From a moral standpoint.

Hi All,

I haven't posted much, but have read the forums a lot. I'm in a very frustrating situation at work. But I'd like to go ahead and rant if I may. Also, I'd like to apologize for any vocabulary or grammatical errors ahead of time. My train of thought will probably be going all over the place.

Situation:

I've just started my IT career, been in the industry now about 5 months. Received my A+ in October, and just got my CCENT on Monday. I started studying for the CCENT right after I received my A+.

The manager I work under has been in the industry for "15 years" and we are spearheading a Microsoft Dynamics implementation for the company. He's been working on getting the company a "Silver Level Partnership" with Microsoft and also attaining some Microsoft competencies.

My frustration is, he's very adamant about using brain **** to get his certifications. As he has advised me to do because we have timelines and such to meet. He's one of those guys that will brag about how well he has done on the exams, when all he actually did was memorize brain ****. He believes he is THE best IT professional in the country, that country being a developing country in SE Asia. His wife is a local national, but yet he puts down the local nationals for their lack of knowledge, exposure to western standards, how backwards their thinking is, etc. Any chance he has to belittle someone else and elevate himself, he's right on it. We could be in a meeting with our General Manager and I say my part or my opinion and he would just say "Really? Are you sure about that?" looking at me like I'm an idiot. He's a classic "One Upper".

He's the type of person you present an idea to and he would totally blow you off, or pound his chest about how long he's been in IT and how industry works, and then turn around a present your idea as his own.

I just recently got out of the military, so I'm really trying to re-adjust to the "real world".

I've stated the fact that I don't want to **** on exams and he says "It's not cheating, everyone in the industry does it. Sometimes you have to, to get ahead. This will open doors for you in the future." And we've had rounds of arguments about the morals of the situation but in the end, he says "Hey, go about it how you want, but I need you to pass these certs."

I couldn't look a potential customer in the eyes and tell them that I'm certified in this or that, when the certifications are actually false.

I can talk about this for days. Write a book even.

Again sorry for the bad grammar and sentence structure. Just needed to vent a little to a community I'm sure would understand.

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Comments

veritas_libertas

Don't move down to his level by brain dumping. He cannot make you brain **** your certifications, and if he starts pressuring you to than it may be time to move on. Also, you are unlikely to ever convince him that you are right, and it will only frustrate you to try.

Congratulations on recently attaining the CCENT, how are the ICND2 studies going?

thenjduke

Let him know I been in the industry for 20 years and I never once brain **** on any certifications. To prove my theory I be more then willing to give my candidate history on pearson vue and prometric to show the high and mighty person you work with how many times I have failed exams.

thenjduke

By the way it is really fun to mess with someone like this that thinks they know it all. I had one person like this so I created a simple problem in our test lab that was going into production in three week. It was nothing that was going to mess up workflow for customers at the time. I ended up making a host file list to block the entire internet on one particular sever and asked that person who thought they knew it all to fix the problem. I told her had to be done in 3 days. I can tell you this much I had a good laugh for one week with this and she finally came to me and said I can not figure the problem out. I turn to her and said please look into the host file and see the entire ip range points back to 127.0.0.1. SHe came to me a hour later and said to me I am so sorry I have always acted like I knew it all you taught me a lesson. To this day her and I are close friends and she learned alot from me. She actually is very smart girl just sometimes people need to be put in their place and that is even me included.

Everyone

I knew after seeing "spearheaded" that you had been in the Military before I even got to the part saying you were. :P

Not sure what branch you were in, but the Air Force's first core value was "Integrity first". Don't lose your integrity because of a bad boss like this.

powerfool

Just start studying and pass the exam(s). I wouldn't get into a game with him... he apparently has his claws in deep with the organization. Just pass your exams honestly and get what experience you can from this job.

dave330i

I worked for a boss like that. Best thing to do is leave, unless they're paying you serious money.

whatthehell

Trying to be a BAMF in our field and in your job = NO BRAIN ****. Get the knowledge the old fashioned way -- through study, hard work, and good ole sweat and experience!

Good luck sir!

networker050184

powerfool wrote: »

Just start studying and pass the exam(s). I wouldn't get into a game with him... he apparently has his claws in deep with the organization. Just pass your exams honestly and get what experience you can from this job.

I agree with this. Sounds like he has everyone fooled so you probably won't be doing yourself much good if you bring this up to superiors. Do your thing and rack up this good experience. It will soon be time to move onto bigger and better things.

KPLC

veritas_libertas wrote: »

Don't move down to his level by brain dumping. He cannot make you brain **** your certifications, and if he starts pressuring you to than it may be time to move on. Also, you are unlikely to ever convince him that you are right, and it will only frustrate you to try.

Congratulations on recently attaining the CCENT, how are the ICND2 studies going?

Yeah, It's hard to talk to a "Wall of Ego". And thanks! I took this week off and will start on ICND2 this coming Monday.

thenjduke wrote: »

Let him know I been in the industry for 20 years and I never once brain **** on any certifications. To prove my theory I be more then willing to give my candidate history on pearson vue and prometric to show the high and mighty person you work with how many times I have failed exams.

