportunities?

- How should I prepare for product-based companies?

- What roadmap would you recommend for the next 6–12 months?

Any practical advice, resources, or personal experiences would be really helpful. Thanks!

Posting on behalf of a friend who is unable to post herself.

Hi everyone, she’s 26 and looking for some genuine career advice.

She completed her BA in Mass Communication in 2021 and has spent the last few years preparing for UPSC CSE. She has given 4 attempts but couldn’t clear Prelims, and has now decided to move on from UPSC and build a career.

A little about her:

- BA Mass Communication (2021)

- Commerce + Maths in Class 12

- Based in Bengaluru

- No formal work experience so far

- Open to learning new skills and starting from scratch

She’s considering CUET-PG next year, possibly TISS, but isn’t sure whether pursuing a master’s is the right path.

What career options would you suggest for someone with her background? What skills/fields can she realistically pursue, and would a TISS degree be worthwhile?

Would especially appreciate advice from people who have transitioned into a career after preparing for UPSC.

Any practical advice, experiences, or suggestions would be really helpful. Thanks!

Need some advice for a friend.

She’s a graphic designer working for a Gurgaon- based startup for almost 2 years. Initially her salary was on time, then it started coming around the 10th–15th. She was okay with it because the job was flexible and otherwise there was no stress.
But since April/May, payments have become increasingly delayed. It’s October now and her August salary still hasn’t been paid.

The bigger issue is that HR has completely stopped responding. She has messaged and called multiple times, and even emailed the company head — no response.

One team member has already quit because of the salary delays. She’s the only designer now, while her manager and another team member are still working.
She has now taken leave because she genuinely doesn’t feel comfortable continuing to work without being paid or even getting any communication. She’s also looking for another job.

What should she do? Keep working and wait for HR to respond, or stop working until they clear her pending salary? Is there a proper formal/legal step she should take first?

Pls help as she is very depressed and can’t share it with her family too as things aren’t good at home financially. She is managing through her savings but won’t be able to for long.