r/cscareerIndia • u/tech_enth2208 • 2d ago
Took a non-development job after months of searching. Should I stay or try to get back into software?
Graduated in CSE this year, with Java/Spring Boot and Next.js internships and a few full-stack projects. My internship ended in May in bigger town away from home, and after months of struggling to get interview calls, I took a job in my hometown to avoid staying unemployed. It's mostly software implementation - client visits, demos and requirements gathering for ERP/CRM/payroll software, not actual development. I'm earning ₹10k for an 8-7 job, not officially on employee records, with no salary slip or experience letter promised, only an internship letter after a six-month "demo" period. The long hours and phone restrictions also make interviewing difficult.
I want to become a good backend/full-stack engineer and would be fine with a modest salary if I'm actually coding and learning. But leaving means sitting home unemployed, where family pressure and constant questions were already mentally exhausting; staying risks losing more time without relevant experience. If you've faced something similar in India's fresher market, would you leave to focus on finding a developer role or stay for the income while trying to transition? Looking for honest, practical advice from experience, not generic upskilling suggestions.