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New Colleague Trying to Tell me What to Do

32 replies

mooneus · 11/02/2017 17:55

So a new guy has started working in my office recently. At first he seemed cool and really enthusiastic. However recently he's been trying to tell me what to do. He is just fresh out of uni, while I have been working in this type of job for 6 years I know he is trying to be helpful but now he is just annoying. It started with him suggesting I do these very basic things, but he seems to forget I've been doing this job for so long, whatever he suggests to me I've already done or thought about. But I didn't think much of what he said.

However this week he sent me an email trying out point out faults with my work. They weren't faults, it's just because he's new he doesn't totally understand how the company operates. When I explained that to him in a very diplomatic way, he replied with 'when you produce new stuff, can you send it to me so I can check it'.

Check it?? He's barely in the job and wants to check my work? It isn't his job to do that! What's more is that he isn't even in my team. I spoke to someone who works alongside him in his team and she said she is having difficulties with him too. She said he has undermined her too, when she told him one of his ideas wouldn't work. He went above her head.

He really needs to chill out, take a step back and not be so eager to impress. I think he also needs a lesson in how to be a team player - cos if he carries on like this no one will like him.

But my dilemma is do I do nothing, tell him directly he's too eager or say something to my line manager or his line manager.

Any advice welcome

OP posts:
mooneus · 15/02/2017 21:09

His line manager had noted that he wasn't fitting in and wasn't being a team player. A discussion took place between management and the decision was taken to 'let him go' in his probation period

OP posts:
Cosmicglitterpug · 15/02/2017 21:11

That was quick!

UnexpectedItemInShaggingArea · 15/02/2017 21:13

Sounds like you all dodged a bullet!

SnugglyBedSocks · 17/02/2017 19:58

Feel a bit sorry for him though. A little harsh for management to not have spoken to him and given him a chance to improve.

If he didn't improve definitely dismiss him!

daisychain01 · 18/02/2017 07:18

He sounded like a nightmare. Hopefully, as a 'hard knock in life', it will be the best lesson he has learned in his short career and he will benefit from it.

I'm pleased it has been resolved, moon.

slightlyglitterbrained · 18/02/2017 11:12

It's not unlikely that things were in train well before OP said anything. The thing with someone being fired/failing probation is that any problems would normally never be public knowledge so when it does happen, it seems like a very fast decision. It isn't. When I've "let people go" in probation there's been a paper trail as long as your arm of goals set, coaching and assistance given, any failures to take advice or direct requests on board, failures to meet goals given/take up opportunities for help and conversations about those, etc, etc, etc.

slightlyglitterbrained · 18/02/2017 11:22

And yes, failing probation in a job early in your career is likely to have much more positive impact than negative - cocky young men are often genuinely surprised that yes, even after weeks of absolutely blunt feedback that they are not achieving, that if they do not act on feedback they will be fired on X date, it is possible for them to be fired and it will happen.

They often have a history of ignoring (mostly female) teachers but doing well in exams anyway thus building up their fantasy of invincibility so it really is the very first time it "gets real" for them. Sad in a way, but an important lesson to learn.

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