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Original poster

Inexperienced colleague

50 replies

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 01/03/2024 11:55

I feel awful but I work with an EA who's fairly young (guessing mid 20s maybe late) but she seems incompetent and doesn't seem to trouble shoot stuff. Trying to send me an iCal invite which I can't open... I say to her, "ask the sender to forward it via Outlook or pass me the details and I'll ask them to do this". I have to look for workarounds. Maybe she's just inexperienced. To me, troubleshooting, proactiveness is second to none...

Not the only stuff she does wrong either. Loves to pepper invites and emails with funny emojis which I find a bit... Hmm.

OP posts:
ThisHonestQuail · 01/03/2024 11:58

Have you raised this with her / her line manager? That would be the first step. How else do you expect her to improve?

Original poster
Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 01/03/2024 12:00

ThisHonestQuail · 01/03/2024 11:58

Have you raised this with her / her line manager? That would be the first step. How else do you expect her to improve?

No I haven't. She's a temp as am I.

She's nice enough though. I'm just a bit surprised she doesn't take the initiative as much as I'd have thought.

OP posts:
Fallenangelofthenorth · 01/03/2024 12:27

If you're both temps why does it matter to you personally? Or are you just wanting to slag off the youth of today?

ThirdStorm · 01/03/2024 13:09

I think work etiquette isn't "taught" these days. I hate people who say "Hi third storm" via chat on MS Teams and then I'm left waiting for ages until they write the actual message!

AndiOliversGlasses · 01/03/2024 13:11

ThirdStorm · 01/03/2024 13:09

I think work etiquette isn't "taught" these days. I hate people who say "Hi third storm" via chat on MS Teams and then I'm left waiting for ages until they write the actual message!

I had that the other day. I waited, and waited…then eventually went for “what can I do for you?”. It was really annoying.

Sonora25 · 01/03/2024 13:13

Seriously you are both temps so what do you care?

Original poster
Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 01/03/2024 14:05

Sonora25 · 01/03/2024 13:13

Seriously you are both temps so what do you care?

I care because this morning I had to do extra work scrabbling around because she couldn't work out what to do! And have had to do this before now on a few occasions.

OP posts:
Original poster
Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 01/03/2024 14:05

Fallenangelofthenorth · 01/03/2024 12:27

If you're both temps why does it matter to you personally? Or are you just wanting to slag off the youth of today?

Because, I had to scrabble around helping her this morning and then on a few occasions before now she's created extra work for me. I'm not slagging off the youth of today.

She's not even that young. I know one of the reasons she took this job is because she's got 2 young children so therefore is around for them for pickups/drop offs. But at least try to get your arse in gear and be more proactive rather than leave me to find a solution like I did again, this morning and finally solved the issue.

OP posts:
Original poster
Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 01/03/2024 14:06

ThirdStorm · 01/03/2024 13:09

I think work etiquette isn't "taught" these days. I hate people who say "Hi third storm" via chat on MS Teams and then I'm left waiting for ages until they write the actual message!

It's taught but very loosely.

OP posts:
zzpleb · 01/03/2024 14:09

Maybe she just isn't good at being an EA?

For @ThirdStorm and @AndiOliversGlasses:

https://nohello.net/en/

Willmafrockfit · 01/03/2024 14:12

you could do her a favour if you want and suggest she is more proactive in future.

Willmafrockfit · 01/03/2024 14:13

i dont think its her age, more her attitude.

SanctusInDistress · 01/03/2024 14:15

I’m a line manager, and finding an under-35 with problem-solving skills is like finding a needle in a haystack.

I don’t know what’s happened, but since covid I’m finding it very difficult to find people who don’t go ‘erm what’s a computer’ at the slightest problem.

MoreDangerousThanAWomanScorned · 01/03/2024 14:16

ThirdStorm · 01/03/2024 13:09

I think work etiquette isn't "taught" these days. I hate people who say "Hi third storm" via chat on MS Teams and then I'm left waiting for ages until they write the actual message!

Is this work etiquette?! I'm honestly struggling to think of a more trivial gripe than this.

wizzywig · 01/03/2024 14:23

She probably doesn't give a crap and is in it for the wage and to then go home to her kids

ThisHonestQuail · 01/03/2024 14:23

ThirdStorm · 01/03/2024 13:09

I think work etiquette isn't "taught" these days. I hate people who say "Hi third storm" via chat on MS Teams and then I'm left waiting for ages until they write the actual message!

I would say that’s a side effect of wfh - much harder to pick up on these unwritten rules.

Camelliugh · 01/03/2024 15:18

You actually don’t sound very professional in the way you write about this. It comes across like you don’t like her personally, be careful. Either raise it with your line manager factually ie evidence of how you are affected workload wise or leave it.

Camelliugh · 01/03/2024 15:20

Ps a good tip, don’t bring her home life into your gripe.

Soreteatowel · 01/03/2024 15:23

All of this stuff is learned. Who's training her?

Original poster
Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 01/03/2024 15:23

zzpleb · 01/03/2024 14:09

Maybe she just isn't good at being an EA?

For @ThirdStorm and @AndiOliversGlasses:

https://nohello.net/en/

Yes, I think this is it. I get it. Maybe it's not her forte and she's doing this as a stop gap because it's gov so good wfh etc

OP posts:
Original poster
Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 01/03/2024 15:25

Soreteatowel · 01/03/2024 15:23

All of this stuff is learned. Who's training her?

No one really. We're hired through an agency who hire a lot of temps. They like me as I'm experienced and I've worked for other agencies.

I think her main boss sort of trains her or encourages her to go on courses.

I'm not dissing her at all, I just think she could make a list of:

  • proactive
  • troubleshooting
  • time management
OP posts:
Original poster
Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 01/03/2024 15:27

Camelliugh · 01/03/2024 15:18

You actually don’t sound very professional in the way you write about this. It comes across like you don’t like her personally, be careful. Either raise it with your line manager factually ie evidence of how you are affected workload wise or leave it.

I do actually quite like her, but when you can see via Teams that she's away from her desk a lot... then you know someone is coasting, yeah I do this too but I ensure my work is picked up too.

And it irritates me when I've had to pick up the slack for her a few times and sort stuff out.

OP posts:
Original poster
Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 01/03/2024 15:28

wizzywig · 01/03/2024 14:23

She probably doesn't give a crap and is in it for the wage and to then go home to her kids

That is exactly what I feel! Yeah, great good for her. But at least try not to offload onto me and get me to sort your shit out.

OP posts:
Original poster
Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 01/03/2024 15:29

Camelliugh · 01/03/2024 15:20

Ps a good tip, don’t bring her home life into your gripe.

I wouldn't do that at all. Most of my colleagues are either working mums or aren't.

That's the plus side of this job, because you wfh you can do drop offs/pick ups.

OP posts:
Camelliugh · 01/03/2024 15:31

its not your business if she’s away from your desk, don’t monitor her if you’re the same level. Yes it sounds frustrating op but these things are easily turned around onto you.