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.

Uncle spanker for your seniority in LYN mar...

I am just thinking about your MD inteligence for hiring such a person. Perhaps shes the who who who's who who daugther's cousin.

It is not suprise to meet such a user, but I wont help them at all. I will simply say I only know how to install if possible(really dunno how to use UBS mahh), but if ask me to do things for them it is a big no no, lazy to entertain so much(unless you say like, ahh thats your gf or you wanna tackle her)

Some call me say hundred thousand fire urgent need help projector not working, ran up 4 floors there just found a freaking loosen power socket...

Note: just make sure your boss happy with you is good enough.

This post has been edited by rexis: Jul 15 2006, 09:59 AM

Our Unc Spanker has been manipulated. So it's best that he either manipulate her back in another way or another to really have some job satisfaction.

Here are some evil ways to do so...

1. Currently u are spoonfeeding her, place a trap when she needs to do a presentation to the boss. Then by then, the boss already know she isn't capable of doing her job.

2. Definitely you have buddies there, possible to hack into her work right>? With some typo and boss is a $hithead thingy...

3. Have other staff to hate her also. Then u are not the main suspect.

4. It's time to have a break...takeyour annual leave and see if other people fall into her trap or not..then u can execute No1 without any worries.

This shows how dangerous the office politics is.

That is the main core of your career journey in life. Kill before being killed. Anyway we are all trying to make a living, so defend your rice bowl la, nothing in being good or bad. This is what I learn from my previous companies.

spanker, from the look of it, i'd like to say this, if i may. :' ur company sucks'.

pack ur bags. start looking for job with better working environment. if they can hire a PA with ZERO knowledge in pc, god knows wat kinda ppl they'll hire to be ur assistant.

Aiya this company sucvks,that company sucks, HAVE U GUYS EVER HEARD OF OFFICE POLITICS???!!, even in my bakery oso happen.

Sorry la. Resigning is not an option. Whereever u go it's the same. There are bound to be office politics. So play along, only just becareful dun get burnt enough.

bakery?

Yeah man, that's thing. I honestly have no problem with teaching what users need to learn. The problem is that they don't want to learn, and they expect me to do it for them. And frankly it's turning out to be a really bad habit.

STFU you i'm gonna to a write up on you one of these days i tells ya!!!! :mad:

Btw, as far as I can tell, the most educated person doesn't like working there either, but does so because he thinks working in Shell sucks (seriously, he quit Shell to work here).

There's also another favorite saying "Learn how to accept NO as an answer". Like an annoying insect or credit card sales person, these people just can't learn how to accept NO as an answer. For instance, the cousin to the MD's husband (who owns the group of companies) asks me to help her download some personal pics off her digital camera and burn it onto a CD, using company resources and time. I asked her "why don't you do it at home?", her reply? "I don't know how, you help me la".
Frankly.... why the heck did she buy a digital camera in the first place?

Been there done that. Explained it to my boss she said take a bullet for the team.

The PA doesn't have 0 knowledge in PCs, just not enough knowledge to be a PA. She might have other skills though who knows.

I'm thinking of leaving though, know anyone who's looking for project manager or something similar?

Tell her to do the job herself because she is PAID to do the job and it's her job area not yours. If you need to do her job, tell the boss your job area.

PA = (P)artial (A)ssistant ?

gives some hard job(like copy an entire chaoter into M.word, just tell her u need it, who knows you just delete it afterwards) to her in order for you to help her, let her tell you 1st that is not her jobscope, then tell her your story ...
you waste my time, I helped you with my time, I cant complete my work, so if u want help, u gotta help me too, u know, i feed a dog, the dog will watch my door for me, aiya u know lah ....

PA = Personal Assistant

you should talk nicely to her because maybe she is new and not suitable for the enviroment at your company. trying to give her more chance and understand her situation. Girls are weak than Boy.

Are you working as IT Executive? I hate that job. Work like a slave. All others department is like your customers. So it makes you hard to against them. Even if your manager tried to back you up, it won't help much because they will complaint to the upper management. Then your manager also cannot do anything.

Those PA and all others department are really noob in computer. Noob until you hardly believe. I advise you to leave as soon as possible, otherwise you will be wasting your time and your skills.

dude, when there's a will, there's a way. with ur quality and skills...i dink whole lotsa company will come knocking on ur doorstep la.

Even you leave that place, but with your experience as IT executive, your next job most probably also an IT executive because you are unlikely to start from zero in a totally new field and with experience built from several years. So how are you going forward?

I'm not in IT field myself, but would like to hear from other's point of view.

This post has been edited by TYK: Jul 17 2006, 10:12 PM

Well.. for starters you could try to work in a company that has less family control If you work in a family-owned company, yup they will tend to hire the members of the family that can't get jobs anywhere else.. I mean, who else would hire them right ? so maybe you should work in a larger company, one where the employees are not related to each other

This post has been edited by wodenus: Jul 17 2006, 11:36 PM

Hey, this is exactly like what I went through before. My company's secretary is also that shitty. On her first day, she asked me how to access MS Words, Exec etc... She said in her previous company computer, she just click the button on her desktop to access. I told her to go START -> ALL PROGRAMS etc to access. She said "How come this computer so troublesome to access wan?"
During interview she stated she knows how to use computer and MS Office proficiently. Mana tau?

Wahahaha... Spanker. I should say I'm exactly facing what you are facing currently. Just stand firm and say No. & I truly understand how you feel when you did all the dirty jobs and others take credit out of it.

i advice u to learn how to "tahan mati"..lol

Work as helpdesk support also better than IT executive. At least you don't have to listen to those 'orang hutan'. Work in software company also not that bad where you only support the customer up to your company products.

I used to work as IT executive but then I realize this job is really suuuck. Support pc, modem, internet connection, POS system, telefon and fax, air-conditioner, plasma TV, server maintenance, help users on how to use MS office, Palm desktop, outlook, ensure office wiring is properly trunk, prepare reports from the database, apply streamyx for users at home, remove virus on users machine, wireless connection, pick up boss's son from school and many more. Tired liao, too many tasks.

Hi Spanker,

I've done that and been there before. Used to do all those things until one day I finally said NO and even though they were insisting like mad, I learned to say NO to the right people and taichi it around. If you don't do that then like dreamer said, you would have too much work to handle.

Sometimes being thick skinned is good but of course don't make a bad impression. I usually build a good relationship with the people who complain the most and help them through and teach them to be more independant. Once that is done, problem solved.

Patience is the key sometimes I guess.

regards,
Mavik