‘Am I Behind?’: Bengaluru Developer With 8.5 Years’ Experience, Rs 15 LPA Seeks Career Advice; Reddit Users Responds

A Bengaluru-based software developer has turned to Reddit for career advice after wondering whether he has fallen behind professionally. Despite having more than eight years of experience, the 31-year-old said he often doubts his skills and is unsure whether he should start applying for better jobs or spend more time preparing.

The post has started a discussion among professionals, with many saying the biggest challenge is not his experience but his lack of confidence. Several users encouraged him to stop waiting for the “perfect” moment and begin interviewing.

He Worries He Is Falling Behind

The Reddit post was titled, “Am I behind at 31 with 8.5 years of experience and 15 LPA?” The techie said he has around 8.5 years of experience as a full-stack

developer and has spent most of his career working at service-based companies. He currently earns a fixed salary of Rs 15 lakh per year.

“I’m based out of Bangalore with around 8.5 years of experience as a full stack developer. I’ve been working mostly in service based companies, and I’m currently earning 15 LPA,” he wrote.

The developer said he has been preparing for a job switch for the past few months. However, the current job market has made him question whether he is ready.

“I know the basics of DSA, system design, AWS, Docker, Kubernetes, and CI/CD, but I don’t feel confident enough with them for interviews,” he said. He admitted that his confidence has become a bigger problem than his technical skills.

“The worst part is that it’s affecting my confidence. I have friends and former colleagues who have offered to refer me, but I’m actually hesitant to ask for referrals because I keep thinking I’m not ready yet. I’m worried I’ll end up wasting their referral or perform poorly in interviews,” he wrote.

The techie asked other users whether he should begin applying for jobs now or continue studying until he feels more confident.

Am I behind at 31 with 8.5 years of experience and 15 LPA?
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u/toppernair in
developersIndia

Reddit Users Offer Advice

Many Reddit users felt the developer was holding himself back by waiting too long.

A user commented, “You’re not behind, just under-confident. Don’t wait to feel ‘ready’, start applying now. Interviews will show your gaps faster than prep ever will. Also, referrals aren’t a favor, they just get your resume seen. Prep in parallel and iterate. Waiting is the only real mistake here.”

Another wrote, “You are definitely not behind. 8.5 years with 15 LPA is something you can improve on with the right interview prep. The market is tough, but companies still hire good engineers who can adapt, especially with AI changing how we work. Start applying now and come out of your comfort zone and use interviews to level up instead of waiting for the ‘perfect’ time.”

A person said, “No one is ever 100% ready. If you keep waiting until you feel ‘prepared enough,’ you’ll probably never start. Begin interviewing now and keep preparing alongside it.”

Another person added, “I don’t think you’re behind. If anything, you’re probably underpaid for 8.5 YOE, but that’s something you can change. One mistake I see a lot of people make is waiting until they feel ‘100% ready’ before applying. Interviews themselves are one of the fastest ways to identify your gaps.”