Bengaluru recruiter says trainees 'survive on Rs 12,000' salary: 'Not a flex,' replies candidate

The Rs 12,000 figure struck a nerve among Bengaluru residents, who questioned how anyone could 'survive' on that amount in a major metro. (AI-generated image)

A Reddit post detailing an interaction with a Bengaluru recruiter has ignited sharp criticism online after the recruiter allegedly justified a low salary by claiming their trainees “survive on Rs 12,000”. The conversation, shared by a job seeker, prompted widespread backlash, with users calling it emblematic of the hiring culture’s “toxic” and “dominating” tendencies.

A screenshot of the WhatsApp conversation between the recruiter and the candidate shows the latter asking for an office visit for an interview before stating that the pay range for the role would be Rs 20,000-25,000. Responding to this, the job seeker said, "I appreciate you reaching out to me, but 20-25K per month is so so so less for market standards even living in Bangalore, it's barely survivable (sic)."

To which, the recruiter replied, "No problem. We have people surviving within Rs 12,000. Trainee recruiter. Market standard starts at Rs 15,000."

"If you think it's a flex, then it's not really. Please don't say it like it's a good thing," the Reddit user concluded.

A screenshot of the exchange between the recruiter and the job seeker in Bengaluru. (Image credit: Reddit)

'You lost nothing but gained mental peace': Netizens

Many Reddit users said the candidate was better off walking away. One commenter wrote, “You lost nothing but gained mental peace,” warning that if recruitment itself appeared “senile”, the work environment was likely worse.

Others described similar experiences, alleging that certain recruiters routinely insult applicants to push them into accepting “pathetic pay”. Several said such recruiters “love to dominate” and often avoid answering calls or emails to maintain a power imbalance.

'My dog sitter gets paid more'

The Rs 12,000 figure struck a nerve among netizens, who questioned how anyone could “survive” on that amount in a major metro. One user remarked, “My dog sitter gets paid more.” Another wrote, “Surviving where? On the streets!?”

Redditors pointed out that the minimum wage in Karnataka’s urban areas is close to Rs 17,000, with revisions expected to push it 15–20 percent higher. They argued that the recruiter’s justification showed a lack of basic HR understanding.

An HR intern commented that they themselves earned Rs 25,000 the previous year, saying the claim “isn’t making sense”.

Reddit users also praised the candidate's closing statement. One commenter said, “If more people did that, they’d know better than lowball candidates just because they’re in one of those positions.”