Can someone explain the subpar-employee-who-constantly-gets-promoted phenomenon?
So my friend works at a bank. It typically takes years to work your way up from banker to branch manager. But a year ago, the bank hired a woman who showed up late, left early, sometimes wore sweatpants (basically all fireable offenses for everyone else), and mostly skipped or avoided responsibilities.
She was promoted to "senior banker" and then to assistant manager in six months (over much more qualified people). She underperformed and caused problems with her lack of expertise and bad attitude, but was rapidly promoted yet again to branch manager (again over much more qualified people).
Here's what's weird:
I've seen this at every large company I've worked at. There's always somebody who is generally kind of unprofessional and unreliable and doesn't network or excel in any way. They're not always terrible but they're never exceptional. They are one of dozens of below-average employees with mostly bad attitudes and mediocre competence. Yet they inexplicably receive promotion after undeserved promotion.
How are they doing it???
I understand that some of it is just not being a threat, but then why them instead of any of the other average/below-average employees? And yeah, sure, sometimes it's nepotism, but in most cases these wunderkinds don't seem to have connections and don't seem very "visible" until they get promoted for seemingly no reason.
Jobadvisor
This phenomenon is a common and often frustrating experience in large, bureaucratic organizations. It speaks to the disconnect between individual contribution (technical competence and work ethic) and corporate reward (promotions and authority).
You and your friend are describing a real pattern often attributed to a combination of organizational flaws, managerial self-interest, and a specific type of political savvy that prioritizes visibility and conformity over raw performance.
Here is an explanation of the subpar-employee-who-constantly-gets-promoted phenomenon, including the key theories and the often-hidden reasons for this career trajectory:
So my friend works at a bank. It typically takes years to work your way up from banker to branch manager. But a year ago, the bank hired a woman who showed up late, left early, sometimes wore sweatpants (basically all fireable offenses for everyone else), and mostly skipped or avoided responsibilities.
She was promoted to "senior banker" and then to assistant manager in six months (over much more qualified people). She underperformed and caused problems with her lack of expertise and bad attitude, but was rapidly promoted yet again to branch manager (again over much more qualified people).
Here's what's weird:
I've seen this at every large company I've worked at. There's always somebody who is generally kind of unprofessional and unreliable and doesn't network or excel in any way. They're not always terrible but they're never exceptional. They are one of dozens of below-average employees with mostly bad attitudes and mediocre competence. Yet they inexplicably receive promotion after undeserved promotion.
How are they doing it???
I understand that some of it is just not being a threat, but then why them instead of any of the other average/below-average employees? And yeah, sure, sometimes it's nepotism, but in most cases these wunderkinds don't seem to have connections and don't seem very "visible" until they get promoted for seemingly no reason.
Jobadvisor
This phenomenon is a common and often frustrating experience in large, bureaucratic organizations. It speaks to the disconnect between individual contribution (technical competence and work ethic) and corporate reward (promotions and authority).
You and your friend are describing a real pattern often attributed to a combination of organizational flaws, managerial self-interest, and a specific type of political savvy that prioritizes visibility and conformity over raw performance.
Here is an explanation of the subpar-employee-who-constantly-gets-promoted phenomenon, including the key theories and the often-hidden reasons for this career trajectory:
1. The Shift in Evaluation: Competence vs. Compliance
The most immediate answer to "How are they doing it?" is that the person or group making the promotion decision is operating on an entirely different set of criteria than the employee's peers.
The most immediate answer to "How are they doing it?" is that the person or group making the promotion decision is operating on an entirely different set of criteria than the employee's peers.
The Problem of Managerial Criteria
In large companies, getting promoted usually means moving from an individual contributor role (like Banker) to a supervisory or managerial role (like Manager or Assistant Manager). The criteria for success change completely:
Old Job (Banker) Success New Job (Manager) Success The "Subpar" Advantage High Performance: Excellent service, hitting targets, showing up on time. Management Potential: Alignment with leadership, effective communication upward, ability to navigate office politics. The promoted employee excels at the second list, which is often easier to fake or is more important to the decision-makers. Hard Skills: Technical expertise, knowledge of bank policy, productivity. Soft Skills: Likeability, demeanor, perceived loyalty, cultural fit. An employee can be poor at their banker duties but have a personality that reminds the senior manager of themselves, making them seem like a "better fit" for the leadership track.
