I'm a former recruiter for Google and Indeed. If I were labeled an underperformer, here's what I'd do next.

Erica Rivera spent three years at Indeed as a recruiter and around two years at Google.

Sebastian Rivera

• Erica Rivera is a career coach who formerly recruited for Google and Indeed.
• Rivera said that she's coached many employees who've been labeled as underperformers.
• She advises employees who've been labeled as underperformers to seek clarity as a first step.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Erica Rivera, a 37-year-old career coach now based in Barcelona.