Ever had an annoying intern?

[M GO BLUE!!!]

Here's the situation at work. I have an intern. I was never asked if I wanted an intern, nor told I would be having an intern. It was just that one day, there was this 20-year-old college kid I was introduced to & told he's an intern. He asked if he could hang out one day back at the beginning of the summer. Sure... Why not? I had a few internships when I was young.

Now this kid is a bit annoying. He has no concept of personal space. He sits so close to you that you have to tell him to back off. He then laughs it off & doesn't move. He'll stretch out & have his feet in the area mine are in. I feel like I'm being crowded out. The thought was that when the interns go back to school, he would leave.

Oh how wrong I was...

It's gotten to the point where he gets pissy if I don't let him do my job. If he screws up, I get blamed. He even gets uppity enough where he asks me to get him water. He bitches when we tell him to go pick up food (Today, he actually wanted me to go pick up lunch & let him sit here working!)

I asked my boss if he could be put on a different shift. He said to let the kid run the whole thing & we'll see how it goes. The kid then screwed up big time (and was near tears, then began pouting.)

I hate training people period, but this guy is just plain annoying and doesn't seem to ever have any hope of going away.)

How long are you supposed to deal with training an intern?

[BrianD]

Is this "intern" connected with management in some way? I hope you aren't training your replacement.

[bhlloy]

+1. Seems very strange that your boss basically wants you to show him how to do your job (or is willing to let him do your job for you). That's not what an intern is as far as I'm aware.

[RomaGoth]

How long are you supposed to deal with training an intern?

Until your boss tells you to pack your stuff. Seriously though, it sounds very shady, you might want to watch yourself, this doesn't sound good.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

The boss wasn't even the boss when the intern was brought in. My old boss was given a proposal she had to refuse. New boss is kinda hands off & lets things like this work themselves out. The intern went to him looking for part-time work, and the boss said he might bring him in for some fill-in shifts (if the kid can handle it) when he needs coverage.

I don't have any problem working with the kid, so long as he's not sitting practically in my lap, doing my job, & telling me I'm in his way. One time when I had to keep him from making a BIG mistake, he actually slapped my hands & started whining that he NEEDS to learn this. (Took a lot to not knock him into next week, but he's about 150 & I'm 260 so I let it go & told him not to ever slap me again.) Another time (I run a radio show) he got confused when it came to putting a guest on the air & blocked me from doing it myself, whining & leaving the host asking what was wrong on the air.

I seriously want to rabbit-punch him several times each day.

[jeff061]

told he's an intern.

That's a major problem with about half the interns out there.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

That's a major problem with about half the interns out there.

I agree. If it was this redhead with a nice rack who always wore these lacy tops, she could have violated my personal space anytime!

Instead I'm stuck with a kid with halitosis. Yeah... his breath could knock a buzzard off a manure truck.

[JS19]

I say ya just gotta man-up and lay the law down. Tell him you're running the show here, this what needs to be done, this is how it will be done, and that's that.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

I say ya just gotta man-up and lay the law down. Tell him you're running the show here, this what needs to be done, this is how it will be done, and that's that.

I did that today. He was getting whiny about it & my boss came walking by at that moment so I got my boss involved. My boss said "How about this: He runs the show. I'll take the blame if a mistake is made. Tomorrow I'll sit in & see how he does. Then we might look at him sitting in on some other shows."

I should have never got the boss involved. (The kid says this is the only show that his schedule lets him come in regularly for.) Win, lose or draw, tomorrow is the last time I let him do the show.

[Logan]

After seeing that, I say this not to be a dick.

Get your resume ready.

[DaddyTorgo]

yeah

[Lathum]

After seeing that, I say this not to be a dick.

Get your resume ready.

yup.

I used to be in charge of teams of trainers. Each team had a team leader. Some team leaders were old school, pains in the asses. I would have them coach potential new team leaders then when the time was right adios!

[sterlingice]

Yeah, this doesn't sound good for you.

SI

[kcchief19]

The boss seems to have an unnatural and unsettling affection for this intern. That's odd.

As far as annoying intern, we had one at my office a few years ago. He messed everything up, was annoying as hell and had little if any potential. We finally just told him we didn't have enough work to keep his position busy and let him go. Getting fired from an internship takes a special talent but it's not unprecedented.

[Lathum]

The boss seems to have an unnatural and unsettling affection for this intern. That's odd.

