FAANG is an acronym for five of the most influential American tech companies: Facebook (now Meta), Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and Google.
From TCS to FAANG
The employee said that at TCS, he was earning a little less than ₹15 lakh per annum.
“I started in service based companies. I worked hard. But the growth was slow… Most of the time it felt like I was only doing calls and tickets. One day I decided I want something better. So I started preparing for product based interviews,” wrote the man, who has a total of 15 years of work experience.
(Also read: Techie moves from ₹7.4 lakh service based role to ₹60 lakh FAANG job, shares inspiring journey)
The ‘yes’ that changed everything
He started applying for interviews at product-based companies and faced many rejections.
Eventually, however, he was selected by one company. “That one yes changed everything. Better work. Better learning. Better money. Better confidence,” the man said.
Switching jobs took his salary from ₹15 LPA to almost ₹30 LPA. Then more job changes eventually took his salary to ₹90 lakh per annum at a FAANG company.
# From ₹15 LPA to ₹90 LPA in Four Years: How One 'Yes' Transformed an Employee's Life
In the high-stakes world of Indian IT, where countless professionals grind through endless calls and tickets in service-based giants like TCS, breaking free can feel like a distant dream. But for one anonymous Reddit user with 15 years of experience, a single "yes" to a job offer shattered that illusion. What started as a modest ₹14.8 LPA salary in 2022 ballooned to a projected ₹90 LPA by 2025-26—all in just four years. This isn't a fairy tale of overnight luck; it's a gritty tale of persistence, upskilling, and seizing that pivotal opportunity. Let's dive into how this employee's life flipped from stagnation to thriving.
## The Starting Line: Stuck in the Service-Based Grind
Picture this: 15 years into your career, you're a Business Analyst (BA) at TCS, handling routine operations, client escalations, and a paycheck that barely keeps pace with Mumbai's rising costs. Our protagonist was there—earning ₹14.8 LPA in Assessment Year (AY) 2022-23, feeling the weight of slow growth and limited learning. "I was bad at [interviews] in the beginning and failed many times," he later reflected on Reddit, capturing the frustration of repeated rejections while applying to product-based companies (PBCs).
Service-based firms like TCS, Infosys, or Accenture—often dubbed WITCH companies—prioritize billable hours over innovation. Days blurred into nights, with the employee once staying until midnight in an earlier role for just ₹3 LPA. Family time? A luxury squeezed between deadlines. Confidence? Eroded by a cycle of "same place, same pay."
But whispers of better horizons—PBCs like Microsoft, Salesforce, or FAANG giants—kept him going. He began prepping: brushing up on Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA) for tech interviews, pursuing a part-time MBA from a top IIM to blend business acumen with tech skills, and targeting roles in emerging fields like Agentic AI.
## The Game-Changer: That One 'Yes'
After a string of nos, the breakthrough came in early 2023. An offer from a product-based company landed in his inbox—not just any role, but a tech consultant position in Agentic AI, where he'd craft instruction files, implement guardrails, and even code with tools like GitHub Copilot. Salary? Nearly double at ₹27.9 LPA for AY 2023-24.
"That one yes changed everything," he wrote. "Better work. Better learning. Better money. Better confidence." It wasn't magic; it was momentum. Each failure had honed his pitch, and the MBA helped him stand out to U.S.- or Singapore-based hiring managers who valued his tech-business hybrid over rote certifications.
From there, annual switches became the norm—PBC1 to PBC2 to PBC3 (including a FAANG-level firm)—each leap doubling his earnings. By AY 2024-25, he hit ₹57.1 LPA, and projections for AY 2025-26 sit at ₹90 LPA, with whispers of ₹95 LPA next year. He quit TCS entirely, trading service drudgery for product innovation.
Here's a snapshot of his salary trajectory:
| Assessment Year | Salary (₹ LPA) | Role/Company Type | Key Milestone |
|-----------------|----------------|----------------------------|--------------------------------|
| 2022-23 | 14.8 | Business Analyst, TCS (Service) | Feeling stuck; interview prep begins |
| 2023-24 | 27.9 | Tech Consultant, PBC1 (Product) | The "one yes"—first big switch |
| 2024-25 | 57.1 | Tech Consultant, PBC2 (Product) | Annual jump; AI focus deepens |
| 2025-26 (Proj.)| 90.0 | Tech Consultant, PBC3/FAANG | Peak growth; family time surges |
## Beyond the Paycheck: A Total Life Overhaul
Money talks, but this story sings about holistic change. Pre-"yes," work meant survival—long hours, little impact. Post-switch? "Smart work over hard work," as he puts it. Office visits are rare; he collaborates with global teams who appreciate his soft skills alongside tech chops. In Agentic AI, his days involve solving real problems, not just firefighting tickets—fueling rapid upskilling without burnout.
Family life? Transformed. He now carves out quality time with his kids, even teaching them at home—impossible in the old 12 a.m. finish era. Confidence? Skyrocketed. "I trust my abilities more," he shares, a far cry from the self-doubt of rejection streaks.
Even amid layoffs (he's weathered two recently), he sees no sacred cows: Startups or MNCs offer zero guarantees. The real anchor? Culture and relevance. More pay hasn't meant more hours—it's freed him to manifest the life he wanted.
## Lessons for the Stuck: Keep Trying, Upskill Smart
This journey isn't a luck lottery; it's a blueprint. "Many people feel stuck... You may feel others are lucky and you are not. But your life can change fast if you keep trying," he urges fellow Redditors. His advice boils down to:
- **Persist Through Nos**: Each interview flop is a lesson. Prep DSA for SDE paths or leverage business-tech mixes for BA-to-consultant shifts.
- **Upskill Strategically**: Part-time MBAs or self-study in AI beat generic certs. Prove value to international HMs over local ones.
- **Choose Wisely**: Prioritize product roles for growth; AI demands technical depth, but business-side gigs shine long-term.
- **Mindset Shift**: "Real growth is always painfully boring." Manifest change—don't wait for permission.
In a field where 15-year vets often plateau at ₹50-75 LPA, this 6x leap proves the ceiling is self-imposed. For BAs in WITCH firms eyeing AI or products, his story screams: Say yes to the grind, and watch your world expand.
What about you? Stuck in a rut, or plotting your next "yes"? Share in the comments—your breakthrough might inspire the next reader.
*Disclaimer: This is based on a public anonymous account; individual results vary. Career advice isn't one-size-fits-all—consult mentors or pros for your path.*
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