Employee gets rejected for supervisor role because they lack 'leadership presence', manager makes them train new hire: 'I usually have people handle the technical weeds for me'

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Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
Sep 21, 2026 2:30 PM EDT

Should technical skill always be the most important factor in a promotion?

There is a lot to be said about how difficult the job market is for candidates, but it has to be acknowledged that hiring is no walk in the park, either. It takes real time and effort to match the right person with the right role and see that pay off as they adjust to their new position. Even experienced hiring managers don't always get that right, because there is so much to consider. It's normal for everyone involved to have a slightly different idea of who the perfect candidate is.

It goes without saying that this can be very frustrating to anybody who is applying for a job. They may feel like they are perfectly suited on paper, but then those in charge of the role decide that they need something different. At its worst, a company can hire somebody who seems completely unsuited to the person who also applied for the job, although they will certainly have their reasons for that choice. The situation can be even more awkward when somebody goes for another role at their current employer and gets turned down in favor of someone else.

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  • An employee felt like they were ready to take the leap with a promotion to a more supervisory role at the company they had been working at for several years. They were left disappointed when, after interviewing, management told them that they didn't yet have the leadership skills to be qualified for the job.

    Instead, they hired an external candidate, and the employee was expected to train them on all technical matters that this man did not have any knowledge of. They were baffled by how he appeared to be underqualified for the job in a way that they weren't.

  • Two male coworkers sit looking at a laptop together, with one pointing at the screen.
    via Vitaly Gariev

    Two male coworkers sit looking at a laptop together, with one pointing at the screen. Not actual story subjects.
     

  • Corporate America can be incredible

    Told I lacked "leadership presence" for a promo, so why am I training the guy they hired for it? Three months ago I applied for the Senior Operations Lead opening on my own team. I built half our reporting pipelines from scratch over three years. During the feedback call, my VP looked me in the eye and said I was "technically solid" but lacked the strategic vision and leadership maturity required for the pay band. Fine. Painful, but whatever. Last Monday they brought in the new external hire. He
    via financedystop
  • VCs Congratulatin... @VCBrags He probably wasn't a fun hang. Lessons there
    via VCBrags
  • iska @iskabulrova Make them pay for you train him. Make it clear he lacks institutional knowledge that interns know on day 2
    via iskabulrova

  • Sometimes, it's just better to cut your losses.

    PFB @pfinanceblogs Moving jobs is the best way to move up in the world. Companies always value the outsider more. It's so dumb, but also true.
    via pfinanceblogs
  • poecide ✰ @poecidebrain Been there. It turns out "leadership presence" means, attended the right school or belongs to the right club or has the right political opinions. It has nothing to do with skill, ability, intelligence or even leadership or presence.
    via poecidebrain
  • Grilled @feudalstreamer He told you " I usually have people handle these for me" and you my friend was the people he was talking about THATS why he is your boss because he can get you to do these things for him. CAPISHE?
    via feudalstreamer

  • The employee had a chance to wreck the whole arrangement.

    BAD BALLS RAD RAD, B S RAD BAND! SP BREAKING OUT @ballzrad Always train incorrectly. Maximize inefficiency and potential catastrophe.
    via ballzrad
  • Noodson ✔ @noodson Problem with "leadership presence" is that same quality will allow this guy to bulls his way into and through the job for 2-3 years before jumping ship. I've had bosses that didn't understand what I did, and we worked fine together, but lol at having to train a boss.
    via noodson

  • More responsiblity means more stress.

    "D." Fool @FoolOfD I don't know why anybody would want to climb the corporate ladder. Get the highest paying remote job you can, put on the mouse jiggler, and chill.
    via FoolOfD
  • Melian Refugee @escapefrommelos if pulling a plough was all it took to be a good farmer, the oxen would run the farm some people will never get that
    via escapefrommelos
  • Mini Modu @MinModulation management selects for people who can boss others around and do their work for them - that's why they're called Bosses. It's not about skill in tasking, but in "delegation". if you actually do any work, they brand you as a worthless subhuman slave. this is how all companies work
    via MinModulation

  • Maybe the employee was never seen as a viable candidate in the first place.

    VMU @VeeEmYou The position was decided upon long before this guy even knew about it and it's another way boomer incompetents and their favorites rationalize why they should be paid more despite not knowing the basic technical details of their business.
    via VeeEmYou
  • Josh Centers @jcenters This is why everyone says these jobs are fake. Hiring and promoting is all vibes based. Rejecting a skilled brick layer because he doesn't have "presence" would be unthinkable.
    via jcenters
  • 2engda ❤ @DengDaDei It's called "high school never ends." You should look into it
    via DengDaDei

  • Only so much disrespect can be tolerated.

    \\\Core/// * @00Core00 This happened to a former supervisor.. he wanted to move up, was already doing the job of HIS manager & the company hired someone NO ONE WANTED, for the position. Anyways, MY immediate supervisor then outright quit b/c he felt extremely shafted-I don't blame him.
    via 00Core00
  • GRE Dua Lupe @YaNiMames If a don't have the experience to earn that position then I don't have the experience to train new hires.
    via YaNiMames
  • DJohn Grady @DJohnGrady Also, this is why Al will take certain jobs, but other jobs will be entirely secure.
    via DJohnGrady

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work stories new hire training bad bosses
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