I’m a new grad who started at one of the Big Tech companies this past year. Been recently notified that I’m in danger of being placed under PIP due to underperformance, which I thought was fair due to extenuating familial circumstances. I’m personally feeling despair in being capable or being able to stay in the tech industry considering my lack of ability or general aptitude.
…PIP?
Personal Improvement Plan. It’s a nominally a management tool for getting underperformers to get up to where they’re expected to be.
Many will tell you that it is just a step in the firing process. That’s how I’ve heard it described.
Not usually. It’s a business process, so it’s often done on paper or something. “Write down how you plan to stop sucking so badly, we’ll come back in 6 weeks and review your progress”
Unfortunately, you’re also entering into big tech at a time when most big tech companies are laying people off. It’s going to be a highly competitive time.
Personally, I’d follow the process, put my nose to the grindstone, and work hard to improve. It’s about all you can do, since you’re playing in their sandbox. Don’t take your paycheck for granted, put money away for a rainy day.
If anything does happen (and I’m not going to sugar coat it, the PIP is definitely the first step out the door), remember that not everyone is a fit for every job, but it doesn’t mean you’re not going to be able to do tech work. It might just mean you need to find a less competitive job outside of the highly competitive big tech field.
My first job wasn’t a good fit for me. I’m a doer, and that job was about planning things that might never get done ever. I’d just put a plan together and they’d tell me to put it on the shelf and start on the next one. Spent a lot more time on reddit than I’d like to admit, I found it hard to get motivated. My next job was much more immediate, things I did would be rolled out immediately once testing was successful. I found that it was a much better fit for me, and I did very well in that job.
All the advice I’ve ever heard is to start looking for a new job if you’re out on a pip. I don’t know how well that advice tracks if severance is on the table though.
I will say this though, there is no harm in looking. Ever.
Don’t sweat looking around in more traditional companies. There are a LOT of big tech and big 4 refugees that chose family over work.
I wasn’t PIP’ed but I was fired once early on I was put on projects I really shouldn’t have tried my best but it wasn’t enough
it hurt a lot at the time but I moved on and almost two decades later i’m now a ‘top performer’ and have successfully worked on many well known products
my advice is just to keep going in a few years you likely won’t even remember this job
