Should I let this go? (Job related)

[Queasy]

During the hiring process for my current job (which I started last September) I was initially told that they were hiring someone else over me because the other person had a more technical background. I was disappointed when told this but not surprised because my previous job was split with alot of different tasks (programming, testing, client relations, business analyst, etc) and I was using generally older technology. Fortunately, they told me that they had another opening in the same position coming up in three weeks and if I was interested, I could have it when it opened.

I searched for other jobs but when this job came open I jumped on it immediately. The person they hired over me started the same day I did. Imagine my shock when I discovered that she had just graduated college the previous December with a degree in CIS (similar to my MIS degree) and had been working jobs as a receptionist via a temp company prior to this job. Now, I had four years of actual work experience plus two summers of IT internships. How did she get the job over me? Her college friend worked in the department that we were hired in is how.

Now, the girl is bright and she has learned the position well and is doing a generally good job overall. She is definitely more competent than some previous co-workers who supposedly had experience.

I don't treat her any differently than anybody else and work well with her. However, the "more technical" than me thing still irks me and I've been using it to help drive me to excel at this position. Example - we just had our quarterly reviews and mine was excellent.

<sigh> I probably should let this go, but I can't. I feel like I have to prove that I am a better and more competent employee than she is everyday. I guess my competitive nature just won't stop.

Sorry for the length, I just had to vent.

 

[mrCide]

i'd be happy to have a job in this market..

i have to work with my ex which i really hate having to do (i got screwed pretty bad by her) but i suck it up and work cause its a good opportunity and a good company..

my 2c

 

[pulse8]

Let it go, it happens all the time.

And there's nothing really wrong with it if she's doing the job just fine.

 

[ScrapSilicon]

let it go...uh....pics..?j/k

 

[Fausto]

I think I'd just let it go. My wife is in a similar situation where her supervisor is both much younger than her and has far less work experience (but has the university degree), but is very competent despite the lack of hands-on experience. It bugs my wife a bit, but as with you drives her to really kick ass at her job. I don't imagine it will be much more than a year before they promote my wife based on the performance reviews she's been getting thus far. Intra-workplace envy/jealously/whatever-you-want-to-term-it breeds bad things, IMO.

 

[guyver01]

What are you going to do? Go to the Recruiter and say "You Lied To Me!" ?? well guess what... welcome to the real world... happens all the time.

Don't expect 100% truth from ANY job, especially during an interview process.

 

[Ornery]

"Her college friend worked in the department that we were hired in is how."

After 30 years in the work force, I can tell you this means EVERYTHING! The cliche', "It's not what you know, but who you know", is VERY true. I'm banking on that when I finally buckle down and start looking for work. The resume and interview will just be a formality. The excuses he gives the other employees for making me vice president right out of the chute, are his business!

 

[Aceshigh]

I can totally understand your feelings. If they didn't happen to have that second opening later you would have been screwed and out of a job. All because she had a connection there.

You have an MIS degree and she has CIS. CIS is a bit more technical and requires more math. But unless you were one of those people who totally focused on the business side of your degree and are a bit weak on the technical side, it sounds like you were greatly more qualified because your experience should have put you over the top. Experience is invaluable in this job market.

Of course there are a variety of reasons why things may have worked out the way they did. I say don't dwell on it, but continue to use it as motivation. It will make you more successful in the long run.