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Ankur Warikoo shares how his salary increased from Rs 3 LPA to Rs 33 LPA in 5 years
Entrepreneur and author Ankur Warikoo shared a reflective post this week, mapping his growth from a PhD dropout to one of the top hires on campus. He also revealed how his salary increased from Rs 3 LPA to Rs 33 LPA in just five years. In the now-viral post on LinkedIn, he recalled how, at the age of 24, he returned to India from the US, uncertain about the future and in urgent need of a first salary was just Rs 14,746 a month. 'I got my first job at 24, earning Rs 14,746 per month. At 26, I was earning 12 lakh per annum. At 29, 33 lakh per annum,' Warikoo said.
With no MBA, no network, and limited exposure, Warikoo knocked on doors, newspaper ads, walk-in interviews, referrals, until he landed a role at NIS Sparta. 'Here's how it happened: At 24, I dropped out of my PhD in the US and came back to India. With no plans and no visibility over my future, I needed financial stability.I had to get a job,' he said. He added, 'I tapped into my (limited) network, applied through newspaper ads, and went for walk-in interviews. After 45 days, I appeared for the final round of NIS Sparta. They asked me what my salary expectations were,' Warikoo said, adding, 'I had no idea what to ask for. They offered me Rs 15K in hand—more than I expected'.advertisementBut soon, he realised his limitations. Colleagues with management degrees had a stronger grasp on the work. That's when he came across ISB, a one-year MBA programme, albeit with a hefty price tag. The loan would become his family's first ever. 'I asked myself, can I land a job post-MBA that pays me at least Rs 35K a month? The data said yes. So I took the bet.'From struggling to break into the top consulting shortlist to eventually cracking ATKearney, Warikoo's climb was anything but straightforward. 'I bombed my BCG interview. Fumbled in ATK's second round, too. But someone gave me another chance. I gave it everything.'He landed the job with a package of Rs 12 lakh per annum, and in just 18 months, became the firm's fastest-promoted employee. By the time he left in 2009, he was earning Rs 33 lakh a concluded his post with a lesson that resonated with several users: 'I reached where I did because people bet on me. I stayed grateful and worked hard. If someone takes a bet on you, double down. On yourself.'Take a look at the post here: Social media users praised the honesty in his story. 'When someone bets on you, the best thing you can do is outwork their expectations,' a user said, while another added, 'The humility, the grit, the way you respected every opportunity, it's the kind of story we don't hear enough.'advertisement'All it takes is one chance. And the determination to make it count,' said one of the users. See the comments here: Ankur Warikoo's post proved that the right opportunities matter, but so does the courage to back yourself when they Watch
