Night auditor gets frustrated about new trainee as he continues to ask the same questions over and over and does not think for himself, now he's worried about after training: 'When you are on your own, what are you going to do? Call me at home?'

Author image for María Cetra
María Cetra • Writer
Jul 22, 2026 1:00 PM EDT

How did he even pass the interviews? Is he some kind of nepo-baby?

Hiring a bad employee can happen, but realizing that the trainee who needs to start working in a couple of days can not comprehend simple instructions, retain information you already explain 3 times, or even think for himself is concerning. The corporate world has the standard procedure of going through several interviews with a candidate before they even offer them the job. Some even make them take tests to make sure they will be functioning employees. With all the barriers someone has to go through, you would never think that someone that incompetent would ever reach the job position. But that happened in the story below. 


With all the new trends in the recruiting stage, you would think that it would result in better employees, as only the most capable people would be the ones landing jobs. But that is not actually correct. The problem lies in recruiters. They focus so much on having the perfect resume, the perfect recommendations, and the perfect interview that they forget to even check if the person showing as "the best candidate" actually is. Is it really that important if the resume is a neutral color or not? Is that more important than experience? Than talent? Is that really a good way to discern between capable and incapable candidates? I don't think so. 


Some candidates present themselves in such a proper way and with their resumes completely up to date with the newest recruiting trend. But that doesn't mean they are the most fit people for the job. By relying on so many unimportant factors, candidates stop being chosen by their actual talent, and instead recruiters only focus on being trendy. That only leaves us with incompetent employees that can't even figure out how to use a coffee machine that has written instructions. With all the steps a candidate has to face only to be considered, it seems incredible that someone like this could get the job. Maybe all these tips to be the perfect candidate aren't as useful as we thought.
 

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  • After 13 training shifts (yes 13), answering many of the same. questions over and over and over again. I kept telling him I want him to think constructively for issues because after today, I won't be here with you. This was our interaction a moment ago: He just made a pot of coffee and says to me "if I want coffee where can I get it?" I said "you can get some from the pot you just brewed"
    via ItsSwicky
  • A man looking stressed in front of a computer, model image.
    via Sebastian Herrmann

    A man looking stressed in front of a computer, model image. 

  • His reply "I am allowed to drink that?" I shook my head yes. Then he asks about the kureig machine in the back office here. I tell him, "yes, you are more than welcome to make your own coffee from that as well." He asks "can you show me how to use it."
    via ItsSwicky
  • I tell him, "I am going to tell you what I tell every guest - the instructions are on the left side of the machine. They are even in easy to read pictures." So he looks on the bulletin board behind the coffee machine. I reply, "on the side of the MACHINE" He looks at the picture and the huge OPEN button on top. Presses it like the image and jumps back scared because it
    via ItsSwicky
  • opened up. He then asks me "regular or decaf" I tell him what ever he wants. I tell him to just put it into the machine and he takes that instruction as to try and open the top of the cup. I say "no no no, in the machine not rip the top off." He looks at the pod confused so I put the pod in the machine for him and point at the next picture in the steps. He goes okay and pushes the lid down, then the
    via ItsSwicky
  • water area pops up. He asks me "what goes in there?" Meanwhile there is a big blue rim that says "WATER" that makes up most of the space. I ask "what do you think goes in there?" "water?" He asks. I reply "very good." So he then asks "where can I get water?" I told him that "I want you to think critically. What would you
    via ItsSwicky
  • do if I wasn't here. Where do you get water?" "I don't know" "Where do you get water from at home?" "I don't know, I don't get water." My reply "you don't get water from the tap?" I watch him get water then proceed to make coffee while I hit
    via ItsSwicky
  • proceed to make coffee while I hit the brew button for him because a ginormous button surround by a bright flashing blue light is not an indicator to hit it. This is a small portion of what it was like to train this employee. Another interaction and this was when he just started and had 2 years experience in a hotel: When I am asked about a rate code, let's say "IDME0" he will ask
    via ItsSwicky
  • "is this individual pay. I will say "yes. And you can tell by the rate being shown here and there is no deposit." Then the next reservation is also "IDMEO" and it is the same question with the same answer. Then the next reservation is "IDMEO" and it's the same question with the same answer. Then the next reservation is "IDMEO" and it's the same
    via ItsSwicky
  • question with, "I know it's a long night and I don't expect you to remember everything as there is a lot to remember. However, I do expect you to use a little common sense. A rate code should be the same for all guests that book that rate code and I have answered the same question 3 times in a row and showed you how to tell if it's individual pay or not. I do expect you to remember somethings or utilize the resources I give you to check and
    via ItsSwicky
  • think for yourself. When you are on your own what are you going to do? Call me at home?"
    via ItsSwicky
  • Visual representation of a coffee machine.
    via Kevin Schmid

    Visual representation of a coffee machine.

  • stootchmaster2 You have the patience of a saint. Do NOT give this person your personal phone number.
    via ItsSwicky
  • dropshortreaver and you have of course been keeping your boss up to date on how the training is going? Seriously CYA here.
    via ItsSwicky
  • PunfullyObvious I'd need to have a frank conversation with whomever hired this person
    via ItsSwicky
  • SkwrlTail Some people have floated through their lives with all the thinking done for them. I knew a kid who'd grown up in the foster care system, and it was pretty clear that no real attempt had been made beyond "make sure they eat". It wasn't that the concepts were hard, they just had never had to work out what to do without being told before.
    via ItsSwicky
  • rebelangel How does this person have 2 years of hotel experience?
    via ItsSwicky

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new job tales from the front desk hotel employee training
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