Summary of this article
Shrasti Chaudhary's salary grew nearly sixfold through strategic job switches over five years.
She secured a 100% initial hike, followed by 30-50% increases per switch.
She advises testing market value regularly, arguing market rates beat company appraisals.
Salary hikes can depend on different things like annual appraisals, promotions and changes in employment. For some employees, moving to another company can also result in a higher salary, depending on the role and compensation offered.
Shrasti Chaudhary, who runs the Instagram account as financewith_shrasti, shared her salary journey in an Instagram post, saying, “From 5 LPA as a fresher to almost 6x in 5 years.” She said the increase did not come from routine appraisals, with job switches accounting for a significant part of her salary growth.
How Her Salary Changed After Job Switches
Chaudhary said her first job switch resulted in a 100 per cent salary hike, while every subsequent switch brought a 30 to 50 per cent increase. She worked at four companies over five years and also received an appraisal while working at one of them.
Shrasti said she had worked at four companies over five years and was repeatedly asked about changing jobs. She said her reason for making those changes was that she wanted growth. She added that people had advised her to remain loyal to one company and suggested that frequent switches could affect her resume.
“If I had listened, I would still be in the same range today,” she said. She said that with every job switch, she was asked about the number of companies she had worked for. She said she explained the changes by saying that she wanted growth and had another offer. She linked the growth in her salary to the opportunities she found while changing employers.
What She Said About Salary And Market Value
Chaudhary also shared her view on how salary decisions are made within companies and in the wider job market. “Your company decides your hike based on your old salary. The job market pays you based on your current market value,” she said.
She suggested that employees check their market rate every one to two years and attend interviews even if they are not planning to switch jobs. She also said employees should use data to determine whether they are being underpaid rather than relying on their perception.
Addressing the concern that changing companies frequently could be viewed as job hopping, she said, “Switching jobs isn't job hopping. It's career growth.” Chaudhary's experience is an individual take of her career and salary progression over five years and does not by itself establish how job switches affect salary growth for every employee.
