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.
Can someone explain what pip is, I am assuming its not the python package manager, and I am not getting the meaning from context.
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.
…PIP?
At the point where I had ~5 years of experience I was put on a variation of PIP for being overly negative about a (new) project’s direction and feeling that our efforts were very misguided. My manager provided some training items on soft skills, then I left the company a few months later of my own volition. While I still feel that the project was fundamentally flawed, and last I had heard it was scrapped shortly after I left, I do get the sentiment and have used it to at least better gauge when/where to critique and try to provide insights going forward.
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
I was on a PIP early on, and i was also in a low place in my life. The managers were thoroughly well-intentioned, though, and i bounced back, eventually becoming the goto for technical questions in our department, after the team grew a year later. It was a nice place to work. Eventually i quit for something i preferred.
My advice is don’t sweat it, put in the work, and try to gauge your managers’ intent. Chances are, they are really trying to improve your situation.
If you are this early career and the company is still paying you, PIP or no PIP, it’s very likely that they want you to succeed. Question your assumptions and make sure you really understand the feedback they are giving you. Don’t put in extraordinary hours (you want to have clear judgement, get plenty of sleep) but look for every resource, mentors, books, ask for help, and focus on doing your best. This will put you in the best possible light no matter what happens.
There are a lot of different companies out there each with a different culture. One of them might be a better fit.
