Ok, I've just about had it with my co-workers.

There's this one girl who is PA to the director, I don't know what kind of qualification she has, but she has got to be the most clueless PA I have ever met. One the second day she started working, I assigned her a computer, which she complained was slow. But actually it's not, it's a Pentium4 2 GHz. The only problem where I can see with the "slowness" was with Win98 because it sucks when it comes to a mixed OS networking environment. Ok fine, replaced a brand spanking new dual core P4 2.8 GHz Dell Dimension with WinXP Pro for her. And to save cost on licensing I installed Open Office for her, then she complains she doesn't know how to use it. WTF? Ok fine, so I put in MS Office 2003. And you know what really set me on an edge? Is that when she was having some problem with Excel that I realized, she has no freaking idea how to utilize MS Office. So I asked her "Do you know how to use this function?" She replied "Yes, but I forgot". Oh come on, don't give me that BS, don't know say don't know lah. The reason why I know she doesn't know is because she is very consistent with that answer, and when the boss wants her to make a slide, she did it in Excel using the stupid default spreadsheet layout instead of a chart or Powerpoint. And I asked her, "Do you now how to use PowerPoint?" yup, you guess it, she said "I know, but I forgot". Shiat, how can you forget how to use PowerPoint????

But wait there's more! She would chuck her work on me and then ask me to help her do some slides and charts because she's "too busy". Fine whatever, I told her "I can't do this for you, but if you need help I can teach you how to do it". She's like begging me to help her, so in the interest of teamwork I did, but I decided to only give it to her on the very last minute. After giving her crap back to her, she said some of the figures required changing, and I drew the line right there, that I ain't changing anything for her, she has to do it herself because I'm just helping her. So she has no choice but to own up that she doesn't really know how to use MS Office.

And if that's not the last straw, here's really what breaks the camel's back. She would claim that she did all the freakin work! OMFG what the hell? Boy am I glad I literally laughed out loud during a meeting when she couldn't access her thumbdrive because she plugged it into the ethernet port instead of the USB port. It was so freaking funny I just had to.

Holy crap, that's a freaking long post on just the PA! I haven't even started on the users and the managers.

Ok it all boils down to... how do you handle people who:
- Doesn't know but justifies it by saying "I forgot", I mean it's obvious they're lying.
- Claims credit for something they did not do.
- Loves to execute tai-chi moves (pushing the blame to others)
- Lies about thier mistakes
- Doesn't want to do it and justifies it by saying "I don't know these kind of technical things, you do for me lah"
- Despite providing utilities for them to help them make their lives easier, they don't want to use it. I.e. Don't want to learn.
- Loves comparing our process and procedures to crappy companies (y'know... like comparing m'sia and indonesia and say be thankful you're in m'sia)

So I'm like thinking, either IT people always gets blamed, or I am doing a REALLY sucky job, or am I just not fitting in? Is it a problem with me or is it a problem with the work culture? How do you deal with people like these?

btw... of all the staffs in the office, I'm like one of the 2nd or 3rd most educated person. (there's more than 40 staffs in the office)

This post has been edited by spanker: Jul 14 2006, 04:41 PM

From what I see/read, I feel that you are working at sucky company. There are no strict rules of hiring a employee (judging on how 'smart' the PA is). Therefore, any Tom, D!ck and Harry can go in. Downfall goes the company's standard

I haven't deal with these type of people yet and I wish not to (but it is impossible). So, what I can say is play by the rules. If anybody ask you to do his/her work (especially the PA), just shoot them back stating you have better things to do than their job or whatever it is. You don't have to be the good guy since they are taking all the credits. Be a villian too

Btw, your ranting ain't that long. It's funny though.

This post has been edited by goliath: Jul 14 2006, 04:57 PM

problem is, I'm already behaving like an ass and I'm afraid this attitude will carry itself over to the job.

Oh yeah, one more thing. When I decided NOT to help them, they will complain to the director and then I'll get the blame. And then when I set the situation straight, you know what the director said? "Aiyah, nevermind lah, sacrifice a to help them lah consider it as doing it for the benefit of the company". WTF??? Even the MD plays politics.

I didn't mention in the previous post. 100% of the top posts in the company are held by the same extended family, and it is these people I have clashes with.

Hmm... that's odd... there's VERY few people on the boards that calls me "uncle".

This post has been edited by spanker: Jul 14 2006, 05:15 PM

Does your company have a regular weekly meeting ? Open up this issue in a professional way and see the respond of the seniors and the others............

It's amazing to see how they get to survive in this type of working enviroment for such a long period. Pack your bags and leave a.s.a.p., man. Sooner or later, everbody will turn against you. I'm not joking. If you are a hard player (and I don't mean by Playboy of course ), defend your rights till the end.

This post has been edited by goliath: Jul 14 2006, 05:19 PM

Start Off with things like..."I Have a Recommendation...I think most of us here need to go for a Training Course on Microsoft Office 2003 because this new application has a lot of new features of which I believe most us really needs to absorb and most of us here really may not have the time to be coaching or helping everyone.........once in a while ok...but the network system requires to be monitored of any virus or spam attacks..............."

