A hiring-related post by the founder of a MedTech startup has sparked a heated debate online, with many social media users accusing him of being out of touch with how salaries are negotiated in today's job market.
The discussion began after Sumanth Raman, founder of Algorithm Health, shared details of an interview with a software professional and questioned the candidate's salary expectations. What followed was a flood of criticism, with users arguing that an employee's current salary should not dictate what they can ask for in a new role.
Founder questioned after salary expectation post
In a post on X, Raman recounted a recent interview for a tech role at his company.
According to him, the candidate had four years of experience and was earning a cost-to-company package of Rs 7.2 lakh per annum at their current organisation.
"Interviewed a candidate for a techie opening yesterday. CTC for the candidate with four years of experience in the current company is 7.2 LPA," Raman wrote.
He then asked the candidate about their salary expectations.
"Asked what the expectation was. Candidate says 16 lakh. I said that's more than double current CTC."
According to Raman, the candidate stood by the figure.
"Candidate says yes, that's what I want. The conversation ended soon after. Increasingly feeling out of touch with today's generation."
In a follow-up comment, Raman added that the market average for a professional with four years of experience was "more in line with 7.2 than with 16".
Social media users push back
Instead of receiving support, Raman's post quickly attracted criticism from users who felt the candidate had done nothing wrong by being transparent about salary expectations.
Many argued that compensation should be based on the value of the role, market demand and the candidate's skills rather than their current pay package.
One user wrote, "Only in India is your previous CTC a factor in the next job. You pay whatever the market demand is for that position. You're the one that is out of touch here, uncle."
Another commented, "This is not a problem with Sumanth, but with corporate India as a whole. What the person was getting before is irrelevant. Put what you're paying in the job description, make that clear, and offer them whatever you were intending to pay! That is basic decency. Don't be cheap."
Others questioned the hiring process itself.
"You interviewed a person without knowing if their expected salary meets the budget for the position and you're trying to make it sound like today's generation problem instead of your unprofessional hiring process that is wasting everyone's time," a third user wrote.
A fourth commenter said, "Current. CTC. Does. Not. Matter. F***ing tired of telling people. Should be made illegal to ask. Have even had to tell candidates I'm interviewing to not tell me theirs when I ask for expectations."
The exchange has since fuelled a broader discussion online about salary negotiations, hiring practices and whether employers place too much emphasis on a candidate's existing compensation when deciding what they are willing to offer.
For many users, the debate was never really about one interview. It was about how the hiring process works, and whether current salaries should continue to shape future opportunities.
ALSO READ: Employee informs boss he's back from holiday, gets a response he never expected
