The engineer, who recently joined a startup valued at nearly $600 million, revealed in a Reddit post that he is already considering a return to the corporate world after just a few weeks in his new role.
From Comfortable MNC Life to Startup Reality
According to the engineer, he previously worked as a Generative AI Engineer at an MNC, earning approximately ₹1.25 lakh per month while working only one to two hours a day.
Despite the comfortable work-life balance, he began looking for new opportunities because he was concerned about long-term career growth and staying relevant in the rapidly evolving technology industry.
“I was working with an MNC until last month as a Gen AI Engineer and I was not working more than 1-2 hours every day and was making around ₹1.25 lakh per month. I started looking out as I wanted to learn more in tech and stay relevant when I get to 9-10 years of experience,” he wrote.
The opportunity at the startup initially appeared attractive, offering the chance to work in a fast-growing company with a significant market valuation.
Early Warning Signs
However, the engineer said problems surfaced almost immediately after joining the organization.
Within three weeks, colleagues began warning him about his manager’s micromanagement style. A one-on-one meeting with the manager soon confirmed those concerns.
“I had a 1:1 meeting with him two weeks ago and found out why others were talking about him like that,” he wrote.
Adding to his frustration, the role reportedly did not involve the technologies and projects he had expected to work on.
Promises Versus Reality
The engineer explained that his long-term goal is to design and build systems. During the hiring process, he was told that half of his workload would involve working on internal services that aligned with those ambitions.
However, after joining, he discovered that those expectations would not be met.
“During the interview, I was told that I'll be able to work on internal services 50% along with what they actually want me to work on, and after joining, they don't want me to touch those things and force me to work 100% on whatever they want,” he said.
As a result, he feels the position no longer aligns with his career aspirations.
“This role clearly doesn't align with my long-term career goals and I want to move on. I'm willing to go for a lesser salary. I hate it here,” he wrote.
Missing His Former Workplace
Reflecting on his decision, the engineer admitted that he deeply misses the culture of his previous company and now appreciates the importance of having supportive leadership and a strong team environment.
“I really miss the work culture of my old org and I've been regretting every single day on why I left the old job. I realised how important a great manager and a great team are,” he said.
The software professional currently earns a compensation package of ₹27 lakh per annum and has four years of industry experience. He indicated that he plans to explore new opportunities after completing three months at the startup.
Social Media Reactions
The Reddit post quickly gained attention, with many users sharing similar experiences and opinions about startup and corporate work cultures.
One user commented, “Even I’m facing the same situation. The only difference is that my old company was bad, but the current one is even worse. There’s no growth.”
Another user jokingly wrote, “₹1.25 lakh per month with only 1-2 hours of work daily? Drop the company name right now or get me hired!”
Some suggested that the engineer try returning to his former employer. One commenter asked whether he had spoken to his previous manager about the possibility of rejoining. The engineer replied that he still regularly played badminton with his former team and planned to discuss the possibility with his old boss.
Others defended startup culture, arguing that experiences vary widely between companies.
“I have worked with startups throughout my career. Believe me, it’s the best experience if you get into good startups. Yes, some things can be challenging, but I’ve generally found the workload to be quite manageable,” one user wrote.
Another commenter offered a broader perspective, stating, “MNCs can be the same as well. No company is perfect now.”
A Reminder About Career Decisions
The viral post has reignited conversations about the trade-offs between startup and corporate careers. While startups are often associated with faster learning, greater responsibility, and higher growth potential, many professionals noted that company culture, management quality, and role clarity can ultimately have a bigger impact on job satisfaction than salary or company valuation alone.
