‘Took A Risky Decision’: Techie Reveals How He Tripled His Salary From Rs 7.8 LPA To Rs 24.8 LPA In One Year

A software engineer has shared how a combination of job changes, relocation and salary negotiations helped him increase his annual package from Rs 7.8 lakh to Rs 24.8 lakh in just one year.

In a Reddit post, the techie, who has close to five years of experience, looked back on his career journey and explained the decisions that played a key role in his salary growth.

He Started At TCS

The engineer said he began his career at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) through the Ninja hiring program with a package of Rs 3.3 lakh per annum. Over the next few years, he worked on the same project and gained experience in technologies such as Java, Spring Boot, AWS, Angular and Python. He said the project helped him build a strong technical foundation.

Despite

receiving good ratings and clearing TCS’s Wings 1 (Digital) exam, his salary eventually grew to only Rs 7.8 lakh per annum after nearly four years. “If someone had told me in June ‘25 that I would be earning 3x my salary by June ‘26, I would never have believed them,” the techie wrote.

Wanting better opportunities, he started looking for a new role in July 2025.

A Difficult Move Paid Off

While exploring options, he received multiple offers, including a remote role and another opportunity in his hometown. However, he chose a Bengaluru-based position because it offered the highest salary, even though relocating was not something he wanted.

“As an introvert, I find it hard to make new friends and I hated relocating. But one of my colleagues told me that I should accept the Bengaluru offer and relocate because it would be better for my career,” he wrote.

After moving to Bengaluru, he began working from the client’s office, adjusted to the new environment and slowly built a social circle. “After a month, I started reporting to the client’s office. I made new friends (thanks to my extroverted colleagues). Everything was going well for 6 months,” he shared.

Another Switch Boosted Earnings

Things changed when cost-cutting measures affected his project. According to the engineer, several teammates were released, making him concerned about long-term stability.

“One of my favorite colleagues and another teammate got released from the project due to cost-cutting. A month later, another colleague’s project ended from their company’s side,” he wrote.

He started interviewing again and secured an offer from a fintech company through a walk-in drive. However, the final package was only 22 per cent higher than his existing salary.

“I didn’t have any better option, so I accepted the offer and resigned,” he said. The engineer continued interviewing with companies including Philips, Delta Airlines and American Express Global Business Travel (AMEX GBT).

While Delta Airlines did not meet his salary expectations, AMEX GBT offered him a 50 per cent hike over his current pay. He eventually joined the company this month with a package of Rs 24.8 lakh per annum.

Increased my salary by 3x within the span of an year
by
u/classhacker in
developersIndia

Reddit Users Shared Their Thoughts

The post attracted attention from other professionals, many of whom were curious about his role, interview process and salary progression.

A user asked, “What role at Amex GBT? If its SDE 3 they are hugely underpaying you. I was offered 37 LPA for the same role.”

Another wrote, “hey brother, please share ur interview experience…it will be very helpful for us. i am also planning to switch with similar techstack java fullstack.”

“what is your current ctc? at least mention that,” a person commented. Another user said, “Congratulations bro. In the same boat as you with 3.6 YOE as JAVA FSD stuck at same package but not getting enough calls.”