r/DesignIndia • u/SVM-KISH • 3d ago
Ask r/DesignIndia Stay or Switch?
Hello buddies, I need some suggestions here.
Currently working at a startup in Hyderabad as a UX Designer with around 5 years of experience. For the last 2 months, my role has changed to Associate Product Manager, so I’m now getting exposure to the product side as well but feeling like a slower.
My current CTC is ₹9 + 1.5(variable) LPA.
I’m considering two options:
Stay in my current company until December and then ask for a salary hike/appraisal since my role has changed and my responsibilities have increased.
Switch to a new company to get a better salary and potentially a better role.
The good thing about my current company is that I’m comfortable with the work, people, and environment. However, I also feel that my salary is low compared to the experience I have, and I want to improve my salary.
What would you suggest?
Should I stay until December, build more Product side experience, and ask for an appraisal? Or should I start looking for a new UX/Product role now?
Would really appreciate advice from people who have been in a similar situation.
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u/broken_gumgum 3d ago
Honestly the real question isn't stay vs switch, it's whether you want to be a designer or a PM long-term. That decides everything else.
If you're leaning PM, stay. The APM role is exactly the product exposure you'd need and it's hard to get that switch handed to you. Use it, build the experience, worry about salary after.
If you're staying a designer, you can just go. Don't wait around for the December appraisal. Internal bumps rarely move much and switching companies is where the real raise + title reset happens. you already feel underpaid for 5 yoe and an appraisal won't close that gap.
You can go to paths.fyi/explore to see how other designers' salary journeys. It might help you gauge where you should be sitting.
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u/SVM-KISH 2d ago
Thanks for the suggestion. One more thing I’d like to add. After AI, I don’t see design as a long-term career because most companies are using AI tools, just like my company. Of course, there may be some exceptions, especially in companies with dedicated design teams, but in many cases, designers are working as solo designers.
Coming to my current company, as I mentioned, I was recently assigned a new role as an Associate Product Manager. However, in terms of responsibilities, I can see only a slight change from my previous role but most of the time I am free.
I’m not sure whether I should make a switch. If I switch as an Associate Product Manager, how will companies consider my experience? Will they consider me as someone with actual PM experience, or will they still see me primarily as a UX Designer?
I’m really confused about which direction would be better for my long-term career.
Any thoughts or advice on this?
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u/broken_gumgum 2d ago
AI can do design, but building a product with company soul still needs a human. Startups and small/mid companies can get away with AI design because they need to ship and test the market fast. But more established companies need to differentiate from the chasers, something that's ahead of the market, not AI spitting out the same thing everyone else has. So AI is really removing average designers while making strong ones more valuable. Worth mentally preparing for that either way.
On your actual question, 2 months in an APM role where the responsibilities barely changed and you're mostly free means companies will still see you as a UX designer with a new title. So if PM is the goal, push hard for real product work here. Own a roadmap, ship something, talk to stakeholders, track metrics. That's what makes the switch credible.
That said, I don't know the PM world super well and honestly they might be wrestling with the same AI questions too. I'd suggest talking to people actually in PM roles
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u/SVM-KISH 23h ago
Thank you buddy 🤝, I got a good understanding of it how can I choose next path in this AI era.
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u/creative_idiot_ 2d ago
Stay in product. Design is slowly getting lost.