I know interns are supposed to do grunt work...

[Mr Pickles]

Originally posted by: fritolays
I'm going to email my boss tomorrow and say something along this line

Hey <boss's name>, I got an email from this guy about <task>. Is this something I need to worry about?"

thanks all

I'll post an update if you guys are interested.


oh the reason why I was concerned is that I'm going to be sitting directly next to the guy after Friday. I didn't want bad blood between us... but on second thought, i don't really give a shit since I'm leaving.

Can't you call him or go in his office? Email isn't the way to go here...

 

[JEDI]

Originally posted by: fritolays
I'm an "intern" right now
I actually have a full-time job at another company which starts soon but until this semester ends, I wanted to work somewhere to gain experience and I could use the money.

I report to one person who is high on the ladder and work in his group. Recently, I had to contact some guy who is in a whole separate department and he noticed that I'm new and an intern. He's just an analyst, no clue what he does or when he joined. He emails me out of nowhere and says that "you'll be responsible for" some news blah blah crap
I thought it would be something worthwhile but he unloaded this massive task of manually updating the daily news feeds. The other interns who work in HIS group all alternated on a weekly basis but he wants someone "consistent". Personally, I hate doing that crap. If my boss gave it to me, I would gladly do it. But the way this assignment was handed to me that someone else or him should be working on, does not go well with me and makes me feel like crap. I shouldn't even have any affiliation with him at all. He's in a whole different group. I can live up to the stereotype and be the quiet asian guy that takes other people crap but I'm kind of pissed off.

If I mention this to my boss, what should I say? I might be leaving soon so should I stick it out with this task for at least just the month of April? I definitely don't plan on sticking around much longer and not interested in a full-time position.
It takes about 45 minutes to do daily. I learn absolutely nothing doing this.

dont reply to the asshat's email. keep the jerk wondering

basically, just ignore him. heck, tag his name as spam, and autodelete. if he confronts u, just say u never got anything from him.

if he somehow gets IT email records that says the msgs were delivered, say u must have accidently hit spam to his name.

 

[tk149]

Originally posted by: JEDI

Originally posted by: fritolays
I'm an "intern" right now
I actually have a full-time job at another company which starts soon but until this semester ends, I wanted to work somewhere to gain experience and I could use the money.

I report to one person who is high on the ladder and work in his group. Recently, I had to contact some guy who is in a whole separate department and he noticed that I'm new and an intern. He's just an analyst, no clue what he does or when he joined. He emails me out of nowhere and says that "you'll be responsible for" some news blah blah crap
I thought it would be something worthwhile but he unloaded this massive task of manually updating the daily news feeds. The other interns who work in HIS group all alternated on a weekly basis but he wants someone "consistent". Personally, I hate doing that crap. If my boss gave it to me, I would gladly do it. But the way this assignment was handed to me that someone else or him should be working on, does not go well with me and makes me feel like crap. I shouldn't even have any affiliation with him at all. He's in a whole different group. I can live up to the stereotype and be the quiet asian guy that takes other people crap but I'm kind of pissed off.

If I mention this to my boss, what should I say? I might be leaving soon so should I stick it out with this task for at least just the month of April? I definitely don't plan on sticking around much longer and not interested in a full-time position.
It takes about 45 minutes to do daily. I learn absolutely nothing doing this.

dont reply to the asshat's email. keep the jerk wondering

basically, just ignore him. heck, tag his name as spam, and autodelete. if he confronts u, just say u never got anything from him.

if he somehow gets IT email records that says the msgs were delivered, say u must have accidently hit spam to his name.

This is horrible advice. For all you know, the analyst has already cleared this job with the OP's boss. At best, OP will look like an idiot, and at worst, a shirker and a jerk.

As already stated, just make sure that your boss is aware of the request in a non-confrontational way, and that s/he knows how much of your time it will take. You want to show that you're a team player, and willing to work hard, but not a complete pushover.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: yllus
I'm never surprised anymore at the bad career advice given out here.

