new employee curious about working conditions 5

[bseejim]

Hello,

I just graduated with my BSEE in May. I started working immediately at a fab. I was assigned to a particular product line with another experienced engineer.

It seems ok, but I find this engineer that is training me tends to use me more like a tech than an engineer. Her communication skills are terrible, so I often interface between her and others.. it reminds me of my childhood when I had to go back and forth between my father and mother.

It seems as if she has personal problems with other engineers too. So she delegates my work to investigate them, even though it seems unnecessary. I often feel like I'm attacking a person rather than a problem.

She also gives poor advice. On several occasions, she has blatantly misinformed me about pretty basic aspects of our industry, which manifested in front of our management.. in the form of power point presentations. When management called me out on it, she took no responsibility.

Is this kind of stuff typical in the work place? I often think about finding another job, but I'm having a hard time deciding if I'm just being too sensitive about things due to my lack of experience.

A new job opened up within the fab today.. I'm qualified, but is two months too early to switch departments? I'm worried it may send the wrong message to management..

Please give me some advice. Thanks.

 

[SmithsJohn2]

It is difficult to work at place that you feel uncomfortable. Try to discuss with your concern with manager first and let see how it solves?

 

[ajack1]

As others have said you get good and bad in all walks of life, however you seem to have judged this person very quickly.

Everything you say about her is negative and you feel you know better, this of course could be true, but in my experience unlikely. Whenever anyone starts out that are going to change the world and everyone elses ways are full of faults, a few years down the line it seems less black and white.

The most interesting comment is “ it reminds me of my childhood when I had to go back and forth between my father and mother” it has been a long time since my childhood, but when I did that it was to get my way, if my father would not give it to me I would try my mother, are you sure that is not what you are doing now?

I could of course be totally wrong and the person is useless, but maybe questioning yourself should be the first step.

 

[GregLocock]

I wonder if she reads eng-tips?

Cheers

Greg Locock

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[SomptingGuy]

She probably delegates that too!

 

[corus]

Moving departments would send the right message to management. It's quite common for new starters to move around the company so that they learn more about it. Often this is part of a graduate development plan which is laid out when they start. To be diplomatic, say that you want to experience as much as you can about the company rather than say you want to get away from that woman. To management it will show ambition and an eagerness to learn as much as you can before you get the keys to the executive toilet.

corus

 

[sms]

Every young engineer needs a good mentor to teach them what engineering is really about. What you learned in school is fine, but what you learn on the job in the first 5 years or so will make the difference between being very sucessful as an engineer and not so sucessful. Find a good mentor that is willing to teach you, and who knows his or her stuff. It doesn't sound like the person you are talking is such a person.

 

[haggis]

bseejim

I agree with corus about moving around from department to department. If your company is large enough for this to happen, it will expose you to many aspects of the business. Where I am, new graduates are routinely moved around...Engineering, Maintenance, Machine Shops, Production etc., in assistant supervisory positions. You will find mentors who may not be graduate engineers who can pass on a wealth of knowledge. Just put the fact that you have a degree in EE to the back of your mind for a while, listen to and respect the people in the ranks and it will pay off as you advance.

 

[14159]

I remember when I was out of school only a few months and thought the people around me were not so smart. I still haven't quite figured out how they became smarter as I gained more experience!

Be cautious of making waves at this point. If you do, then you're not going to be Mr. Popular with the higher-ups, especially if they like her. At some time, you'll have a good sense of the politics and others' perceptions of her. You'll have a lot more leverage if everybody else thinks she's incompetent.

Leaving is a poor option because you'll be viewed as a job hopper.

DBD

 

[monkeydog]

bseejim,
Good comments above. You may want to approach the folks you were sent to investigate on. Those may be the people that can help you technically, or introduce you to people that can help you.

 

[epoisses]

bseejim,
Yes, it is normal that some colleagues can't communicate, treat people like idiots and/or are idiots themselves.
And yes, it is too early to switch departments after only 2 months just because you have difficulty to work with this person.
The secret of a succesful career, or well let's just say one of the 1001 secrets, is to be able to work effectively with people that you can't stand.

 

[HgTX]

ajack1--I think you're reading some things into bseejim's post that just aren't there. Why the accusations? Going back and forth between people to get a message from one to the other is NOT the same as working one against the other for one's own gains.

Yes, it is normal that, as epoisses says, *some* colleagues can't communicate, are idiots, etc. However, I'd take that to mean it's normal to encounter one once in a while, not that being in such a situation is perfectly normal and not a matter for concern.

Hg

Eng-Tips guidelines: faq731-376

 

[ajack1]

I am sorry if I offended HgTX, it was not my intention, “ to go back and forth between my father and mother” to me implies playing one off against the other, that may be just an English thing, it may just be the way I read it.

In my experience when someone that is new to a job is so critical of so many things about another worker or systems it is often he or she that does not see the bigger picture. Of course sometimes you just run into someone who is bad at their job (as stated in my first post) and that maybe the case here.

Like I said I did not mean to offend, just giving my take on things.

 

[HgTX]

...I guess it depends on what our various parents were like, too...

Hg

Eng-Tips guidelines: faq731-376

 

[MESC1]

It would be good to learn patience and grace in dealing with difficult people now. Consider her your own personal project. Do be cautious about letting her throw you to the wolves, but if you doing well makes her look good, so be it, you still look good too.
I am convinced many universities have a special class for engineers; it has nothing to do with physics or mathematics. PRiCK1301 -All of us know people who have had it. Some took the advanced section.


Thanks
SC

 

[SB63]

Get out of there! This woman will wind up taking you down.

 

[svanels]

but I find this engineer that is training me tends to use me more like a tech than an engineer

It is part of the learning curve, getting your feet wet, meet and know the people who work there.

You are not (yet) an experienced seasoned, well known and respected engineer with a lot of grey hair.

What did you expect, mgmt put you in charge of designing/troubleshooting that mission critical device that can stop the production? Who will pay that bill?

14159 I liked your comment, the first weeks I also had the feeling of being the smartest guy at the company. Especially when you have some "low employees" telling you that you are superman. Fortunately I saw the light early.

 

[Haf]

bseejim,

While I agree with others that dealing with difficult people is a good trait to develop, I wouldn't consider that too strongly in your particular position. From the sounds of it, this engineer is basically your mentor (unofficially at least, if your company doesn't have an official mentor program). It is normal to run into difficult and/or incompetent people in the workplace, but if this engineer is your mentor, I would go with your gut feeling and look for another position, perhaps using corus' advice. Having a poor mentor is a terrible way to start your career.

Chances are that others at your company have come to the same conclusion that you have about this engineer. If so, their opinions of you could be adversely affected before you even have a chance to prove yourself. You have already stated that her advice/input has caused you grief in front of management. I don't think things will improve.

If you end up stuck in your position, I advise you to diligently do your own research and/or work to back up any future input she gives you (and document everything). Think of it as a learning experience and try to make the best of it.