The joys of underqualified coworkers

[BigSmooth]

Background: we have a Systems Analyst here at work whose primary job is maintaining our POS systems at our various locations as well as some database work and general PC troubleshooting both at the corp. office and the stores. Our IT Director recently retired and she has been pushing to get that job.
Additionally, we outsource a lot of our networking and server work because our in-house IT staff is currently only two people and neither of them know anything about networking.

Anyway, I am often asked to move heavy stuff around the office, and she asks me to move some computers. She points at one of them and says "that one has Linux or whatever on it" (apparently, the networking guys use it). So I pick it up and move it into the server room. After I set it down, I see a post-it note on the side of the tower that says, in big letters, "LYNEX". I really hope she does not become the IT Director...

 

[MystikMango]

What the hell? Let her move her own equipment. Women complain about wanting to be treated fairly in the workplace... help her to achieve her equality.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Originally posted by: MystikMango
What the hell? Let her move her own equipment. Women complain about wanting to be treated fairly in the workplace... help her to achieve her equality.

If she is higher up on the food chain, you do not want to get on the bad side.

 

[Kadarin]

So what, exactly, does this particular woman do as a "systems analyst"?

 

[GtPrOjEcTX]

wow

 

[rh71]

Well she is playing the role of the "director". Maybe people pronouncing it LIE-NIX confused her.

 

[BigSmooth]

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper

Originally posted by: MystikMango
What the hell? Let her move her own equipment. Women complain about wanting to be treated fairly in the workplace... help her to achieve her equality.

If she is higher up on the food chain, you do not want to get on the bad side.

She's not. She's been here a lot longer but I'm in accounting so I don't report to her at all. Other than the executives, my office is almost all women so I often get asked to move stuff, kill spiders, etc.

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: Astaroth33
So what, exactly, does this particular woman do as a "systems analyst"?

This goes back to my ongoing criticism of the "Information Systems" field of study. I'd say this is pretty much par for the course.

 

[MystikMango]

I was part of a new division, and I was 1 of 3 males, the other 14 people were all women. They started asking the men to help them move crap around, finaly one asked me for help. I showed her how to use her chair as a dolly to move heavy items. They never bothered me again. You can tell them no in a diplomatic manner, there's no need to be rude.

 

[BigSmooth]

Originally posted by: Astaroth33
So what, exactly, does this particular woman do as a "systems analyst"?

Nothing really. I think they "promoted" her a while back and they needed a title so they went with it.

 

[BigSmooth]

Originally posted by: MystikMango
I was part of a new division, and I was 1 of 3 males, the other 14 people were all women. They started asking the men to help them move crap around, finaly one asked me for help. I showed her how to use her chair as a dolly to move heavy items. They never bothered me again. You can tell them no in a diplomatic manner, there's no need to be rude.

Moving stuff doesn't bother me. What bothers me is the possibility of having an IT Director who doesn't know what Linux is.

 

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by: BigSmooth

Originally posted by: MystikMango
I was part of a new division, and I was 1 of 3 males, the other 14 people were all women. They started asking the men to help them move crap around, finaly one asked me for help. I showed her how to use her chair as a dolly to move heavy items. They never bothered me again. You can tell them no in a diplomatic manner, there's no need to be rude.

Moving stuff doesn't bother me. What bothers me is the possibility of having an IT Director who doesn't know what Linux is.

Silly. Everyone knows it a type of cat.

 

[brtspears2]

I would think in a down economy we would have overqualified workers taking jobs that are way past their skillset. I guess not in your case.

 

[Dissipate]

Originally posted by: BigSmooth

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper

Originally posted by: MystikMango
What the hell? Let her move her own equipment. Women complain about wanting to be treated fairly in the workplace... help her to achieve her equality.

If she is higher up on the food chain, you do not want to get on the bad side.

She's not. She's been here a lot longer but I'm in accounting so I don't report to her at all. Other than the executives, my office is almost all women so I often get asked to move stuff, kill spiders, etc.

Hahahaha, you are their male slave. Have fun!