As far as annoying intern, we had one at my office a few years ago. He messed everything up, was annoying as hell and had little if any potential. We finally just told him we didn't have enough work to keep his position busy and let him go. Getting fired from an internship takes a special talent but it's not unprecedented.

"These reports, it's like you have no business training at all"

[stevew]

I'd assume you make a decent living, and such. Also, you're kinda old, so you probably make more than the average person in your position might. So if they bring in the new kid, and he's adequate and will work for 2/3 as much as you do, you might be in trouble.

[gkb]

He's 20, whiny, and actually slapped your hand? Does he look anything like this?

http://imgs.sfgate.com/c/pictures/2005/05/15/pk_hayden15_ho.jpg

If so, you may want to consider worrying about more than your job...

[sterlingice]

He's 20, whiny, and actually slapped your hand? Does he look anything like this?

If so, you may want to consider worrying about more than your job...

And if you have any Jedi younglings in the nursery at work- might want to look out for them, too.

SI

[DaddyTorgo]

hahaha well played

[Dr. Sak]

If you hear your boss say "Execute order 66". You better run like your hair is on fire.

[flere-imsaho]

Sorry dude, but that sounds pretty lousy, both the intern himself and the undercurrent that he might be replacing you. But who knows?

In your position I would be as assertive and straightforward. Use the phrase "acceptable workplace behavior" a lot. If his breath is horrific, tell him and tell him to leave right now and either brush his teeth or get a mint.

Anyway, good luck.

[ISiddiqui]

Good luck to you, but, yeah, this does sound very, very bad.

[Pumpy Tudors]

I have very limited experience with interns, so I will just defer to everyone else on this situation. With that said, I had an intern this past summer. He turned out to be excellent. I wouldn't be surprised if he's a vice president within the next two years, but at least I don't think he'll fire me or anything.

[RomaGoth]

I have very limited experience with interns, so I will just defer to everyone else on this situation. With that said, I had an intern this past summer. He turned out to be excellent. I wouldn't be surprised if he's a vice president within the next two years, but at least I don't think he'll fire me or anything.

You need me to proofread your resume, Pumpy?

[Pumpy Tudors]

You need me to proofread your resume, Pumpy?
Is that a sexual advance?

[Noop]

Here's the situation at work. I have an intern. I was never asked if I wanted an intern, nor told I would be having an intern. It was just that one day, there was this 20-year-old college kid I was introduced to & told he's an intern. He asked if he could hang out one day back at the beginning of the summer. Sure... Why not? I had a few internships when I was young.

Bad sign.

Now this kid is a bit annoying. He has no concept of personal space. He sits so close to you that you have to tell him to back off. He then laughs it off & doesn't move. He'll stretch out & have his feet in the area mine are in. I feel like I'm being crowded out. The thought was that when the interns go back to school, he would leave.

I would have punched him in his face but then again I have a short temper and I don't feel comfortable with dudes in my bubble.

Oh how wrong I was...

Yes.

It's gotten to the point where he gets pissy if I don't let him do my job. If he screws up, I get blamed. He even gets uppity enough where he asks me to get him water. He bitches when we tell him to go pick up food (Today, he actually wanted me to go pick up lunch & let him sit here working!)

I would definitely punched him in the face after I spit in his face.

I asked my boss if he could be put on a different shift. He said to let the kid run the whole thing & we'll see how it goes. The kid then screwed up big time (and was near tears, then began pouting.)

I hate training people period, but this guy is just plain annoying and doesn't seem to ever have any hope of going away.)

How long are you supposed to deal with training an intern?

I have a few resume books...

[RomaGoth]

Is that a sexual advance?

no

[RainMaker]

I'm not sold on your job being in jeopardy. Sounds like your boss is just more of a pushover who does everything he can to avoid conflict and having to deal with issues head on. I'm kind of like that in a way too.

I think your biggest problem is not laying down the law with him early on. He is an intern and internships usually suck. You do grunt work and are there for whatever experience the company will give you. You shouldn't be giving people a hard time or demanding things. The minute he starts with that he should have been shot down and put in his place.

[Pumpy Tudors]

no
Then no.

[DaddyTorgo]

that could be too. maybe his boss is just a pushover.

regardless...intern-dude needs to be put in his place. if he's not there to take your job then he needs to be put in his place for your sake. if he is there to take your job then it doesn't matter and you should ream him anyways.

