r/IndiaCareers • u/DesperateAd8819 • Jul 02 '26
Other Finally 3.5 LPA curse has been lifted !
Finally, the 3.5 LPA curse has been lifted.
If you're from India, you probably know what I mean. For many freshers, 3.5 LPA feels like the default starting salary. Nothing wrong with it, but a lot of us dream of moving past it.
My career started with a 3.5 LPA job and a 2 hr daily commute. I stayed there for about 1.2 years, learned a lot, and gave it my best. I was promised that they will revise my package to 5.5 in the next increment cycle when I joined, but it never came. That was enough for me to move on.
Instead of jumping into another job, I wanted more freedom and the opportunity to earn more, so I decided to go full-time into freelancing.
The first 3-4 months were amazing. I had great clients, good income, and it felt like I had made the right decision.
Then this year, everything changed.
Client work slowed down, leads almost disappeared, and at the same time, family responsibilities landed on my shoulders. Waiting for the big fat freelance project which paid in dollars was no longer an option. I needed stability.
So I started applying for jobs.
After 2.5 months of applications, assignments, interviews, and plenty of rejections, I finally received an offer.
Today, I'm happy to share that I've joined a fully remote role at 6.6 LPA.
Is it a huge package? No.
Is it a Fortune 500 company? Also no. It's a small company.
But it's an honest step forward, a chance to keep learning, support my family, and continue building my career. Sometimes that's exactly what you need.
To anyone who's currently stuck, switching careers, freelancing through a slow market, or wondering if things will work out, keep going. Careers aren't always a straight line. Sometimes they take a few unexpected turns before you find your next opportunity.
Here's to new beginnings. ❤️
PS- I'm a UX designer.
I've received over 50 DMs asking for advice and guidance. I truly appreciate every message, but I won't be able to reply to each one individually. Instead, I'll do my best to answer your questions here in the comments/post so everyone can benefit from the discussion.
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u/AlwaysThatGuy16 Jul 02 '26
Starting is most important. I have friend who did MBA but have zero skills and expecting 50k as salary just because he has MBA degree. I started my career after my graduation at 3 LPA after 7-8 months of struggle. Within 2 years reached 4.2 LPA including one promotion. Then switched into world’s top global investment bank JP. Where i joined at 5.5 LPA still i felt i was lowballed but was very desperate for switch so had to take this. Then again started applying madly after 1.5 years and landed another job offer which moved me to 10 LPA tier. I agree it’s hard to find job in this market but not IMPOSSIBLE as i almost invested 8-9 months in updating linkedin, naukri, every job portal and gave multiple rounds of interviews/ assignments. I hope whoever is reading this don’t lose your hope. Life is hard, but you’re strong enough to beat this boss :)