A young software professional recently shared his troubling experience from his first IT job on the subreddit Indian Workplace. His post, which was titled, 'How my first IT job broke me (and taught me what “toxic” really means' began by recalling how he joined a Singapore-based tech company near Mahadevapura, Bengaluru, around mid-July 2023 as an Associate Developer. For a newcomer entering the industry, the offer of a 5–6 LPA package seemed fair in a competitive job market. Initially, his enthusiasm was high — he was eager to learn, grow, and adapt to corporate life. However, what began as an exciting opportunity soon spiraled into a distressing ordeal.
During the training period, the instructor’s attitude was extremely toxic. She would frequently make intimidating remarks, threatening to terminate employees at will. When he mustered the courage to tell her that such behavior was unprofessional, everything turned against him. From that day onward, he became her target. Even when others made mistakes, she pinned the blame on him, publicly humiliating him in front of the entire batch. The constant criticism and mental harassment made him question whether to continue, but he convinced himself that things might improve once he joined a project. Unfortunately, it only worsened.
After completing three months of training, he was assigned to a team, but the mental pressure had already taken a toll. The hostile work environment drained him emotionally, and even minor issues became overwhelming. Eventually, he decided to resign for the sake of his mental health. That’s when the real battle began. The HR department refused to process his resignation, claiming he was bound by a two-year contract that required him to pay ₹1.5 lakh to leave — even though he had never signed any such agreement. The HR representatives continued to threaten him, warning that his career and higher education prospects would suffer if he walked away.
Refusing to be manipulated, he sought legal advice and contacted the Karnataka labour authorities, both of whom confirmed that he had every right to resign. With their assurance, he returned the company laptop, sent his resignation via email, and left. The organization never acknowledged his exit or provided an experience letter. Meanwhile, the trainer who harassed him continued to work there, despite lacking basic technical skills and relying on Google for coding tasks.
He shared his story to alert others about the prevalence of toxic workplaces that can deeply harm one’s mental well-being. His advice to others was clear: always maintain written proof of your work, never succumb to fear or manipulation, consult legal experts before paying anything, and remember that no salary or job title is worth sacrificing your peace of mind.
His post struck a chord with many Reddit users, who empathized and shared similar stories of workplace toxicity, career uncertainty, and the harsh realities faced by fresh graduates in today’s job market.
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During the training period, the instructor’s attitude was extremely toxic. She would frequently make intimidating remarks, threatening to terminate employees at will. When he mustered the courage to tell her that such behavior was unprofessional, everything turned against him. From that day onward, he became her target. Even when others made mistakes, she pinned the blame on him, publicly humiliating him in front of the entire batch. The constant criticism and mental harassment made him question whether to continue, but he convinced himself that things might improve once he joined a project. Unfortunately, it only worsened.
After completing three months of training, he was assigned to a team, but the mental pressure had already taken a toll. The hostile work environment drained him emotionally, and even minor issues became overwhelming. Eventually, he decided to resign for the sake of his mental health. That’s when the real battle began. The HR department refused to process his resignation, claiming he was bound by a two-year contract that required him to pay ₹1.5 lakh to leave — even though he had never signed any such agreement. The HR representatives continued to threaten him, warning that his career and higher education prospects would suffer if he walked away.
Refusing to be manipulated, he sought legal advice and contacted the Karnataka labour authorities, both of whom confirmed that he had every right to resign. With their assurance, he returned the company laptop, sent his resignation via email, and left. The organization never acknowledged his exit or provided an experience letter. Meanwhile, the trainer who harassed him continued to work there, despite lacking basic technical skills and relying on Google for coding tasks.
He shared his story to alert others about the prevalence of toxic workplaces that can deeply harm one’s mental well-being. His advice to others was clear: always maintain written proof of your work, never succumb to fear or manipulation, consult legal experts before paying anything, and remember that no salary or job title is worth sacrificing your peace of mind.
His post struck a chord with many Reddit users, who empathized and shared similar stories of workplace toxicity, career uncertainty, and the harsh realities faced by fresh graduates in today’s job market.
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