An Indian software engineer’s viral story details his salary growth from Rs 3.5 lakh to Rs 35 lakh in three years. He achieved this through three strategic job switches, relying solely on self-preparation. His method involved disciplined coding practice, solving algorithmic problems, and later focusing on system design and behavioral interviews.
An Indian software engineer’s inspiring career journey from earning Rs 3.5 lakh per annum to landing a Rs 35 lakh package within just three years has gone viral online, sparking massive discussion among young professionals and the tech community. The engineer shared his story on Reddit, revealing how strategic job switches, disciplined coding practice, and consistent self-learning helped him achieve rapid salary growth without any mentors or formal guidance.
According to the viral post, the techie began his career at a service-based company with a modest Rs 3.5 LPA salary soon after completing BTech. Over the next three years, he made three major job switches that eventually helped him secure a high-paying role at a top product-based company offering Rs 35 LPA. The story resonated widely because the engineer claimed he built his career entirely through self-preparation and persistence.
For his first switch, the software engineer focused heavily on solving medium-level coding problems and improving interview communication skills. He reportedly solved one easy coding problem daily for six months and completed the popular NeetCode 150 problem set. He also maintained a notebook documenting recurring algorithmic patterns to strengthen problem-solving abilities.
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The second career jump came around 14 months later, when he moved from a Rs 12 LPA role to a Rs 22 LPA package. At this stage, he said coding speed, backend development knowledge, and competitive programming became critical. He participated in weekly LeetCode contests and admitted struggling initially before gradually improving performance. In the now-viral quote, he wrote, “First 15 contests I bombed. Around contest 20 the speed clicked. No shortcut, just reps under a timer.”
For the final jump to Rs 35 LPA, the engineer said interviews became more focused on system design, architecture discussions, and behavioural leadership rounds. He prepared by conducting mock system-design interviews with peers and revising difficult coding problems regularly. He also used the STAR method for behavioural interview preparation and developed leadership stories with measurable outcomes.
One of the most talked-about parts of the post was his advice regarding salary growth and internal appraisals. The Redditor wrote, “Waiting for an internal hike is how you stay at 8 LPA for six years. The market clears comp better than your manager does.” The statement quickly gained traction across social media platforms, with many professionals agreeing that strategic job switches often accelerate salary growth in the tech industry.
The post also reignited broader discussions about India’s evolving tech job market, rising competition, and the increasing importance of continuous upskilling. Several Reddit users shared similar stories of rapid salary growth through coding practice, system design preparation, and switching companies at the right time.
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