"That" Person

[legion]

Ever work with someone you find so annoying/unprofessional that you will never work with them again?

Years ago I interned at a different company. One of my coworkers at that internship was insufferable. This lady would say the oddest, non-work appropriate things. Worst of all, it was impossible to end a conversation with her. If you got a phone call, she hovered over you until your call was done and resumed the conversation. If you got up to go to the bathroom, she would follow you, wait by the door, and then resume the conversation when you went out. Even just ignoring her and getting back to work didn't disuade her from talking at you for hours. She got her assigned work done, but was very disruptive to her coworkers--which is why I'm sure she was moved to sit by the interns.

She and I left the company at the same time and went to the same new company. About 10 years ago, I found out that my boss at the time was thinking of bringing her onto my new team. I gave him an honest assessment of her skills and weaknesses, and he declined to hire her.

Today I decided to take the back way into work (which is rare). I walked past her desk and I noticed that she doesn't sit there anymore.

I'm looking at applying for a job in another department. I looked her up in the company directory and saw that she is now in the department I want to move to. Our directory doesn't list any other details other than who her boss is. The thing is, working with her again is a deal breaker for me, but I don't know how to find out what exactly she is doing. I don't think it would be appropriate to ask about her in an interview, for example. I also don't have any contacts in that department that I could ask this kind of question of.

[cstreit]

Actually sounds like somewhat autistic type social behavior.

I hate to suggest it, but maybe you can "stumble into her" and actually ask her directly. Sounds like she'll have no problem elaborating.

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by legion

If you got up to go to the bathroom, she would follow you, wait by the door, and then resume the conversation when you went out. ...

keep a rappel rope in the bathroom; go out the window, down to the ground, and come in the door to your office floor

then either go back to your desk and work, or for some fun, sneak up behind her and pop a paper bag by her ear

[GH85Carrera]

We have a guy like that that comes over on occasion just to chat. We have a "Leonard" alert as a standard protocol. Whichever one of us happens to get stuck with meeting him first must send a text message. The other folks all leave the building. They then call the poor person stuck behind and he has an emergency and has to close the shop. Turn off the lights, lock the doors and turn on the alarm, and leave. After a few minutes we sneak back to a parking lot down the street to make sure his car is gone.

Yea, he is that bad.

[Oh Haha]

Ugh.

What if you were the one that hired him? Should I kick my own a$$?

[flipper35]

Wayne, I am in the same boat. Hired the guy and no one likes him except the nun. Never does anything wrong and gets in your face when you call him on it and them blows it off when you have proof of said mistake.

[Zeke]

Does 'annoying/unprofessional' include rude/obnoxious? How about controlling/disrespectful? Let me add know-it-all/obstinate. That would describe one of the ones for me.

Another one is so insecure that he makes things up continuously. No fact goes unaltered to his favor. No deed is complimented. No motive is not turned to either reflect his suffering or his benefit. The one I am thinking of told all of his kids he wouldn't help them go to college; that it wouldn't do them any good. Of course he didn't quite finish high school but he does have the financial means.

Frankly, I think it helps him that his 2 daughters are as ugly as a mud fence. You know he blames that on his wife but they have plenty of his Greek heritage in their look.

I can actually work with the 2nd guy. The first?

One day.

[KNS]

In one of the earliest jobs I had in my chosen profession, the job description read as follows: "Be able to work and interact with people you personally dislike..".

She's sounds annoying, I wouldn't want to work with her either.

[rattlsnak]

Any possibility she might have a changed over the years?

[john70t]

Years ago, people had the ability to say:
"I'm very busy with ____ right at the moment. Maybe we can talk later on this".

"I'm sorry I don't feel comfortable with you doing ____. I'd appreciate if you did ____ instead thx".

"You seem annoyed/anxious/____. What is wrong?"

"That seems like a ______ situation. I don't need to hear all the details, but understand where you're coming from."

"Tell it to me in three sentences or less"