Notice period, current CTC, expected CTC: what to actually say
Three questions come up in almost every Indian interview process, usually from HR before you've met the team. Pick the question and your situation for a script you can say out loud, why it works, and the mistake that costs offers. To practise saying it, try a free AI mock interview.
checked by payslips · relieving letter
Swap in your own numbers and dates. Figures here are examples.
- ✓Why it works. It removes the biggest risk on the recruiter's side: a candidate who accepts and then can't get released.
- ✕Avoid. Saying "immediately" while you are still serving notice. HR checks the last working day with your employer.
- ✓Why it works. A date, not just a number, lets them plan your start. Offering to ask for early release shows intent without promising it.
- ✕Avoid. Promising a shorter date you don't control.
- ✓Why it works. It's honest about the worst case and gives them a reason to wait: you're already planning the exit.
- ✕Avoid. Hiding a 60-day notice period until the offer stage. Offers are often withdrawn over it.
- ✓Why it works. Buyout and early release are the two levers recruiters know. Naming both shows you've thought about it.
- ✕Avoid. Saying you'll "manage it" with no plan. Recruiters hear that from every 90-day candidate.
- ✓Why it works. A fixed last day is the next best thing to immediate. Offering proof builds trust.
- ✕Avoid. Leaving out the date. "Serving notice" without it sounds like 90 days.
- ✓Why it works. Simple, exact, and easy to verify against payslips.
- ✕Avoid. Rounding up. Most companies ask for payslips or a bank statement before or after joining.
- ✓Why it works. Splitting it stops the recruiter anchoring your hike on a total you don't actually take home.
- ✕Avoid. Quoting only the total CTC when a big part is variable or a one-time bonus.
- ✓Why it works. You give the number, then move the conversation to the role's value.
- ✕Avoid. Inflating the number to hide it. A payslip check ends that conversation.
- ✓Why it works. Some recruiters accept this, especially when you give a clear expectation instead.
- ✕Avoid. Refusing when the application form makes it mandatory. Then give the number.
- ✓Why it works. Freshers rarely have leverage on a number; asking for the band is professional and safe.
- ✕Avoid. Naming a figure far above the posted or campus package.
- ✓Why it works. A range tied to a real result reads as considered, not greedy.
- ✕Avoid. A single exact number with no reason, or "whatever you think is fair".
- ✓Why it works. It frames the ask around the new level, so the hike from your current pay matters less.
- ✕Avoid. Calculating only a percentage on your current CTC when the role is a level up.
- ✓Why it works. It's specific, honest, and gives them a clear way to close.
- ✕Avoid. Bluffing about an offer you don't have. Some recruiters ask for the offer letter.
Expected CTC calculator
Before tax and deductionsThis only does the arithmetic. The right number comes from the role you're moving into, not a fixed percentage.
What "CTC" actually includes
Why in-hand pay is lower than CTC ÷ 12Fixed pay
Basic, HRA and allowances. This is the part to compare between offers.
Variable pay
Performance-linked, often paid yearly or quarterly, and not always in full. Ask what was actually paid out last year.
Employer PF and gratuity
Counted in CTC but not paid to you monthly. PF goes to your account; gratuity is paid after years of service.
Joining or retention bonus
One-time. Often recovered if you leave within a set period, so read the clause.
ESOPs
Shares that vest over years. Their value is uncertain; don't count them as salary.
In-hand
What reaches your bank: gross monthly pay minus PF, professional tax and income tax.
Notice period words recruiters use
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Notice period | How long your contract says you must keep working after resigning, usually 30, 60 or 90 days. |
| Early release | Your current employer agrees to let you go before the notice period ends. |
| Notice buyout | Paying for the unserved notice so you can leave early, by you or the new employer, if your current employer allows it. |
| Last working day | The date your notice ends. Recruiters plan your joining date from it. |
| Relieving letter | Proof you've left properly. Most employers ask for it at joining. |
Many employers ask for payslips, a bank statement or Form 16 before or after you join. A mismatch can cost the offer, or the job. Anchor the conversation on the role you're moving into instead.
Short answers
Do I have to tell a recruiter my current CTC?
It isn't illegal to decline, but many Indian employers ask and some forms make it mandatory. If you decline, give a clear expected range instead. Never inflate it: payslips or bank statements are commonly checked.
How much of a hike should I ask for when switching jobs?
There is no fixed rule. Base it on the role and level you're moving into, not only on your current pay: look at postings for the role that state pay, ask people in similar roles, and use any offers you have. Ask for a range with the bottom you'd genuinely accept.
Does a 90-day notice period hurt my chances?
It can, because the company has to wait three months. Say it upfront and pair it with a plan: request early release when you resign, and ask whether the company supports a notice buyout.
What is a notice period buyout?
Your new employer, or you, pays your current employer for the unserved part of the notice period so you can leave early. Whether it's allowed depends on your current employer's policy, so check your appointment letter.
Is variable pay part of CTC?
Yes, CTC usually includes variable pay, employer PF, gratuity and sometimes one-time bonuses. That's why your in-hand pay is lower than CTC divided by 12. Always ask for the fixed component separately.
Should I tell a recruiter about a counter-offer?
Only if it's real and you'd actually consider staying or taking the other offer. State it once, plainly, with the number that would make you accept.
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Scripts are examples to adapt, not legal or tax advice. Notice period and buyout rules come from your own appointment letter and employer policy.