I recently reflected on my previous job experience that left me with significant anxiety about future roles. I was working at a marketing agency on a fixed-term contract, despite having no prior marketing background. They hired me because they appreciated my eagerness to learn, but the lack of training made things challenging. Initially, I received positive feedback and passed my probation in just one month, but then I was unexpectedly placed on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). The environment was tough; a colleague I was supposed to learn from often ignored my requests for help, and another called me 'clueless' for asking basic questions. A director who had been friendly during the interview process suddenly became distant, which added to my confusion. I’m usually reserved when starting a new job, but I try to be friendly and avoid drama, so I struggled to understand if I genuinely underperformed or if it was a result of poor management. This experience has made me hyperaware of how others perceive my work, and I worry about repeating the same mistakes in future roles. Currently, I’m in a corporate development/M&A position, and things are going well. I have a supportive manager and great colleagues, which has been a relief. However, I still carry the anxiety of potentially ending up in a similar situation again. I’m curious if others have faced similar transitions between companies or industries and how they managed their anxiety and perceptions of performance.