The behaviors you described (showing up late, avoiding responsibilities) would normally be fireable offenses, but if that employee provides value in a way the manager cares about—like unquestioning loyalty, being an "obedient sheep," or simply being an easy person for the manager to work with—those offenses are often overlooked.
In large companies, getting promoted usually means moving from an individual contributor role (like Banker) to a supervisory or managerial role (like Manager or Assistant Manager). The criteria for success change completely:
| Old Job (Banker) Success | New Job (Manager) Success | The "Subpar" Advantage |
| High Performance: Excellent service, hitting targets, showing up on time. | Management Potential: Alignment with leadership, effective communication upward, ability to navigate office politics. | The promoted employee excels at the second list, which is often easier to fake or is more important to the decision-makers. |
| Hard Skills: Technical expertise, knowledge of bank policy, productivity. | Soft Skills: Likeability, demeanor, perceived loyalty, cultural fit. | An employee can be poor at their banker duties but have a personality that reminds the senior manager of themselves, making them seem like a "better fit" for the leadership track. |
The behaviors you described (showing up late, avoiding responsibilities) would normally be fireable offenses, but if that employee provides value in a way the manager cares about—like unquestioning loyalty, being an "obedient sheep," or simply being an easy person for the manager to work with—those offenses are often overlooked.
2. Established Organizational Theories
There are two major theories that attempt to explain why incompetent people end up in positions of power:
There are two major theories that attempt to explain why incompetent people end up in positions of power:
A. The Peter Principle (The Promotion to Incompetence)
The Theory: Employees are promoted based on their success in their current role until they reach a position where they are no longer competent, and then they stop being promoted (they reach their "level of incompetence").
How it Applies: In your friend's case, the problem is not that she was a great banker who became a bad manager. She appears to have been a subpar employee at every step. However, the bank is clearly using past performance (even mediocre performance, but combined with the hidden factors below) as a metric for promotion, which ensures she will continue to climb until she reaches a role where her incompetence can't be covered up—or, more likely, where the company realizes she cannot be moved again.
The Theory: Employees are promoted based on their success in their current role until they reach a position where they are no longer competent, and then they stop being promoted (they reach their "level of incompetence").
How it Applies: In your friend's case, the problem is not that she was a great banker who became a bad manager. She appears to have been a subpar employee at every step. However, the bank is clearly using past performance (even mediocre performance, but combined with the hidden factors below) as a metric for promotion, which ensures she will continue to climb until she reaches a role where her incompetence can't be covered up—or, more likely, where the company realizes she cannot be moved again.
B. The Dilbert Principle (The Promotion to Get Them Out of the Way)
The Theory: Organizations promote their least competent employees into management positions to prevent them from causing disruption in the actual workflow.
How it Applies: This perfectly addresses the idea of an employee who "caused problems with her lack of expertise and bad attitude." From a high-level view, promoting a troublesome or ineffective individual to a non-production management role is seen as a way to "kick them upstairs." They can shuffle paperwork and attend meetings without directly impacting the essential work being done by the competent employees still on the front lines. The less-competent employee is removed from the critical path.
The Theory: Organizations promote their least competent employees into management positions to prevent them from causing disruption in the actual workflow.
How it Applies: This perfectly addresses the idea of an employee who "caused problems with her lack of expertise and bad attitude." From a high-level view, promoting a troublesome or ineffective individual to a non-production management role is seen as a way to "kick them upstairs." They can shuffle paperwork and attend meetings without directly impacting the essential work being done by the competent employees still on the front lines. The less-competent employee is removed from the critical path.
3. The Unspoken "Promotability" Skills
The individuals you describe are often secretly masters of non-work-related skills that determine their fate:
The individuals you describe are often secretly masters of non-work-related skills that determine their fate:
The Skill of Visibility and Impression Management
You mentioned the employee is not very "visible" until they get promoted, but this may be inaccurate. They might simply be visible to the right people.
Upward Management (Brown-Nosing): They are excellent at making their boss feel good, supporting the boss's decisions without question, and taking credit for others' work or deflecting blame when things go wrong. These employees focus their effort entirely on their superiors, not their peers or subordinates.
