Senior QA Analyst

tl;dr: Gen-Z with pedigree have zero work ethics

I’m not trying to romanticize burnout or act like overworking is the goal - no one’s asking for 80-hour weeks or to be glued to a desk. It’s just about showing up and really putting in the work during the hours you're actually there. Get through the day, put in the grind for the 8-9 hours, instead of always finding little workarounds or boundaries like work’s this huge burden. With some folks, especially Gen-Z? It’s like they’re expecting applause just for clocking in. Honestly, the entitlement sometimes is hard to understand. Wanting work-life balance? Totally fair, makes sense. But there’s still a basic commitment that comes with a job. Every time there’s a project with a bit of grit, it feels like there’s this immediate instinct to push back, sidestep the tough parts, and look for the smoothest route. Nobody’s above rolling up their sleeves, you know? But some of these guys, they treat working hard like it’s an outdated concept, like giving full effort is optional. And for those with the big names on their degrees? Sometimes it feels like they think that alone should mean they’re past the heavy lifting. They want the titles and perks, but without really showing the effort. On the other hand, working with folks who didn’t have all those privileges? Whole different story. They’re here ready to prove something, fully leaning into whatever task’s in front of them. They don’t get caught up in endless boundary-setting or second-guessing feedback - they’re putting in the work, seeing it as a chance, not a chore. And they don’t expect shortcuts; they’re in for the real effort. It’s not about glorifying long hours - it’s about being fully present for the hours you’re on the clock. Seeing some of this avoidance around commitment, it’s like somewhere along the line, the understanding got lost that success is built in the small, daily grind - the stuff that doesn’t come with instant validation.

Advice from someone who went from 8LPA to 84LPA in a decade

I saw the IBM post on Grapevine, and seeing the positive response felt the urge to share my story as well. I tried finding my old offer letters, but I couldn't because I lost that email account. For the first 4 years of my career, I worked in IT companies. **My roles were less than stellar.** I had a nasty smoking addiction, and honestly, I was probably wasting my life away. **This changed when I joined Deloitte.** While going through some old files, I finally found my offer letter from Deloitte. It was from 6 years ago, **16LPA (with a 1L signing bonus** I was so thrilled about back then). Looking back, I never imagined I’d be where I am now, working at Google, with **84LPA CTC.** When I first joined Deloitte, the excitement of a signing bonus and the thrill of joining a Big 4 firm were more than enough. I had no grand plan, just a desire to learn and improve. Over the years, my journey took me through moments of doubt, endless learning, and unexpected growth. A few pieces of advice I’d like to share for anyone building their career: 1. **Growth is Never Linear. If it Is, You’re at the Wrong Place** Early in my career, I felt behind. Friends who jumped into startups, management consulting, or fast-growing roles like Product Management would talk about their rapid raises and big titles. I didn’t feel like I was falling behind, but I’d sometimes wonder if my slower path would pay off. In the end, eventually, **your intrinsic value catches up with your market value.** If you have a high-paying job but don’t provide value that matches it, then sooner or later you will have to concede to a lower job offer. Similarly, if you are underpaid right now but bring real skills and value to an organization, then **you are bound to achieve a great offer down the line.** So focus on adding value, money will follow. 2. **Specialize, but More Broadly** In each role, I focused on understanding the business deeply, working on projects that pushed my skills, and staying updated with industry trends. Moving to different companies at key points helped me **diversify my expertise without losing depth.** **Know when to stay and when to go.** It's hard, but you get better with age. 3. **Networking is Underrated** I realized this very late, honestly, **it took me 6 years to figure this out.** I made it a point to connect with mentors, those who had navigated similar paths or who excelled in areas I admired. Those conversations don’t have to be formal; sometimes it was just a chat near the watercooler, sometimes a quick Slack message. But those relationships brought **insights and encouragement I couldn’t have found alone.** 4. **Negotiate, but also out-deliver anyone** I’m a **BIGGG believer in fair negotiation**; if you bring value, know your worth. However, each pay raise or promotion felt meaningful only when I felt my contribution matched it. The most satisfying moments weren’t just about the LPA numbers but the **challenges I’d overcome and the projects I was proud of.** This is something I feel goes wrong when people glorify salary numbers but not impact on platforms like Quora, Reddit, and even Grapevine. **Don’t seek validation; make your own path.** So here I am, ten years later, looking at this piece of paper from Deloitte that marked my start. It’s a reminder of the journey, **one filled with doubt, hard work, and quiet growth.** To anyone who’s just starting or feels behind in their career, know that there’s no “one right way.” **Every career path has its own twists.** All I can hope is that this was helpful to you.

Current Product Design scene in India is a joke

PS: Not working at Capgemini, just a burner account I've been in this field for about 4-5 years now and post-covid this field has become a borderline joke and I feel embarrassed to call myself a PD now. I hate how these dumbass influencers on Instagram and LinkedIn are glorifying UX as an easy field that involves a lot of Visual Design work, importance to "craft", motion design etc. The kind of work I do involves a LOT of user research, planning, testing, domain knowledge, technical knowledge and actual hands on design work is like only 10% of my job on a good day. Now because of these influencers whenever I tell people I'm a PD they assume that my work is easy, doesn't take much time, I just have to design screens etc and I keep on explaining to them that you're wrong and there's more to it. Moreover, a lot of interviews I've given were sooo focused on the UI, VD part and they totally neglected or ignored the research I did and kept on asking me about the "explorations" I did for my design, how my UI looked, inspiration for the UI etc and I'm like bruh, I work in healthcare and not at cred 🤡 Thanks to clowns like Puneet Chawla, Anudeep UX, the head of clowns at Swiggy I forgot his name, kids think if they follow these clowns they can get into FAANG or some top tier company. I'm really scared of the direction we're headed towards because of these influencers and how they're glorifying UX as a field