Related Posts
More Posts
Bowl Leader
Bowl Leader
This is how outsiders think when they think of NYC.
Bowl Leader
Additional Posts in Mental Health in Advertising
New to Fishbowl?
Download the Fishbowl app to
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
I was put on a PIP within 3 months of my first ever ad job. They let me go 3 weeks after. Complete hit job. My ACD had something against me from the day they joined (a couple weeks after me). The new job after that got promoted after 7 months being told I was performing at a higher level and all the “negative” feedback from the job prior used for the PIP complete opposite from that one.
Bowl Leader
I don’t have any advice, but I can relate.
I was on a PIP at a previous job (that I somehow “grew out of”, but that’s a whole other story) and I’ve had performance reviews that praise my work but critique my personality; it’s lead to a nagging thought that my inner self and being just isn’t palatable enough and that I need to change fundamental aspects of who I am.
It’s hard to shake negative judgments, particularly in a job-related instance, but it’s so good to hear that you’re thriving at your current agency.
I’ve had the same experience at about 50% of the agencies I have worked for - basically them trying to convince me that I am difficult, unpersonable and “not a cheerleader.” That’s just how some office cultures function. You get enough toxically positive people at the top and the culture becomes personality policing under the guise of “culture.” I’m just a low-key person. I don’t get demonstratively enthusiastic, nor do I get visibly angry. I do give positive feedback regularly. But also my job is to critique and push the work. There agencies out there that do a better job taking people as they are. I work at one now and I have never heard a peep about my personality, despite being extremely proactive about asking for feedback generally. Somehow I’m well liked now, get basically the opposite feedback about my demeanor and I haven’t really changed. 🤷🏼♀️
“Don’t let your shame of what other people think run your life.”
I wish i could remember where i found that quote but i wrote that down recently and it really fits into so many aspects of life.
I’ve been in your shoes too, been fired, looked down upon, talked about. It’s a shitty thing we do as human beings, we sense weakness in others and prey upon it until the person breaks. I worked at an agency once where no one would talk to me, from day 1 i was snubbed and all these years later i still don’t know why. I would go into the bathroom and cry just to let it all out. To this day i still have that little nugget of fear deep in my core whenever i change jobs. I always stress out and worry if i’ll be good enough and if people will like me or if i’ll run across someone who knew me from the job i was fired from.
What you’re feeling is normal my friend, hold your head high and keep moving forward and realize that no matter what you can’t change someone’s opinion of you and in the end opinions are like assholes, we all have them and what other people think or say about you really doesn’t matter.
Sending OP and everyone on this thread a lot of love today and the hope for better situations for all of you ❤️
I hope it helps! I googled and it’s from the morning show, highly recommended if you haven’t seen it.
At my first agency job, my AD was really strict and always gave me an attitude when anything was anything short of perfect. She refused to promote me even though I was taking on a lot of responsibility. When I gave my notice, she didn't even ask if there was anything she could do to keep me. I started the new position and I was always nervous because I felt like I wasn't enough and I was so used to being put down. It felt so strange when I had someone tell me I was doing a good job. It took me almost a year to get out of that cycle and mindset. But you'll get over it and focus on you.
Thank you so much for this!
You need to see PIP for what it is: a legal step required to get someone fired which little to no weight on how good they actually are at their job.
Wow I thought I was the only one. I was in the same shoes at my last job and it was the first time in my career.. Started a new one with direct reports and actively mentoring them. I still have difficult about the last job and sometimes cry at therapy. I'm having trouble letting it go oddly even though I'm so thankful and glad to be out. I still wonder wtf happened.
At my first agency job, I was getting negative feedback after my first month there, and there wasn’t much of a PIP in place. They let me go less than 3 months. Pretty toxic environment where the people above me were always counting the mistakes I made rather than my improvements. I’m still on the tail end of processing what happened wasn’t entirely on me and nervous about my next role if I’ll do a good job or if I’ll mess up again.
It helps a lot to process what happened with people you trust and to be reminded that the blame isn’t solely on you, and not every agency has the right culture or the right people that can manage you. I’m glad you’re thriving in your role now because you now know what to watch out for and it’s proof you can do a good job in general.
I don’t really have any advice for you but I’ve been there too. I worked at a job for 2 years, got stellar reviews and one day, I was randomly canned for underperforming despite getting a great review a month prior. I was so upset and it carried over into my next role, every time my boss called, I thought I was going to get fired but I’m thriving here and really loving it.
Sometimes we need to have those experiences so we can appreciate how much better our current situation is. It’s totally normal to still be upset about your old colleagues perception of you. It hurts to be made to feel inferior and it’s frustrating when you know you weren’t to blame. Take some comfort in knowing that the issues your old job blamed you for, are still issues they’re struggling with now even though their “cause” is gone. You’re thriving and happy and that’s all that matters.
Keep your head up and keep thriving!
I came out of a traumatic previous career experience into a new job that still has me in the cycle of questioning myself even though I know it’s all in my head now. Once you find a better environment the thoughts don’t go away even though you know your environment has changed, those fight or flight receptors take a long time to chill and dissipate - I had a conversation with my boss and co-founder and straight up told her that my last job was toxic and that I still have performance anxiety from it. That I appreciate x, y, z about the current company and that when I act like such it’s really just me needing a bit to collect my thoughts or take a break or connect with my co-workers in a different way. Being the consciously vulnerable one is a display of self awareness, and right now even those that aren’t speaking up may be hurting or struggling, so I’ll let my more visible learning curve be a benefit to the greater culture… and that meant losing my last job.
I’m currently in the opposite situation, about to become the manager of someone who needs to be placed on a PIP and feel for them. They’ve been underperforming for some time but their previous manager put off letting them know. I am now working with them and do see the issues, which I’m not sure are fixable. If anyone has advice on how to handle this so it doesn’t crush them, please let me know
Well a pip is an automatic fire. Give them a heads up to get their act together or start looking.