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Working with an Unqualified Employee

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Hey-

What do you do if you are working with someone who is clearly unqualified for their job? I am in web development and one of my co-workers is a fake schmoozer who will do anything to make himself look good and others look bad. I have tried togo to his boss and mine but he does not understand the technology and doesn’t believe me. I have tried to make it clear that this faker isn’t qualified but he just lies his way out of everything and blames his application problems on other people or “unforeseen” circumstances. What would you do?

Aaarghh !!

Topic

Re: Unqualified employee

In reply to Working with an Unqualified Employee

I know exactly what you mean; we have a guy here on our tech support team that sounds like his twin. My best advice to you is get together with your other coworkers and compare notes. Chances are you’re not the only one who notices it; document all the “incidents”; and “call” the faker on anything he tries to get away with. Finally, you all need to meet with your boss as a group about this guy; managers tend not to believe individual complaints. Most of all don’t let this guy rattle you; do your job. He’ll hang himself soon enough…

Karma

In reply to Re: Unqualified employee

The only good advise I have heard so far is to let the guy hang himself. You have nothing to gain by ‘tattling’ and in most environments you will be the one on the hot seat for ‘not getting along with your coworkers.’

Ultimately, the guy must bedoing something right to 1) get the job and 2) keep the job. I know this is frustrating but this person might never get fired, but if you focus on your own work performance and not worry about this guy you can rest assured you will go somewhere andthis person will someday report to you.

Seen it all before

In reply to Karma

In corporate america some people don’t have to do anything and they never get fired. This is do to the fact that the entire chain of command is either incompotent themselves to hire him or are afraid of confrontation and ignore the situation.
I have seen this happen many times. I got out because in either case the boss will do nothing even if you talk to him about it.

Ditto! Leave it to Karma.

In reply to Karma

Don’t make any negative comments about your do nothing co-worker. Stay focus on your goals and don’t worry what the slacker. There may political forces at work here and you don’t end up looking like the bad guy.

Whenever there is a negative forceat work, you must be more cautious in your actions and how you are perceived. Only deal in the facts and never say things such “He/she probably can’t” or “I wouldn’t trust he/she with that”. Even if you are asked a direct question about this person work don’t respond negatively and try offer a constructive response.

The reason this persons shortcoming are so apparent to you is because you know your job well, take pride in your work and hold yourselfto a higher standard. If this person cannot produce, eventually they will get what coming to them.

Shut up about it.

In reply to Working with an Unqualified Employee

Stop whining to everyone or you will be fired for not being a team player. This guy/gal could be a relative or personal friend of someone high up the food chain. Also, if he/she is a game player/smchoozer type. You will loose. You don’t know what isreally going on. They knew he was an idiot when they hired him. They also know he is not getting any results, but don’t seem to care so why should you? So schoomze a little yourself before you find yourself out of the the “in crowd” and out of a job. If they attach other people to his projects and let them do the work and he shares the credit. This is a sure sign that they want him carried.

sure sign

In reply to Shut up about it.

at least he’s not in a position that can get somebody killed. let him stay there – it’s safer.

Some you win and some you lose

In reply to Working with an Unqualified Employee

I’ve been where you are at now and I did some of the best work I’ve ever done on any project. The other person couldn’t sign on to the machine without my help. They kept their job and I got booted off the project. Why? Politics. Did I keep my mouth shut the whole time she stabbed me in the back? Yes. Would it have done any good to have gone to the boss about her? No. Do your best and you can always live with that regardless of the outcome… which you cannot likely control anyway.

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