[stevew]

First of all, you need to embarass him about his breath, buy some gum or something. If he refuses, you need to be like "no, seriously you need this...your breath is horrific" Then if he gets in your personal space, you need to put him in check. Make a bitch cry if you have to. He's the intern, he's your bitch, not the other way around.

[cuervo72]

Maybe the intern is gay (hissy fit? slapping hands??) and the boss doesn't want to risk getting sued by getting rid of him.

[ColtCrazy]

I'm definitely curious to hear how the day went with the boss observing things...I think if the boss gives him a glowing review, then I'll be tempted to agree with everyone in that this is a bad omen.

[DeToxRox]

Pumpy interns are white bitches.

Emphasis on the WHITE.

[Travis]

Terry Tate him.

It's the only solution.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

The resume is updated & out there... interviewed for a gig in Detroit in July. There just isn't much out there right now.

The kid is done. The host bitched this morning to the Program Director who said he is not to even touch the board again. (He didn't feel it was needed to tell my boss, just me. I had to email my boss.) So today I just took over & he sat in the corner mostly, only trying to push past me a couple times to get to the board.

I have no idea when my boss will have a talk with him. This place does shit things to get rid of people, but this is just an example of disfuncionality.

An example of what they do is just firing someone, then dumping all their work on your desk telling you to take it or leave it. They did it once & the guy reluctantly took the job (for just over $30k, when he was already putting in 12 hour days.) Then, without telling him they didn't like his attitude they went & offered it to the girl they fired. She laughed in their faces. He heard they did this, told them he needed an additional two thousand & they fired him.

So I doubt the intern is set to replace me, as he only once stayed to see the other half of my job.

[BishopMVP]

I'm not sold on your job being in jeopardy. Sounds like your boss is just more of a pushover who does everything he can to avoid conflict and having to deal with issues head on. I'm kind of like that in a way too."So... you're gonna fire Milton?"
"No, he's just not going to get a paycheck Friday. We find these things have a way of working themselves out."

sidebar - who actually thinks it's socially acceptable to spit in someone's face, let alone proselytize it on a message board? Oh, right, noop - the Hell Atlantic of hypothetical physical confrontations.

[JS19]

Terry Tate him.

It's the only solution.

Awesome. I totally forgot about Terry Tate, Office Linebacker. You need to introduce this intern to the Pain Train.

[Noop]

sidebar - who actually thinks it's socially acceptable to spit in someone's face, let alone proselytize it on a message board? Oh, right, noop - the Hell Atlantic of hypothetical physical confrontations.

If someone blatantly disrespects me then all bets are off. Want a carrot for your horse?

[ISiddiqui]

It's getting on a high horse to not spit at someone in the face? Well that's new...

[Lathum]

If someone blatantly disrespects me then all bets are off. Want a carrot for your horse?

I got no issues with you noop, but it you throw down with everyone who disrespects you it is going to be a short career for you as an attorney.

[Noop]

I got no issues with you noop, but it you throw down with everyone who disrespects you it is going to be a short career for you as an attorney.

The guy M Go is describing slapped his hand and is being all round disrespectful. I believe at that point its time to fight because there is no way I can allow someone to disrespect me like that.

It's not I will go around just randomly punching people in the face but the level that intern reach would have been grounds for a scrap. I get disrespected all the time(especially since I am dating outside my race for the moment) and I never get physical because they never touch just talk.

Now if I said I would punch anyone in the face after I spit on it then sure I would expect some of those responses.

[Lathum]

The guy M Go is describing slapped his hand and is being all round disrespectful. I believe at that point its time to fight because there is no way I can allow someone to disrespect me like that.
.

Trust me when I say there are people in this world that will do things that will blow your mind and the first time in your career you decide to fight them over it your career will be over.

[Noop]

Trust me when I say there are people in this world that will do things that will blow your mind and the first time in your career you decide to fight them over it your career will be over.

I don't doubt it one bit because I have coached for two summers and have other coaches do crazy stuff. I handled myself accordingly and did not become violent because I had a team to worry about.

I understand where you're coming but the tone of my original response should not come off as me being someone who will just go level for the slightest disrespect.

[Lathum]

I don't doubt it one bit because I have coached for two summers and have other coaches do crazy stuff. I handled myself accordingly and did not become violent because I had a team to worry about.

I understand where you're coming but the tone of my original response should not come off as me being someone who will just go level for the slightest disrespect.

