A Reddit post charting an extraordinary rise from an annual package of Rs 11 lakh to Rs 33 lakh in just eight months has drawn wide attention online, resonating strongly with professionals navigating a difficult job market.
A Stalled Career and a Tough Start to 2025
In his post titled “My job journey: 11LPA to 33LPA in 8 months”, the user recounted how the year began on a demoralising note. He said he had spent three years in the same role without a promotion and was ultimately placed on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). “It was very demotivating,” he wrote.
By March 2025, he had begun looking for new opportunities, only to be met with repeated rejections. Over nearly two months, he said he received “barely any decent interviews”, with most offers being either poorly paid or misaligned with his experience. Despite sending more than 1,000 applications, cold-emailing over 300 recruiters and refining his CV multiple times, he said employers were unconvinced by the brand name of his previous organisation. “I was constantly getting low-ball offers from other companies,” he said.
A Portfolio Website That Changed Everything
After months of stalled responses, the Redditor decided to try a different tactic. He created a “simple portfolio website” showcasing his skills, project links, achievements and a brief write-up of 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.
According to the post, this one shift altered the trajectory of his job search. After sharing the portfolio on LinkedIn, he said engagement spiked overnight. Recruiters reached out, network contacts messaged him directly and interview requests began arriving from major tech companies and well-funded start-ups that had previously overlooked his profile.
Landing a Breakthrough Offer
By July, the user said he had secured an offer with a two-fold salary increase from one of the top three global investment banks, and he joined the role last month. “It still feels unreal,” he wrote.
My job journey: 11LPA to 33LPA in 8 months
byu/Who-let-the inIndiajobs
The experience prompted him to begin developing a tool that converts any CV into a portfolio landing page, aimed at job-seekers who lack the time or coding skills to create one themselves. He said he posted his story in the hope that “maybe someone out there is stuck exactly where I was a few months ago”.
Social Media Reactions
The post quickly gained traction, with many users sharing their own frustrations with stagnant career growth.
“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 commented.
Another wrote, “I think I have similar condition like you,” while a third added, “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!”