If you get a work request outside your direct line of authority, handle it by telling that person that it sounds good, but that you had better check with your own boss before agreeing to make sure it works with how how he's going to be budgeting your time. I mean, if he's about to assign you something that's going to take up all of your time making it impossible for you to do extra work for this guy, you'd better know that before committing to getting stuff done for others.

It's a politics-neutral, sensible approach that works for each of the three parties involved. Your boss should know exactly how your time at work is being spent, so it's obvious that he should be informed about other tasks you take on. It's fair to the other guy, because you don't want to put him in a position where he's depending on you for some piece of work which you don't have time to do. And it's fair to yourself, because this way nobody is about to unknowingly double your workload while mistakenly thinking that you're sitting around idle.

I would never say something like, "Is this something I need to worry about?" That's just screaming, "I can't handle office politics, be my protector!" Yech.

IF he was a year or two workign there i would agree. but the fact he is a intern kinda solves that. it is a time to ask such questions and LEARN the office politics.

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: tk149

Originally posted by: JEDI

Originally posted by: fritolays
I'm an "intern" right now
I actually have a full-time job at another company which starts soon but until this semester ends, I wanted to work somewhere to gain experience and I could use the money.

I report to one person who is high on the ladder and work in his group. Recently, I had to contact some guy who is in a whole separate department and he noticed that I'm new and an intern. He's just an analyst, no clue what he does or when he joined. He emails me out of nowhere and says that "you'll be responsible for" some news blah blah crap
I thought it would be something worthwhile but he unloaded this massive task of manually updating the daily news feeds. The other interns who work in HIS group all alternated on a weekly basis but he wants someone "consistent". Personally, I hate doing that crap. If my boss gave it to me, I would gladly do it. But the way this assignment was handed to me that someone else or him should be working on, does not go well with me and makes me feel like crap. I shouldn't even have any affiliation with him at all. He's in a whole different group. I can live up to the stereotype and be the quiet asian guy that takes other people crap but I'm kind of pissed off.

If I mention this to my boss, what should I say? I might be leaving soon so should I stick it out with this task for at least just the month of April? I definitely don't plan on sticking around much longer and not interested in a full-time position.
It takes about 45 minutes to do daily. I learn absolutely nothing doing this.

dont reply to the asshat's email. keep the jerk wondering

basically, just ignore him. heck, tag his name as spam, and autodelete. if he confronts u, just say u never got anything from him.

if he somehow gets IT email records that says the msgs were delivered, say u must have accidently hit spam to his name.

This is horrible advice. For all you know, the analyst has already cleared this job with the OP's boss. At best, OP will look like an idiot, and at worst, a shirker and a jerk.

As already stated, just make sure that your boss is aware of the request in a non-confrontational way, and that s/he knows how much of your time it will take. You want to show that you're a team player, and willing to work hard, but not a complete pushover.

My money is on OP's boss OK'ed this. I have done this to many interns before, often times the "boss" doesn't let intern know.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

If you choose to work in a corporate environment then you must realize your value to the company or, more specifically, upper management is less than zero.They do not care if you do a good job for your internship. They do not care if you go to work for them once you graduate. They don't even know you're alive. If you want or need the paycheck, do the job. If you have some shred of self worth and vision for the future, leave and don't look back.

 

[Chaotic42]

Don't be the quiet guy, ever. Be loud. If something is wrong, say something. If something is really wrong, yell. If a process can be improved, say something. You're doing no one any good if you don't say anything when something is wrong.

Just be able to back up your position.

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

Originally posted by: puffff

Originally posted by: Svnla

Originally posted by: fritolays
...... I can live up to the stereotype and be the quiet asian guy that takes other people crap but I'm kind of pissed off. .......

WTF? This is 2008 and you still think that way? No wonder the stereotype is still linger. :disgust:

Agreed. You're doing asians a disservice by even acknowledging the stereotype.

