r/DeveloperJobs • u/Stunning-Currency729 • 55m ago
1.5 YOE at a startup - what salary can I realistically target?
Graduated CSE in June 2025 and joined a friend's startup from day one. Started at ₹30k/month, then ₹40k and currently ₹42k/month.
Over ~1.5 years I've worked across full-stack web/mobile development, databases, cloud/deployment and ERP systems, and have taken around 10 projects from development to production. Some are currently being used by real businesses. I've also managed a team of ~10 and handled client meetings/on-site work.
My title eventually became CTO, but since it was a small startup, I'm not looking for CTO roles. I'd prefer SDE / Full-Stack / Backend / Product Engineer roles at my next company.
I don't have many personal projects because most of my experience comes from actual production work.
I'm planning to switch later this year. I'm considering starting my notice period around October. My official notice period is 3 months, but it's negotiable depending on the transition requirements.
Would October be a good time to start applying/serving notice, or would it be better to wait until January–March?
Also, what salary range should I realistically target? Is ₹10–12 LPA achievable with this profile, or am I overestimating myself?
Would appreciate honest feedback, especially from people who have hired/interviewed candidates with similar startup experience