Good Luck ! You May Change the script so as long the message is clear....

This post has been edited by ndextreme: Jul 14 2006, 05:21 PM

I don't like to badmouth about these things because it is inconsequencial. They have a manager's meeting, but I don't attend because technically I'm not a manager even though I am in charge of IT issues in the company. So I just talk to them 1 on 1.

Most of the time I am able to prove my point (because I know I'm right), but the problem is I'm not very tactful at telling them they're wrong, and usually out of favoratism/nepotism, the MD will side with the other staffs.

No she's not. There are other pretty ones in the company which I have no issues with though. In fact I get along with some of them just fine.

I'm thinking of quitting in a couple of months so you can apply for my job if you want.

It's already happening. Many of those in the same "clique" already find me a tough nut to crack. The company survives out of sheer hard work and diligence, it's incredible just how hard some of the key people in the company work. This is one of the reason why they aren't receptive to feedbacks, which is understandable. But they also survive by um... some fairly unethical practices.

This post has been edited by spanker: Jul 14 2006, 05:25 PM

i'm jus being curious, whats yr designation or job scope?

i rarely see new comers behaved like that, most of them will be very humble and ask for guidance if they are unsure, u got a rare case there

jus try for once, do somthing for them in a totally wrong manner and hope they get the blame from the bosses

This post has been edited by eddychstu: Jul 14 2006, 05:27 PM

I am in charge of IT issues in the company...........This Is Good Enough....You Have the Authority to Say No......I Mean Professionally, you can send out an email notice to everyone.............on the suggestion......

Ugh... please no... I'm the one who will feel violated.

Oh yeah, you just brought up a point. When they use computers they freaking click on everything, and then they say they didn't do it. For instance, this stupid midnight screensaver crap that install that Gain Publishing adware nonsense. THey'd go "I dunno, I didn't do it". I'd tell them don't install anything that has nothing to do with work. ANd they'd STILL do it, so I restrict their user level access, and then they'd badmouth me. WTF?

Also, whenever they intercom me about a problem, I'd ask them for a description of the error, and they just wouldn't tell me. And instead asks me to go over to their place to see. The first 200 times was fine because, hey I was new mah right? After a while it gets frustrating so I told them "What if this company has 5 floors and someone else calls me to go to their place and see, and then when you intercom me I'm not there to help because people don't want to just read the error message to me?" And then people say I'm not helpful. Life's a b*tch.

I Guess You Need to Suggest to the Boss to Use a Remote Control like Tivolli to Control the PCs............and Warn Them Like this WebSite is Restricted...Out of Topic......

This post has been edited by ndextreme: Jul 14 2006, 05:39 PM

Maybe if you give her your Tornado Tongue Twister she might fall head over heels for you and be your slave instead, recommends you to the director for a promotion.

Anyway where are all the IT people there? Only you? What about your other colleages said about this chic?

Please be reminded that this is the job and career section and NOT the kopitiam section. Do have some respect for the threadstarter (aka unker spanker) and let's not stray off topic. Thank you

but isn't the thread itself kopitiam material? not dissimilar to the "The stupidest farkers you've ever met" thread.

Not a surprise, a very typical mentality and work "ethics" of a Malaysian. When she is assigned a task, but she doesn't know how to complete the task, this WILL NOT make her relieved from that responsibility.

She is the one should make the INITIATIVE to learn the software from you, and do the work herself, instead of asking your help to complete her task. Concept of ownership and deliverables seemed too alien in Malaysian work-culture. If you helped her for one time, and she never learn but took your task as her own, does it mean that for the rest of the days she is in the company you will finish her job?

And managers! Damn! They never learn to recognize skills during interview or what?

This post has been edited by TYK: Jul 14 2006, 09:48 PM

I don't think so, with the questions I quoted, which are the very problems keep happening in work places. Yeah, life sucks.

With the above questions given and in addition, this happens in a work place, I find this to be something worth discussing

*It's a no-no when it's a rant thread with nothing worth discussing.

I think she likes you and she's hitting on you. I think the problem is with you. You're not getting it so you're not getting any

I'm with chairmanmeow on this one. That 1st most educated person is probably writing a thread similar to this on you.

edit: on a less serious note, i know what you mean. had a similar experience before.

This post has been edited by ikanayam: Jul 15 2006, 02:48 AM

Spanker,

I have a favorite saying: "Until you know how to say NO, you are NOT a professional". You have a choice. You can choose to let people respect you as a professional or not. You can let people call you around to do stupid stuff or you can set some rule.

1) If people want you to do something, get them to send you an e-mail or fill out a form.

2) Setup a priority list of what you will do and get your boss to approve it. And, if someone want to jump the queue, get them to talk to your boss to approve it. Pass the buck...

3) Learn to say "It is not my job".

What you are facing is normal in almost every single work place. You will always have too much to do and too little time. You need to learn how to manage your boss and your work load.

Dreamer

Managing your boss and peers are vital to your career.
I failed at both of them .. guess I cannot overcome the favortism/nepotism given to some staffs.

Only a few staffs are picked up for bashing.