His major concern is results. He wants to attain the Microsoft Silver Level Partnership ASAP, with as little time and money invested as possible. Which will in turn make him look really good to the GM and Director.

thenjduke wrote: »

By the way it is really fun to mess with someone like this that thinks they know it all. I had one person like this so I created a simple problem in our test lab that was going into production in three week. It was nothing that was going to mess up workflow for customers at the time. I ended up making a host file list to block the entire internet on one particular sever and asked that person who thought they knew it all to fix the problem. I told her had to be done in 3 days. I can tell you this much I had a good laugh for one week with this and she finally came to me and said I can not figure the problem out. I turn to her and said please look into the host file and see the entire ip range points back to 127.0.0.1. SHe came to me a hour later and said to me I am so sorry I have always acted like I knew it all you taught me a lesson. To this day her and I are close friends and she learned alot from me. She actually is very smart girl just sometimes people need to be put in their place and that is even me included.

I would love to do this, but I'm not to sure that would go over well with my GM. LOL Though I would be a good laugh. He does spazz when he can't figure out a problem. F Bombs get dropped like it was WWIII. And any suggestion you give him on a potential solution is totally disregarded by him saying "No, that can't be it.". But you lose nothing by giving it a try. His high blood pressure makes me laugh.

Everyone wrote: »

I knew after seeing "spearheaded" that you had been in the Military before I even got to the part saying you were. :P

Not sure what branch you were in, but the Air Force's first core value was "Integrity first". Don't lose your integrity because of a bad boss like this.

I was in the Army. Always good to talk to fellow service members.

powerfool wrote: »

Just start studying and pass the exam(s). I wouldn't get into a game with him... he apparently has his claws in deep with the organization. Just pass your exams honestly and get what experience you can from this job.

That sounds like the best solution of this bad situation. Thanks!

dave330i wrote: »

I worked for a boss like that. Best thing to do is leave, unless they're paying you serious money.

I wish they were. This is my first IT job and I'm just getting into the industry. I applied at the local US Embassy but didn't take me for my lack of experience, even with veterans preference thrown into the mix.

KPLC

networker050184 wrote: »

I agree with this. Sounds like he has everyone fooled so you probably won't be doing yourself much good if you bring this up to superiors. Do your thing and rack up this good experience. It will soon be time to move onto bigger and better things.

Thanks for the advice. Experience is experience eh? Good or bad you get something from it all. LOL

techdudehere

It took him 15 years to get one notch above someone with 5 months of experience? I'm not sure this is the mentor you are looking for. The best way to earn the respect of other techs is to actually know what you're doing and make good decisions. That will result in recommendations and being sought after. I've never heard anyone say, "He has great test taking skills. We must hire him!" I would not waste time debating with this person. Save that energy for the job search.

instant000

KPLC:

Don't stoop to his level, HOOAH! (74B/25B here!)

Also, I don't mind working on a team with people who have military experience. Usually, they've actually been through truly "tough" situations, so if it requires working on something that "blew up" coolers heads can prevail, 'cause you have experience working successfully as a team under adverse conditions. Heck, you get that experience by day one of basic training

KPLC

techdudehere wrote: »

It took him 15 years to get one notch above someone with 5 months of experience? I'm not sure this is the mentor you are looking for. The best way to earn the respect of other techs is to actually know what you're doing and make good decisions. That will result in recommendations and being sought after. I've never heard anyone say, "He has great test taking skills. We must hire him!" I would not waste time debating with this person. Save that energy for the job search.

He's not a man to look up to. When I told him that I wanted to get my CCNA on my own time and dime, he said he thinks that it's a waste of time. That was a big red flag. For someone in the IT industry to look at the CCNA as a waste of time is kinda backasswards to me. We have a Cisco Switch that has been used for about 8 months that has no set up, straight out of the box. The router that was purchased at the same time has been sitting in the server rack and I don't believe it's even been turned on. You may ask why they haven't been touched. Well, I haven't even told him that I have my CCENT yet. I'm afraid it might trigger a situation with him where he thinks he might need to puff his chest.

He is a salesman. He takes advantage of the fact that potential customers have no technical aptitude and just throws all the tech speak at them to sound smart. If speaking to another IT professional he will try to find ways to one up them, or just wait until his conversation is over with them and then just talk about how "That guy doesn't know what the hell he's talking about." and goes on about how he thinks this or that is bad or what he can do would be better.

KPLC

instant000 wrote: »

KPLC:

Don't stoop to his level, HOOAH! (74B/25B here!)

Also, I don't mind working on a team with people who have military experience. Usually, they've actually been through truly "tough" situations, so if it requires working on something that "blew up" coolers heads can prevail, 'cause you have experience working successfully as a team under adverse conditions. Heck, you get that experience by day one of basic training

I wan an 11B. Man, I love how many military people are on this forum! I wish they had corrective PT in the civilian world. Makes me miss my NCOs.

TheCudder

I don't see what good having a certified employees is if they can't apply the knowledge in real world situations.

instant000 wrote: »

KPLC:

Don't stoop to his level, HOOAH! (74B/25B here!)

I'm a 25B in the Reserves myself!

KPLC

TheCudder wrote: »

I don't see what good having a certified employees is if they can't apply the knowledge in real world situations.

That was my argument to him. But he thinks that it will open more doors if you have the certs first. I'd rather have the knowledge I gained from studying and doing the job than the certs. Certs are just the icing on the cake of knowledge/experience. LOL. This what I have to deal with 8-5 six days a week. *Sigh*.