What was the exact moment you realized you needed to quit?

For me, it was the appraisal cycle at my last company. i had spent 8 months carrying a severely understaffed project. Working weekends, logging 12-hour days, basically having zero life outside my laptop screen.

My manager pulled me into a 1:1, praised me to the skies, called me the "backbone of the team," and then handed me a pathetic 4% hike.

When I pushed back, he fed me the usual corporate BS about "budget constraints." Literally two weeks later, they hired a lateral for my exact role at a 40% higher CTC.

That’s when it hit me. Loyalty in Indian corporate is a massive scam. You’re just cheap labor. If you stay, you get exploited. If you switch, you get paid. Resigned the next Monday without an offer in hand. Best decision ever.