All I ask OP is to not fall into the sterotype that asians lose it and go shoot up offices/campuses from getting work thrown at them.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42
Don't be the quiet guy, ever. Be loud. If something is wrong, say something. If something is really wrong, yell. If a process can be improved, say something. You're doing no one any good if you don't say anything when something is wrong.

Just be able to back up your position.

So, what universe do you inhabit? In corporate America, they don't care if you're right, they don't care if your wrong, they only care if you can make them more money. I don't mean have a great idea to make them more money either, I mean prove to them that last quarters rise in earnings was due to your work.

 

[Casawi]

He is not your boss. I would ask my boss if it is ok to spend your time doing that.
My boss specifically told me a few times, you report to me... it even says it on my job description.

 

[MisterJackson]

Can you not upload a bunch of goat se and then sit back and watch the hilarity ensue???

 

[Delta6Echo]

Originally posted by: apac
"Hey <boss's name>, I got an email from this guy about <task>. Is this something I need to worry about?"

In most companies I would think you should be receiving assignments only from your direct higher up.

QFT. Isn't that common sense?

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: fritolays
I'm going to email my boss tomorrow and say something along this line

Hey <boss's name>, I got an email from this guy about <task>. Is this something I need to worry about?"

thanks all

I'll post an update if you guys are interested.


oh the reason why I was concerned is that I'm going to be sitting directly next to the guy after Friday. I didn't want bad blood between us... but on second thought, i don't really give a shit since I'm leaving.

The wording "is this something I need to worry about" is ambiguous. I would change it to "is this something you want me to work on?"

 

[JEDI]

Originally posted by: tk149

Originally posted by: JEDI

Originally posted by: fritolays
I'm an "intern" right now
I actually have a full-time job at another company which starts soon but until this semester ends, I wanted to work somewhere to gain experience and I could use the money.

I report to one person who is high on the ladder and work in his group. Recently, I had to contact some guy who is in a whole separate department and he noticed that I'm new and an intern. He's just an analyst, no clue what he does or when he joined. He emails me out of nowhere and says that "you'll be responsible for" some news blah blah crap
I thought it would be something worthwhile but he unloaded this massive task of manually updating the daily news feeds. The other interns who work in HIS group all alternated on a weekly basis but he wants someone "consistent". Personally, I hate doing that crap. If my boss gave it to me, I would gladly do it. But the way this assignment was handed to me that someone else or him should be working on, does not go well with me and makes me feel like crap. I shouldn't even have any affiliation with him at all. He's in a whole different group. I can live up to the stereotype and be the quiet asian guy that takes other people crap but I'm kind of pissed off.

If I mention this to my boss, what should I say? I might be leaving soon so should I stick it out with this task for at least just the month of April? I definitely don't plan on sticking around much longer and not interested in a full-time position.
It takes about 45 minutes to do daily. I learn absolutely nothing doing this.

dont reply to the asshat's email. keep the jerk wondering

basically, just ignore him. heck, tag his name as spam, and autodelete. if he confronts u, just say u never got anything from him.

if he somehow gets IT email records that says the msgs were delivered, say u must have accidently hit spam to his name.

This is horrible advice. For all you know, the analyst has already cleared this job with the OP's boss. At best, OP will look like an idiot, and at worst, a shirker and a jerk.

As already stated, just make sure that your boss is aware of the request in a non-confrontational way, and that s/he knows how much of your time it will take. You want to show that you're a team player, and willing to work hard, but not a complete pushover.

obviously theres some comm breakdown at his company. the boss either didnt tell him he's whoring him out, or he's being taken advantage of.

either way, thats not the environment u want to work in.

 

[Double Trouble]

Originally posted by: SpunkyJones
45 minutes a day? For a month? Doesn't sound like much, but if your that worked up about it, just ask you boss if you need to do it. Plus where ever I worked, interns were pretty much feral employees, who could be scooped up by anyone to do some miserable task, you had to keep a bell around their necks to keep track of them.

That post got a big laugh out of me, I'm not sure why, but it struck me as very funny