 

[acemcmac]

I could say so much to contribute to this thread... especially regarding corperate IT... but while I'm at work (right now)... I think I had better hold off even though I am 100% sure there isnt a packet sniffer for at least 5 tiers (ISP or beyond). How am I sure? Because I'm not running mine. That's why. :beer:

 

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by: acemcmac
I could say so much to contribute to this thread... especially regarding corperate IT... but while I'm at work (right now)... I think I had better hold off even though I am 100% sure there isnt a packet sniffer for at least 5 tiers (ISP or beyond). How am I sure? Because I'm not running mine. That's why. :beer:

Haha, so little do you know of packet sniffers and just how close to you they can be placed

Anyways, our Director is NOT a IT guy AT ALL. But then again, he has never admitted to it. He's also, bar none, the best director I have ever worked for or had experience with. Our director reports to the higher ups though, so knowing IT isnt a big deal for him.

 

[MystikMango]

Originally posted by: BigSmooth

Moving stuff doesn't bother me. What bothers me is the possibility of having an IT Director who doesn't know what Linux is.

I realize that, I was trying to clear up my point of view for the others.

I'm a mechanical engineer, concerned with product design of equipment used in the transportation field (buses and trains). Last year we replaced out Product Development Manager and Director of Engineering with new people. The PD Manager was a materials analyist, while the new Director was from the aeronautics industry (rockets & missiles).

The Manager was more concerned with material failures, and couldn't keep any of the projects on-time. He didn't know how to even use MS Projects, or basic communication tools like Outlook Calendar. The Director was more concerned with product tolerances of +/-.0015 of an inch, and he did not realize that in our industry, if things fit within +/-.125 of an inch, you were spot-on.

Anyways, it took about 14 months for these two people to totaly ruin our engineering department and corporate image. I guess what I am getting at is for you to stay informed, and CYA. If you think your superior is incompetent to perform his/her job, and that person works directly with you, CYA. Communicate via email so you have a record of discisions made, etc.

 

[FoBoT]

most IT dept. people aren't "geeks" and only do it for the $

many have no idea about specific technology details like OS's and such

especially if they have analyst in their job title

 

[Frdm51472]

Originally posted by: brtspears2
I would think in a down economy we would have overqualified workers taking jobs that are way past their skillset. I guess not in your case.

We do, some companies dont move with the times though, they allow incompetence to run freely through their ranks....in fact sometimes promoting it. In this IT market there is no excuse for allowing an underqualified employee to remain in an organization.

 

[spidey07]

IT directors don't need to know how to spell linux nor do they need to know technical details.

That's why they're the directors.

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: spidey07
IT directors don't need to know how to spell linux nor do they need to know technical details.

That's why they're the directors.

promotions are inversely proportional to technical competance

or something like that

but that is ok, those mangement jobs are all meetings and email answering, no technical stuff on thier plates anyway, just planning/timelines, etc ,etc

 

[Shockwave]

Management, IMO, doesnt need to be technical. Hardly at all in fact. But, they DO need to realize if they dont fully understand the technology that they need to take that into account in their planning of the future. You can still organize and direct the projects and provide updates to the VIP's of a company, but if you dont know IT dont try to decide exactly what kind of hardware/software is going to be chosen to meet the requirements.

It isnt what you know, its knowing what you dont know and finding the people who do know. Kinda. Or something.

 

[BigSmooth]

Originally posted by: spidey07
IT directors don't need to know how to spell linux nor do they need to know technical details.

That's why they're the directors.

This is a small company, like I said there are only 2 people in the whole department and once they decide on the director there will be three. In our company, we count on the person in the "Director" position to actually do a lot of the nuts-and-bolts work on new projects etc. because the two subordinates are busy with systems maintenance and administration.

In most companies, I am sure the IT Director has to be more of just a manager, but here we count on that. And I'm not saying she will ever have to do anything with Linux in her position, but I would think having at least a cursory knowledge of different OSes or even how a router works would be standard if this is your chosen field.