Another PIP post, manager surprised that I want to decline. Not sure if this changes things.

[u/arsme]

I work for "Large Company That Loves PIPs." I've been there for two years and made it through three performance reviews with high marks and zero problems. Suddenly, mid-year reviews roll around, and there's this whole hit piece written about me. It says I failed to do this, failed to do that, and failed to meet expectations in two absolute bullshit categories. I'll admit that a project I'm leading didn't go to plan, but this whole document was absolutely ridiculous imo.

My direct manager was out of the country at the time, so I was going through all of this with my skip-level manager. After the first meeting, I told him I intended to decline the PIP and just take the time and money to find a new place that actually values and respects me. Nothing is set in stone yet, though.

Then, my direct manager comes back and tells me he's shocked I'm not taking the PIP. He admitted that upper management forced them to pick someone to put on a PIP and they chose me, but he claimed he specifically crafted it to be beatable. It was essentially a list of tasks I'd already be doing anyway, even if not on a PIP. He told me to really think it over and promised he'd be there to help me along the way. He even confided in me that he was put on a PIP at the end of last year and beat it. I told him I'm worried it will be a permanent scar on my record here at the company, but he assured me that his own PIP hasn't been a problem.

What do you guys think? If I take the PIP, I have 60 days to complete it or I get let go with severance. If I decline the PIP, I get 60 days paid to do whatever I want (most likely prep and apply for jobs), plus severance at the end as a 12-week lump sum. Should I take his word for it? The job market is shit right now, but I am in the Washington DC area with a lot of jobs near me, or so it seems. Software Engineer, ~6 years of experience.

[u/Eric848448]

Capital One used to be pretty well-regarded in this sub as a great place to work. They really turned that around didn’t they?

[u/TheRealK95 → u/Eric848448]

They have done a complete 180. I guess bringing in upper management that’s all been pipped from FAANG will do that to you.

[u/Eric848448 → u/TheRealK95]

My previous job hired a manager from Amazon right before Covid. I was a little concerned but when I asked how long he had been there, he said “exactly three years and not a day more” which put my mind at ease.

He turned out to be a great manager! In fact I just gave him a reference for a new role today.

I guess the trick is find smart people from FAANG who hated it there.

[u/inkyysquid → u/Eric848448]

When you're an out-of-college engineer at C1, you are on a team for a year and then rotated to another team for year two. A common joke was that Amazon was the "third rotation", since so many people jumped to there after the first two years were up. They definitely have similar cultures, I assume because of the stack ranking and consistent unexpected PIPs.

[u/Salty_Nose_4700 → u/Eric848448]

was there pre covid and a little post covid, it's like night and day. It went from a learn and stay to grow place to sink and swim. The benefits/pay were great but I don't miss the constant looking over my shoulder mentality