A former Microsoft engineer's viral Instagram post details his journey from a Rs 12 lakh to a Rs 1.25 crore salary. He attributes his success to prioritizing continuous learning and strategic job changes over chasing high initial pay, a strategy that has sparked online discussion.
A former Microsoft engineer's Instagram post, which details how he increased his annual income from Rs 12 lakh to Rs 1.25 crore, is becoming viral. It provides a clear road map for individuals who prefer long-term progress over rapid financial gain. Kartik Modi, who has worked for prestigious companies including Amazon, Microsoft, Uber, and Zomato, claimed that his professional development resulted from ongoing education and wise choices rather than early pursuit of large compensation.
Modi clarified that throughout his early years, he prioritised learning above pay; he selected positions that enhanced his abilities via genuine ownership and prompt feedback, which eventually resulted in more pay. “I optimised for learning before optimising for salary,” he said.
He said that while difficulty promotes progress, stagnation can impede it. He claimed he never changed employment to avoid challenges and only did so when his learning halted. "I switched companies only when growth slowed, not when work got hard," Modi stated.
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The engineer also emphasised the value of collaborating with knowledgeable colleagues, claiming that being among more accomplished techies enhanced his ambition, thinking, and code quality and accelerated his growth.
In order to keep prepared, Modi routinely practiced data structures, algorithms, and system architecture. He also stated that interview preparation requires independent effort because everyday work is insufficient.
Watch Viral Video
He emphasised that he began assuming responsibility at a young age, kept conducting interviews to determine his market value, and utilised statistics to bargain for higher pay.
How Social Media Reacted?
The post has gained attention online, with professionals discussing his approach to career growth. One user wrote, “Income growth feels good. Structure growth matters even more.”
Another person said, “Bro… I don’t want to disappoint you, but an SDE role at Amazon isn’t as glamorous or as challenging for everyone as it sounds. Even getting Rs 1.2 cr, which is a big question in the US. Still, I agree on one point: we should keep switching jobs until we reach our own saturation learning level. The IT field is already a bit overrated.”
A third user asked, “Kudos to you. But when people talk about roles on this app, it's almost always computer engineering ones. What about others (branches)?
