Tripled salary in 1 yr

[Vinay]

I'm a Java Full Stack Developer with almost 5 years of experience.

Back in June '25, nobody would have believed I'd be earning three times my salary by June '26.

I started at TCS through the Ninja profile and luckily got a project with a solid tech stack - Java, Spring Boot, AWS, Angular, Python. I'll always be grateful for that chance. I stayed on the same project and team for about 3 years and 11 months.

Even after clearing the Digital Exam (Wings 1) and scoring good bands (A - 2022, B - 2023, A - 2024), my CTC was only 7.8 LPA.

When I made my first switch in July '25, I had 2‑3 offers. One was fully remote but paid less, the highest CTC (100 % hike) was for a Bengaluru role, and another Bengaluru offer was slightly lower than the top one.

I was leaning towards the lower offer because, as an introvert, I don't like making new friends quickly and I wasn't keen on moving. A colleague convinced me to take the Bengaluru offer and relocate, saying it would be better for my career.

I moved to Bengaluru, found a decent flat within my budget, and even had a Reddit friend from Mangalore who was interning there. We explored the city together on weekends.

After a month I started reporting to the client's office, made new friends (thanks to my extroverted teammates) and everything was smooth for six months. Then a couple of my favourite teammates were let go due to cost‑cutting, and a month later another colleague's project ended.

That's when I started looking for a change. I got a walk‑in interview at a fintech firm, cleared all rounds in a day, but the HR called a week later and offered only a 22 % hike. With no better option, I accepted and resigned.

During my 60‑day notice I gave interviews at Philips, Delta Airlines, AMEX GBT and several other service‑based firms.

AMEX GBT offered a 50 % hike, and when I asked Delta Airlines for a 75 % hike they said it was out of budget.

So I finally joined AMEX GBT this month.

TL;DR:
- Started at TCS with a 3.3 LPA CTC. Over the years, with consistent performance, good ratings and clearing the Wings 1 exam, my CTC grew to 7.8 LPA.
- Took a risky move to Bengaluru for my first switch, adapted to a new city, made great friends and gained solid exposure.
- A year later, after multiple interviews and negotiations, I joined AMEX GBT with a salary almost 3 times what I earned in June '25.
- My current CTC is 24.8 LPA.

[Imran]

What role are you in at AMEX GBT? If it's SDE 3 they're seriously underpaying you. I got 37 LPA for the same position.

[Sanjay]

Congrats, bro. I'm in the same boat - 3.6 years of Java FSD experience, stuck at the same package and not getting enough calls.

[Suraj]

Could you share your current CTC? Please mention the exact figure.

[Himani]

You're the real hike, bro

[Tarun]

I'm looking for an internship. Do you know of any openings?

[Ishaan]

Hey brother, please share your interview experience - it would help a lot of us. I'm also planning a switch with a similar Java full‑stack tech stack.

[Anirudh]

Good to hear, man!

[Meera]

Hey, do you think Java developers have better opportunities than MERN or MEAN? I'm a fresher, by the way.

[Asha]

What should I focus on to prepare for this role?

[Anjali]

How did you manage the three‑month notice period while switching from TCS?