'Leverage is not optional': Microsoft techie says previous employer matched salary after she resigned

A woman identified as Kriti Rohilla shared a LinkedIn post recounting a salary negotiation during her time at Goldman Sachs, saying the experience changed her perspective on how pay discussions work in the corporate world.

Rohilla said she approached her manager three years into her job to ask why she was being underpaid. She wrote that the conversation was emotionally difficult because she respected her manager and found it uncomfortable to raise the issue.

According to her post, the manager explained that her starting salary had been benchmarked to her qualifications and experience when she joined from a Tier 3 college with less than a year of experience. Since then, every salary hike had been calculated based on that initial pay.


Rohilla said she believed the expectations from her role were the same as those of colleagues from IITs at a similar level, but she did not have another job offer to strengthen her case during the discussion.

Offer letter changed the outcome

Following the conversation, Rohilla said she felt she was being observed more closely and quietly began interviewing for other roles.

Three months later, she received a job offer and submitted her resignation. According to her post, the company's HR team contacted her the same week and said it could match the new offer.

Reflecting on the incident, Rohilla said she realised her manager had not been unfair but was acting within the constraints of the corporate system.

She wrote that in the corporate environment, "nothing moves without a real stake on the table," adding that leverage is central to salary negotiations.

Post sparks discussion online

The LinkedIn post prompted several reactions from users, with many sharing their views on salary appraisals and workplace negotiations.

One user wrote that it was "a sad reality," adding that while managers often face genuine constraints, external job offers frequently become the factor that leads to better recognition.

Another user said the manager's response was honest but criticised appraisal conversations in which employees are told they did not take enough initiative or that a 10% raise is the best possible increment, despite being aware of their market value.

A third user described the post as an important lesson, saying strong performance is valuable but leverage changes salary discussions, and that the best time to interview is when an employee is not under pressure to leave their job.

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