I hope not, you are a smart dude who I think will do well in life.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

What's funny is that this kid has no friggin' clue about most things, but it allows him to do things that most people wouldn't think of. Yes, that includes slapping people's hands, getting WAY too close, not comprehending simple instructions like "back the fuck off of me or I may put my elbow in your throat," but he has no issues with walking up to my boss and telling him he wants to work there as an employee. Of course, the boss was busy in an important meeting, but he still had the cluelessness/balls. He also got a girlfriend there, as there was another intern who walked by, his head turned, I told him "go get her," he jumped up and ran after her. (They actually fit well together, as both are small, fragile people with quirks.)

[stevew]

Does he have AssBurgers(sp) or something like that? Like a legit reason to be a not normal?

[M GO BLUE!!!]

Does he have AssBurgers(sp) or something like that? Like a legit reason to be a not normal?

Unknown. He does do things like suddenly stretch & show he is double jointed by turning his arms completely around behind his head.

If he was Howard Stern's intern he would be a phenomenon. Kinda like Chocolate Rain guy.

[Pyser]

Does he have AssBurgers(sp) or something like that? Like a legit reason to be a not normal?

seriously? you think they named a disease assburgers? :)

Asperger Syndrome.

[Kodos]

Asp Herder's syndrome?

[SportsDino]

Giving the kid the benefit of the doubt, he is probably mental, which means you need to politely, but firmly, tell him to stop what he is doing, and keep letting your boss know that he is not cut out for this work. Just because he has no clue how to function, doesn't mean he should be allowed to be a pest (but there is no need to descend to spit in the face I hope, handle it with class and be assertive and you'll probably look better in the end from the whole ordeal).

If its a backdoor way to fire you, oh well, keep your eyes open, even if it is not, maybe you'll line up something that pays more while looking. Then remember this place shoving an annoying intern on you to pump you up to actually make the jump.

[RainMaker]

In a way, it's just what the next generation is like. I've seen it with kids that age working as interns or right out of college. They expect to get what they want and don't like being told otherwise. Not sure if it's just the new generation of parenting that let their kids get what they wanted, but it seems like an epidemic amongst that age group.

[illinifan999]

I hate my generation. When I did my internship, basically my role was to observe and assist if needed. Aside from a few occasions when a suspect ran, we had multiple people that needed to be questioned, or filling out paperwork on an arrest, I sat back, observed, and tried not to get in the way. I expected going in that I would be asked to grab coffee, food, etc, but they never did ask me. A couple of the officers even insisted that they pay for any food, drinks, etc during the shift. I guess I figured that's how most interns would act.

[RainMaker]

My internship wasn't horrible I guess, but I did all the crap work that my bosses didn't want to do. I didn't really get stuck running out for food or anything, but I did get asked to bring in coffee/drinks when they had meetings. I was also given a lot of menial tasks not involved with what I was there for like sending out some FedEx stuff and changing ink cartridges.

Internships are essentially something you put on your resume. If you learn something great, but they are really built to help you get your next job. We had an intern at the last company I worked for (not in my division) who had a fit because he had to share a cubicle with someone else while the others had their own (they ran out of cubicles in the area). I couldn't fathom bitching about that stuff during my internship.

[Galaril]

If someone blatantly disrespects me then all bets are off. Want a carrot for your horse?

I got no issues with you noop, but it you throw down with everyone who disrespects you it is going to be a short career for you as an attorney.

Agree. Like they say just take a look at the next football, baseball, or hockey game you go to. The people with jobs and those with careers. The guys who are painted like the Philadelphia fanatic and screaming curse words all game while down ten beers is a guy with a job. Nothing wrong with that. The guy who is at the game cheering his team on and when it is over heads home glad to see a game are the people with careers. Though this kid probably needs a good ass kicking if you do it you are a guy with a job not a career.

[Marc Vaughan]

In a way, it's just what the next generation is like. I've seen it with kids that age working as interns or right out of college. They expect to get what they want and don't like being told otherwise. Not sure if it's just the new generation of parenting that let their kids get what they wanted, but it seems like an epidemic amongst that age group.

I don't think its the 'next generation' - there are good and bad in every generation and I'm sure my parents parents (in the 60's) despaired of what 'our generation' would have been like.

I personally think its essential if someone has no clue about their role to try and help them by kicking them gently in the arse (in a polite and structured manner - try and give them tasks you think they can cope with and keep them occupied with them rather than allowing them to 'take on' things which they can't handle and explain to them WHY they aren't being given the other stuff and what would be required of them before they'd get a chance to do so. etc.).