How do I overcome a PiP at a startup?

You don't. You leave. The die is cast, and the decision has been made. The bozo bit has been set. Those in charge want you gone, likely for some personal vendetta. So what? You fell in with the wrong people. Do not waste another minute of your precious life worrying about this situation.

As a wise taxi driver once said to me "It's not your Daddy's company." Fuck them. Do you really think that people are going to say "There's Stan. He was on a PiP, but now he's straightened out and flying right." Of course they aren't -- these are the narcissistic bullying types which put you in this position in the first place. Nobody likes drama, except these louses of people who foist it on innocent, well-meaning types like you. Engaging with this drama will drain your self-esteem. They have already got you in such a spin you are asking randoms on this site for help. Disengage quietly, and don't feed the beast.

A PiP is a tool used so that they can fire you "with cause" to reduce their liability.

Good luck, and remember: fuck 'em.

I am overqualified

If you believe that's a negative and that belief colors your behavior, it might explain an out-the-door trajectory.

Nobody wants to work with a coworker who finds all the dirty work that the team needs to do beneath them.

Take it as a positive and it becomes an opportunity to lead by example. Good luck.

You and your employer are vastly misaligned. They want to fire you - they would have already fired you if HR had allowed them.

Try to understand why, learn from it; but get out, this isn't going to end well.

It's concerning that you say you love the job but also that your employer has put you on a PIP. That suggests a pretty big mismatch in expectations. Probably not the advice you want to hear, but your best bet is to apply for other jobs now.

I’d suggest you fire up LinkedIn and start applying for your next position.

A PIP in a startup sounds to me like a definite restructuring.

Good luck!

> I am in a business (non-tech) role and I really love this job and I also don't want to be fired. I am unable to find other jobs as surprisingly I am overqualified because of my age (35+) and work exp (15+). I am a manager but in IC role.

It sounds like you don't really know/understand what your job is, i.e. what your company expect you to deliver. Hopefully your PIP has very specific, actionable information in this.

If you're in a "business", "IC" role, how much business are you actually brining in?

Mid-career in tech is a tough period, try to use this as an opportunity to reflect and do some soul searching about exactly what your value proposition is. As you say, there is little demand for 15 years of work experience, and typically only management or highly specialized roles will see that as an advantage.

Are you already giving it 100%? I put someone on Pip once because they were completely half-assing it. If they had gotten into gear, I would have taken them off.

If you know you're slacking, then you might have a chance. But if you are already working hard and not delivering, then I'd bail.

If possible, have an honest conversation with your manager and try to get a feel whether it's just a case of them building a case to dismiss you or if the job is actually salvageable for you.

Either way it might be time to start looking elsewhere.

Is the pip clear about what you need to do to improve?

If the pip is clear, do what is specified and you should be good.

If the pip is unclear, find a new job.

As everyone has already said, start looking for your next gig and don’t give this place a second thought.