An alumnus of IIT Guwahati recently shared a behind-the-scenes account of how active mentorship can dramatically change a young professional’s career trajectory. Career strategist Amit Shekhar described stepping far beyond the usual advisory role to personally advocate for one of his mentees during a high-stakes hiring discussion, ultimately helping the candidate secure a far more lucrative offer than initially proposed.
According to Shekhar, the situation began as a routine preparation session for compensation discussions. The candidate, who had been earning an annual package of ₹12 lakh, was aiming significantly higher based on his technical expertise, rapid learning curve, and the tangible value he could bring to a new organization. Confident in his abilities, the candidate communicated an expectation of ₹28 lakh per annum. However, the company’s human resources team countered with a much lower figure of ₹18 lakh.
The HR justification rested on the nature of the role. Since the position was fully remote, the company argued that the offered amount was comparable to a ₹28 lakh salary for an employee working on-site in Bengaluru, where living costs are considerably higher. While this explanation appeared reasonable on the surface, Shekhar felt it failed to account for the candidate’s exceptional performance during the hiring process.
Rather than letting the discussion end there, Shekhar directly engaged with the HR team. He highlighted the intense six-month upskilling journey the candidate had undertaken, a transformation that was evident throughout the interview stages. He reminded them that the candidate had received top-tier evaluations in all four interview rounds. Even the company’s chief technology officer had reportedly expressed surprise at the depth of the candidate’s knowledge, especially given his relatively limited professional experience of just two years.
By reframing the conversation around demonstrated capability, learning agility, and long-term value rather than location-based cost adjustments, Shekhar helped shift the company’s perspective. The renewed discussion resulted in a revised offer of ₹25 lakh per annum, a substantial improvement that better reflected the candidate’s potential.
Shekhar later emphasized that true mentorship is not passive. When a learner commits to daily self-improvement, a mentor, he believes, must match that intensity with stronger advocacy and action. He expressed appreciation for being able to apply his experience in a way that produced a meaningful, real-world outcome for someone at the start of their career.
According to Shekhar, the situation began as a routine preparation session for compensation discussions. The candidate, who had been earning an annual package of ₹12 lakh, was aiming significantly higher based on his technical expertise, rapid learning curve, and the tangible value he could bring to a new organization. Confident in his abilities, the candidate communicated an expectation of ₹28 lakh per annum. However, the company’s human resources team countered with a much lower figure of ₹18 lakh.
The HR justification rested on the nature of the role. Since the position was fully remote, the company argued that the offered amount was comparable to a ₹28 lakh salary for an employee working on-site in Bengaluru, where living costs are considerably higher. While this explanation appeared reasonable on the surface, Shekhar felt it failed to account for the candidate’s exceptional performance during the hiring process.
Rather than letting the discussion end there, Shekhar directly engaged with the HR team. He highlighted the intense six-month upskilling journey the candidate had undertaken, a transformation that was evident throughout the interview stages. He reminded them that the candidate had received top-tier evaluations in all four interview rounds. Even the company’s chief technology officer had reportedly expressed surprise at the depth of the candidate’s knowledge, especially given his relatively limited professional experience of just two years.
By reframing the conversation around demonstrated capability, learning agility, and long-term value rather than location-based cost adjustments, Shekhar helped shift the company’s perspective. The renewed discussion resulted in a revised offer of ₹25 lakh per annum, a substantial improvement that better reflected the candidate’s potential.
Shekhar later emphasized that true mentorship is not passive. When a learner commits to daily self-improvement, a mentor, he believes, must match that intensity with stronger advocacy and action. He expressed appreciation for being able to apply his experience in a way that produced a meaningful, real-world outcome for someone at the start of their career.
