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A tech employee from Hyderabad was recently offered an annual package of ₹96.6 lakh (about $110,000) by a US startup company for a remote consultancy role. At present he is doing a full-time job worth ₹ 85 lakh per annum. He posted on Reddit's Indian Workplace forum to get opinion on this offer and within no time a big debate broke out on social media on tax, job security and career risk.
This person wrote in his post that at present he is working from Hyderabad office and his job is stable. But now an American startup has offered him a completely remote job as a consultant. He said that there are opportunities to save tax in consultancy roles, but job stability will be lost. That is, whether leaving a permanent job of ₹ 85 lakh and going for a consultant role of ₹ 96 lakh would be the right decision or not, this is their dilemma. He also told that if they accept this offer then they will take the help of GST registration and chartered accountant for tax benefits. There is also a possibility that the company may call him to America in future.
This post quickly went viral. Many people said that there is no need to take so much risk, while some said that joining a startup can be beneficial in the long run, especially if there is an opportunity to work in America in the future. One user wrote, if the company is offering consultancy, then you should talk about increasing the salary a little more. It is not wise to give up job security just for a 10-12% increase.
Another user said, the offer is not good. Earning just a little more than ₹85 lakh and still taking an unstable job is not a good deal. It was written in another comment, the deal does not sound like anything special… It is not right to lose job security for a little more salary. Many users advised that they can first try working as a freelance for a few hours or create their own small company and handle the payments. While sharing his experience, a person said that he had rejected a similar offer and later that decision proved to be right for him.
This whole discussion has raised a big question. When and how should Indian professionals accept foreign consultancy offers? Many people say that remote job offers from abroad may seem attractive, but they lack stability, facilities and long-term security. While some believe that if the risk is taken thoughtfully, it can open new career doors in the future.
