Would you let someone continue to take credit for your work ?

[polm]

I am a young I.T. worker for a popular telephone company. Recently my company has gone through a huge round of layoffs...most of the people I work with today are getting layed off in April.

I am a hard worker, and I happen to be the only I.T. worker in my division to be a member of more than 1 I.T. deparrment team (I am actually on 5: NT, Exchange, Citrix, Unix, and WAN/LAN) I am also, declraedly, moving to Isarel just as soon as a few major projects are complete.

Anyhow...there is a guy I work with here, who has always resented me for being a 23 year old geek with more skills than his 50 year old a$$. He always makes snide, sarcastic comments to me, about being young. He really resents me now, becasue he got his layoff notice, and I won a couple of awards/bonuses...plus getting 3 weeks payed vacation already this year.

So typically I find myself bailing him, as well as other IT workers here, out from problems ranging from high to low level. I mean I work with some really bad I.T. proffessionals.

Well, I started to notice a trend with this one old guy. He will come to me for assistance, and I will solve his problem. Then he will call up management and take FULL 100% credit for it.

Now usually I blow this off, I try to be humble, and I tell myself...well it's not like anyone thinks less of me. I mean, even if they take creadit for everything I help them with, I still do more, on my own, than they could ever do. I am treated VERY VERY well because of my skills...and these older guys get treated like dirt.

I have been letting this lack of admission on this older guys part, not get to me...but today he took full credit for a very complex solution that I gave him to solve a problem with Microsoft Exchange. I was very proud of my solution, but this guy took full credit. He had no shame in calling the V.P. of Communications on the phone, and loud enough for me to hear, claimed the solution was his.

How long can I let this go on ? I mean..the guy does get canned in April. Should I just continue to bite my toungue and be the bigger man ? Should I say something ?

 

[amnesiac]

just tell him to ah heck off next time he needs your help.

 

[Wallydraigle]

Originally posted by: polm
I am a young I.T. worker for a popular telephone company. Recently my company has gone through a huge round of layoffs...most of the people I work with today are getting layed off in April.

I am a hard worker, and I happen to be the only I.T. worker in my division to be a member of more than 1 I.T. deparrment team (I am actually on 5: NT, Exchange, Citrix, Unix, and WAN/LAN) I am also, declraedly, moving to Isarel just as soon as a few major projects are complete.

Anyhow...there is a guy I work with here, who has always resented me for being a 23 year old geek with more skills than his 50 year old a$$. He always makes snide, sarcastic comments to me, about being young. He really resents me now, becasue he got his layoff notice, and I won a couple of awards/bonuses...plus getting 3 weeks payed vacation already this year.

So typically I find myself bailing him, as well as other IT workers here, out from problems ranging from high to low level. I mean I work with some really bad I.T. proffessionals.

Well, I started to notice a trend with this one old guy. He will come to me for assistance, and I will solve his problem. Then he will call up management and take FULL 100% credit for it.

Now usually I blow this off, I try to be humble, and I tell myself...well it's not like anyone thinks less of me. I mean, even if they take creadit for everything I help them with, I still do more, on my own, than they could ever do. I am treated VERY VERY well because of my skills...and these older guys get treated like dirt.

I have been letting this lack of admission on this older guys part, not get to me...but today he took full credit for a very complex solution that I gave him to solve a problem with Microsoft Exchange. I was very proud of my solution, but this guy took full credit. He had no shame in calling the V.P. of Communications on the phone, and loud enough for me to hear, claimed the solution was his.

How long can I let this go on ? I mean..the guy does get canned in April. Should I just continue to bite my toungue and be the bigger man ? Should I say something ?

Smoke him. Problem solved.







But seriously, I wouldn't let him take advantage of me anymore if I were in your situation. When he comes crawling to you next time, just tell him you're busy and don't have time for him. Also think of this. If you gave him some advice, and it turned out that you were wrong and he messed something up, would he still take all the credit for himself, or would it all go to you? That's right. I wouldn't help him anymore.

 

[Ciber]

Telling could make you look bad. Keep your mouth shut and dont help him anymore.

 

[rocadelpunk]

you should put him in his place and complain.

is plagerism legal? is stealing legal? you're not helping this guy out in the long run, he either needs to go back to school...even if he has a family, he shouldn't be an ass about it than.

I say complain.

 

[polm]

Originally posted by: Ciber
Telling could make you look bad. Keep your mouth shut and dont help him anymore.

I was thinking the same thing.

Plus...what would I really acheive if I told on him ? absolutely nothing.

I will take the forums advice....NO MORE HELP FROM MR. POLM

 

[SeaMonki]

Just tell him you are busy and if he asks busy with what...say planning where to spend your 3 paid weeks of vacation!

 

[rocadelpunk]

then the guy comes in with a shotgun and guess who's first in line : P

yah i guess that's a better solution, just say you've got your own work.

 

[FrustratedUser]

Just ask him why he does this and don't let him drag you down if you don't help him in the future.

 

[SagaLore]

Something that I learned real quick in I.T. from my fellow I.T members. C.Y.O.A.

DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. If you have a really complex solution, you document it in a Word document. Create a template for this - fill in the reason for the procedure, a short summary, and a step by step solution. And then make sure it is dated and authored. Then print it out and sign it, put it away in a folder.

And then while Mr. Jerk is ranting on the phone about how cool he is, forward a copy of the procedure to your immediate boss and then whoever he's talking to.

I know this guy is supposed to get laid off soon, but you have to realize that when he's taking credit for your intellect, he might get a free get out of layoff card and pass the buck to you. By then it will be too late to defend yourself. Management can and will change their mind if they want.

 

[weezergirl]

yah, i really don't think u should be a "tattletale" in this case. it is a professional place of work. just stop helping him and besides, even tho he takes all your credit, apparently that didn't help him not get laid off anyway! what goes around comes around.

 

[polm]

Originally posted by: SagaLore
Something that I learned real quick in I.T. from my fellow I.T members. C.Y.O.A.

DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. If you have a really complex solution, you document it in a Word document. Create a template for this - fill in the reason for the procedure, a short summary, and a step by step solution. And then make sure it is dated and authored. Then print it out and sign it, put it away in a folder.

And then while Mr. Jerk is ranting on the phone about how cool he is, forward a copy of the procedure to your immediate boss and then whoever he's talking to.

I know this guy is supposed to get laid off soon, but you have to realize that when he's taking credit for your intellect, he might get a free get out of layoff card and pass the buck to you. By then it will be too late to defend yourself. Management can and will change their mind if they want.

I know that nothing is ever 100%, but your'e goiung to have to trust me when I say "There is no way on God's green earth, that this guy would get some get-out-of-jail free card, and pass the layoff buck on to me" . Management knows the truth, for the most part. Even if this guy was able to claim full credit for a month of heavily complex solutions, I would still be the one that was asked to stay on. In fact i have passed up countelss job offers to move with this company...but i turn them down. Noone else in I.T. has been given a job offer to stay on instead of getting layed off.

 

[NumbaJuan]

30 days in the electric chair :Q

 

[Spyro]

Stop helping him, and don't say anything.

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: polm

Originally posted by: SagaLore
Something that I learned real quick in I.T. from my fellow I.T members. C.Y.O.A.

DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. If you have a really complex solution, you document it in a Word document. Create a template for this - fill in the reason for the procedure, a short summary, and a step by step solution. And then make sure it is dated and authored. Then print it out and sign it, put it away in a folder.

And then while Mr. Jerk is ranting on the phone about how cool he is, forward a copy of the procedure to your immediate boss and then whoever he's talking to.

I know this guy is supposed to get laid off soon, but you have to realize that when he's taking credit for your intellect, he might get a free get out of layoff card and pass the buck to you. By then it will be too late to defend yourself. Management can and will change their mind if they want.

I know that nothing is ever 100%, but your'e goiung to have to trust me when I say "There is no way on God's green earth, that this guy would get some get-out-of-jail free card, and pass the layoff buck on to me" . Management knows the truth, for the most part. Even if this guy was able to claim full credit for a month of heavily complex solutions, I would still be the one that was asked to stay on. In fact i have passed up countelss job offers to move with this company...but i turn them down. Noone else in I.T. has been given a job offer to stay on instead of getting layed off.

It's still a good idea to document everything. Even the simple stuff. Procedures procedures procedures - we have a whole binder of them, and we all have to sign them off to show that we've read them. Good way to train new people too, plus if you forget something a year later you can go back to them.

 

[polm]

Originally posted by: SagaLore

Originally posted by: polm

Originally posted by: SagaLore
Something that I learned real quick in I.T. from my fellow I.T members. C.Y.O.A.

DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. If you have a really complex solution, you document it in a Word document. Create a template for this - fill in the reason for the procedure, a short summary, and a step by step solution. And then make sure it is dated and authored. Then print it out and sign it, put it away in a folder.

And then while Mr. Jerk is ranting on the phone about how cool he is, forward a copy of the procedure to your immediate boss and then whoever he's talking to.

I know this guy is supposed to get laid off soon, but you have to realize that when he's taking credit for your intellect, he might get a free get out of layoff card and pass the buck to you. By then it will be too late to defend yourself. Management can and will change their mind if they want.

I know that nothing is ever 100%, but your'e goiung to have to trust me when I say "There is no way on God's green earth, that this guy would get some get-out-of-jail free card, and pass the layoff buck on to me" . Management knows the truth, for the most part. Even if this guy was able to claim full credit for a month of heavily complex solutions, I would still be the one that was asked to stay on. In fact i have passed up countelss job offers to move with this company...but i turn them down. Noone else in I.T. has been given a job offer to stay on instead of getting layed off.

It's still a good idea to document everything. Even the simple stuff. Procedures procedures procedures - we have a whole binder of them, and we all have to sign them off to show that we've read them. Good way to train new people too, plus if you forget something a year later you can go back to them.

My company has a standard procedure called a "Post Mortem" . We typically have to do one on any issue that actually makes it to our troubleshooting tier.