'I told my old boss she’s not right for the job': Incompetent new hire keeps asking ex-employee for help 2 months into the job, he finally stops cleaning up her messes

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Jun 22, 2025 2:00 PM EDT

Training your replacement can be a stressful process. If you're leaving the company on poor terms, the last thing you want to do is give your soon-to-be former boss more of your time and hard work. However, if you're leaving on good terms, you likely will go through with the training anyway so as not to burn any bridges. It's the so-called "professional" thing to do after all. But what happens when the person you're training turns out to be woefully incompetent? Do you tell your ex-boss that they are making a huge mistake in hiring this person, or do you keep your mouth shut, do your best to explain what you can, and let the new hire fail as they inevitably will?

This was the conundrum that the author of this tale of workplace drama found himself in. Two months after he left his previous company, he was still answering calls and texts from his replacement with incessant questions, many of which he had explained before and some of which he thought was general knowledge (such as attaching documents to emails in Outlook). Clearly, this guy's ex-boss did not do his due diligence when he hired this lady. Now, there was nothing the author could do to salvage the situation!

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    Cheezburger Image 10519030016
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • It's worth pointing out that this author already went above and beyond by making himself available to this lady at all hours of the workday. Sure, he didn't want his former company to fail, but that's on them! He has a whole new job and team to attend to, yet this lady is acting like he works for her! I cannot imagine that she will stay in this role for much longer…

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    "AITAH if I stop helping the lady who replaced me?"

    I had a position at my company that only I knew how to do. I absolutely loved my job, boss & coworkers but I needed more money, so I got another position.
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    I trained the lady that replaced me for 2 weeks as well as leaving her a binder of step by step instructions for everything I did.
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    Since I didn't want the department to fail I gave her my number & told her to Imk if she had questions. She supposedly had 19 years office experience so
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    I didn't think she'd have a problem. She texts me from the time she punches in until she punches out. 99% of the things are in the binder. I even had to
    via S2Sallie
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    explain how to send an attachment through outlook so she obviously knows nothing about computers. She messed up
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    big time a few weeks ago so l went & spent 2 entire days with her fixing her mistakes. It's been about 2 months of her having this position. Today she started at 7
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    am & I politely told her it's in the binder. If it's not in the binder because it's something simple anyone should know & I explain it
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    to her, the next day she'll ask me the same thing using the excuse she deletes her texts everyday & forgot what I told her. Right now she's texting me about something
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    I showed her last week that I seen her taking step by step notes on but is saying she can't find the notes. At this point she has me extremely stressed out. I'm a new manager dealing with my own
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    training, the staff I'm in charge of & her, it is becoming to be too much. It's all day everyday. I told my old boss she's not right for the job. It also has me annoyed
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    they'd rather the department potentially fail than to give me the money I was worth. My boss honestly didn't know all that I did so I'm sure at the interview the lady didn't know it'd be so
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    intense. I honestly believe I've done all I can at this point. I want to wash my hands of her & the department completely.
    via S2Sallie
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    haycide. I stopped at you had to tell her how to attach a file to an email. They made a bad hire. Their problem now. Don't let it remain yours.
    via S2Sallie
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    Dragline96. Why on earth are you wasting your time with her?? She is being paid by a company THAT YOU NO LONGER WORK FOR AND HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO.
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    Have already done far too much volunteer work for her and them. Block her and get on with your new job.
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    Cheezburger Image 10519030272
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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    214speaking ⚫ You've been responding for 2 months and it's all in the binder? Bruh stop responding right now. Today, right now stop responding
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    CaterinaMeriwether. Total up the time for your new duties and the time you are spending helping her and go to your boss saying
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    that this is not workable as is. Ask how she wants you to prioritize your time AND if she will authorize the overtime to get Dumb up to speed.
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    And keep punting it back up the line. "Dumb needs to know how to do x and you want me to do y by Thursday. How do you want my time prioritized given the deadline?
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    Nothing will change until you shift the discomfort to the bosses' plates.
    via S2Sallie

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workplace-stories work stories toxic-workplace job work company job interview interview toxic-work-environment aita AITAH i quit quitting work quitting
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