HR offered Rs 60,000 instead of the Rs 75,000 the candidate asked for. Two months later, employee resigned. Manager says, 'You should have informed...'

A salary negotiation story shared by a Delhi-based startup co-founder has sparked conversations online about fair pay, employee retention and whether companies lose talented professionals by undervaluing them during the hiring process. The post follows the journey of a candidate who accepted a lower-than-expected salary despite believing their skills deserved more. Just two months later, the decision came back to haunt the employer.

Delhi-based co-founder Kanika Jain took to social media to recount the incident. According to her, the candidate was earning Rs 58,000 per month in their previous role. During the interview process, HR offered Rs 60,000, describing it as a reasonable increase over the existing salary.

The candidate, however, believed their skills, certifications and experience justified a monthly salary of Rs 75,000. Instead of revising the offer, HR reportedly maintained that salary expectations needed to be realistic and highlighted the learning opportunities the role would provide. After some hesitation, the candidate accepted the offer.



Over the next two months, the employee consistently delivered strong performance, met deadlines and gradually took on additional responsibilities. Kanika Jain said the workload increased significantly, but there was little recognition for the employee's efforts. Soon after, the candidate received another job offer worth Rs 85,000 per month and decided to resign.


Following the resignation, the manager reportedly remarked that the employee should have informed the company because something could have been worked out. Kanika Jain argued that when the employee's concerns mattered most during the hiring stage, no meaningful effort had been made to acknowledge their stated worth.

Internet reacts

Many users related to the story and shared similar workplace experiences. One person said the "same thing is happening" to them and that they were patiently waiting for the right opportunity, adding they were tired of "company politics, a toxic work culture and favouritism". They felt that, regardless of performance, favourites often remained in management's good books.

Another user argued that "true learning opportunities require structure", something usually found in larger teams. They said employees in small teams often end up with increasing workloads but little support, making it difficult to retain top talent.

A third commenter felt the candidate also made a mistake by accepting a salary of Rs 60,000 when already earning Rs 58,000, adding that employees should strengthen their "negotiation skills" during the hiring process.