Hi everyone,
First time posting here, would really appreciate some honest opinions.
Context:
23M
2024 grad from a Tier-2 IIT
Currently working in a Founder’s Office role (chose this intentionally over SDE/PM since I prefer execution + strategy roles)
Career so far:
First job: Pune startup, ~₹68K/month → left in ~8 months due to bad culture
Current job: Bengaluru startup, ~₹80K/month
Been here ~15 months now
The company is bootstrapped but has:
Great culture
A lot of ownership and exposure
Downside: salary seems to cap around ₹1–1.2L/month (based on seniors who left)
Finances:
Rent + maintenance: ~₹19K
Groceries: ₹3–4K
Maid: ₹3K
Transport + misc: ₹3–5K
→ Total expenses: ~₹30–32K/month
No financial dependents.
Investing Portfolio:
Saving ~₹50K/month
Investing ~₹40K/month
Allocation: ~70% equity / 30% debt + ~₹10K in corporate bonds
Current XIRR: ~11%
My questions:
A) Should I start looking for a switch now, or stay longer given the learning, ownership, and flexibility here?
B)If I do switch, what kind of minimum salary jump should I realistically target over ₹80K/month?
Would love to hear from people who’ve been in similar early-career situations or share a similar background with me and can guide a little bit 🥹