A software engineer's career move in pursuit of a 60% salary hike has become a talking point on social media after he revealed that the decision ended with a layoff just six months later.

The techie Sunny Kumar, whose story has gone viral on Instagram, shared that leaving a stable multinational corporation (MNC) for a significantly higher-paying role seemed like the right decision at the time. However, the excitement of the salary jump quickly faded when the new employer terminated his role within half a year.

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Reflecting on the experience, the engineer admitted that the higher package was not worth the uncertainty that followed. "I left my MNC job for a 60% hike. Six months later, I was laid off. Looking back, I feel a lower salary at a stable company would have been a better choice."

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The post struck a chord with thousands of professionals, especially at a time when layoffs and restructuring continue to affect the technology sector. The engineer said he had viewed the offer as a major career breakthrough, believing the new company would provide better growth opportunities and financial rewards.

Instead, the sudden layoff left him questioning whether chasing a higher salary should outweigh factors such as company stability, management quality and long-term career security.

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Social media reactions

The story triggered a flood of reactions online, with many users sharing similar experiences. Several commenters argued that salary should never be the sole factor behind a job switch.

A user wrote, "I already made this mistake. Feeling bad now."

Another user wrote, "Somehow u are right but with less salary in a metro city u can't survive the room rent and grocery cost all. So it's better to switch accordingly from your own decision not to influence by others word. And yes mastercard is good one sometimes we need to understand it's not all about hikes it's about the stable that we get"

Others pointed out that no company can guarantee permanent job security in today's market, but researching an organisation's financial health and culture before switching jobs is becoming increasingly important.

A user wrote, "Small companies (specially in India) kicks out highly paid employees in a year after hiring under roof of downsizing, cost cutting etc.. mindset is important"

Another user commented, "What if he laid off from the Master Card too... Because nowadays big companies are doing too much Restructuring"

Published on: Jun 24, 2026 11:39 AM IST