A job offer that looked like a decent salary hike on paper ended up becoming a lesson in knowing one's worth. A candidate earning Rs 5 lakh per annum was told that a jump to Rs 7.5 lakh represented a generous 50% increase and reflected market standards. But instead of accepting the argument, he chose to walk away. Months later, another company assessed his skills differently and offered him Rs 14 lakh per annum, more than double what the first recruiter had proposed.The story was shared on social media by Delhi-based co-founder Kanika Jain, who used the example to highlight a hiring practice that continues to frustrate many professionals across industries.When a hike was not enoughAccording to Kanika Jain, the discussion began when a recruiter pointed out that the candidate's previous compensation package stood at Rs 5 lakh per annum. Based on that figure, the company said it could offer Rs 7.5 lakh per annum, describing it as a substantial 50% salary hike.The candidate, however, did not agree with the logic. He argued that the offer did not accurately reflect his four years of experience. He also pointed out that the company was reportedly offering around Rs 12 lakh per annum to other candidates applying for the same role. The recruiter maintained that nothing more could be done and insisted that the package being offered was in line with prevailing market standards.Screenshot of the post. (LinkedIn)The candidate stood his groundRather than accepting the offer out of fear of missing an opportunity, the candidate pushed back. He expressed appreciation for the offer but made it clear that he would not consider anything below Rs 10 lakh per annum.With both sides unable to reach an agreement, he decided to reject the role and continue his job search.A second company saw things differently. Kanika Jain explained that another organisation later evaluated the candidate based on his capabilities rather than his salary history.Despite the fact that he came from a service-based company, the new employer recognised the value of his skills and experience. The result was a job offer worth Rs 14 lakh per annum. The contrast between the two offers became the central point of Jain's message.Kanika Jain's message to recruitersSharing the incident, Kanika Jain urged recruiters to rethink the common practice of anchoring compensation to a candidate's previous salary. She argued that a lower salary in a previous organisation should not automatically be treated as evidence of lower ability. Many professionals remain underpaid for reasons unrelated to talent, including company policies, market conditions, location, or the type of organisation they work for.According to Jain, judging candidates primarily by their last drawn salary can cause companies to overlook strong talent. Her message to recruiters was simple: stop underpaying candidates simply because their previous compensation was lower.