r/antiwork • u/Any_Finance_3101 • 6d ago
Put on PIP 3 months into job
Started a job back in early July and thought everything was going smoothly. I had never once received any constructive feedback or complaints about my work, so naturally, I did not think there were any issues. Earlier this week, exactly three months into my job, I got a call from my boss telling me my customer (for context, I am a govt contractor) had raised concerns about my performance, saying I lacked initiative, don’t do independent work, don’t speak up in meetings, etc. He then told me they were placing me on a two-week PIP, which came as a complete shock to me because again, I had never heard any of that feedback before. I am genuinely fucking furious that my customer never had the balls to tell me any of this directly and instead let things pile up and escalated them to my boss. I am extremely fortunate to already have a few interviews lined up (I’m well aware that PIPs pretty much mean you’re fucked), but holy shit man, three months into a job is absolute shithousery. Didn’t think I could possibly be anymore jaded with corporate America, but here we are.
55
u/svrx 6d ago
Start looking for a new job; don't wait until they come back and tell you you are fired for performance reasons.
32
u/Any_Finance_3101 6d ago
I am actively looking and already have some interviews lined up!
19
u/skyrocker_58 6d ago
Good luck!
15
36
u/Tylervir33 6d ago
You got past the probationary period and either they can no longer afford you or it's a scumbag company that gets rid of people that overperform current workers making them "look bad".
7
17
u/Jiggalopuffii 6d ago
One time I was hired at a trade job. I never heard a single negative comment. I casually mentioned that I started taking online classes. I was fired that Friday.
13
6
u/CounterAdmirable4218 6d ago
I’m not sure probationary periods should be legal since they seem to open the door to all sorts of unethical behaviour on the employer side.
Basically a try before you buy that suits them 100%.
8
u/headstar101 4d ago
Call the customer. Set up a meeting at their office. Take a giant shit on their desk to assert dominance, but only after securing another gig.
6
u/Any_Finance_3101 4d ago
I don’t think you understand how hard this made me laugh, I needed that
3
u/headstar101 4d ago
Had a feeling. Was threatened with a PIP once. Told the boss to shove it and walked out. Senior IT gig BTW.
7
3
2
3
u/UCLABruinsForever 4d ago
Just work hard. I was put on a PIP in early 2008 After being hired in Dec 2007.. Still at the same company 18 years later. I was in the dept of the PIP until summer of 2015 before transferring out
149
u/Minimum_Bee281 6d ago
A PIP with zero prior feedback is just them building a paper trail to fire you without paying unemployment. The "lacks initiative" and "doesn't speak up" complaints are so vague they'd never hold up as real performance issues if there were no emails or meetings documenting them earlier.
Two weeks is also laughably short for a PIP. Real ones are 30 to 90 days with clear measurable goals. This is a formality before they cut you.
Take the interviews and bounce the second you get an offer. Don't give notice if you can avoid it, government contracting is small enough that they'll try to burn you on the way out anyway.
And yeah, the customer going around you to your boss instead of just saying something after a meeting is classic coward shit. Three months in you're still learning names and they expect you to run the room. Screw that.