High-Visibility, Low-Effort Work: While avoiding core responsibilities, they might volunteer for the high-visibility tasks that catch the eye of executive management (e.g., heading up a new task force, giving a presentation). They work hard when the right people are watching and make it appear like they are driving the results.
You mentioned the employee is not very "visible" until they get promoted, but this may be inaccurate. They might simply be visible to the right people.
Upward Management (Brown-Nosing): They are excellent at making their boss feel good, supporting the boss's decisions without question, and taking credit for others' work or deflecting blame when things go wrong. These employees focus their effort entirely on their superiors, not their peers or subordinates.
High-Visibility, Low-Effort Work: While avoiding core responsibilities, they might volunteer for the high-visibility tasks that catch the eye of executive management (e.g., heading up a new task force, giving a presentation). They work hard when the right people are watching and make it appear like they are driving the results.
The "Too Valuable to Promote" Trap
A deeply unfair reason for this phenomenon is that the qualified and exceptional people often get passed over because they are too good at their current job.
The Fear of Disruption: If the best banker (your friend's coworker) is promoted, the branch would suffer a significant drop in performance because they are difficult, if not impossible, to replace.
The "Easy" Choice: Promoting the less-than-stellar employee is the easy path for the current manager. It fills the slot, keeps the high-performing worker where they are most valuable (and underpaid for their performance), and satisfies the need for a promotion. The organization takes a calculated risk on a new, but less-critical, failure.
A deeply unfair reason for this phenomenon is that the qualified and exceptional people often get passed over because they are too good at their current job.
The Fear of Disruption: If the best banker (your friend's coworker) is promoted, the branch would suffer a significant drop in performance because they are difficult, if not impossible, to replace.
The "Easy" Choice: Promoting the less-than-stellar employee is the easy path for the current manager. It fills the slot, keeps the high-performing worker where they are most valuable (and underpaid for their performance), and satisfies the need for a promotion. The organization takes a calculated risk on a new, but less-critical, failure.
Managerial Insecurity
If a manager is insecure about their own position or competence, they are highly unlikely to promote someone who is clearly smarter, more capable, or more professional than they are.
A top performer is a threat to an insecure boss.
A mediocre, but loyal, employee is a safe choice who will not challenge the manager's authority or try to take their job.
If a manager is insecure about their own position or competence, they are highly unlikely to promote someone who is clearly smarter, more capable, or more professional than they are.
A top performer is a threat to an insecure boss.
A mediocre, but loyal, employee is a safe choice who will not challenge the manager's authority or try to take their job.
Office jobs that don’t require a degree?
I feel a little weird asking for office jobs since growing up I’ve always heard of people hating and not wanting to get into corporate. I’m 19. I would love an office job in the medical field specifically. My goal pay is 60-70k however I’m happy making 40-50k. Getting a degree isn’t out of the picture for me but I really want to be in the field now. I just want my cute little cubicle with coworkers to talk to at the end of the day. I wanna hear office drama. So far my only background is fast food😞 and while I technically never held a shift lead role, I did know the basic requirements as I often helped the shift leads I worked with. I was offered the position but declined. Maybe I’ll look into being a teller since I’ve got minor knowledge in counting a drawer
Jobadvisor
That is a great question! It is completely normal to desire the structure, routine, and social environment of an office job, especially when you have excellent people skills from fast food. The "corporate grind" is only one type of office job, and the medical field specifically is full of rewarding administrative roles that are essential to patient care.
Your background in fast food is highly relevant, and your goal salary of $40k–$50k is absolutely achievable in an entry-level medical office role, with pathways to the $60k–$70k range within a few years or with a professional certification.
Here are the best office jobs in the medical field that don't require a degree, along with a plan to get you into that "cute little cubicle."
I feel a little weird asking for office jobs since growing up I’ve always heard of people hating and not wanting to get into corporate. I’m 19. I would love an office job in the medical field specifically. My goal pay is 60-70k however I’m happy making 40-50k. Getting a degree isn’t out of the picture for me but I really want to be in the field now. I just want my cute little cubicle with coworkers to talk to at the end of the day. I wanna hear office drama. So far my only background is fast food😞 and while I technically never held a shift lead role, I did know the basic requirements as I often helped the shift leads I worked with. I was offered the position but declined. Maybe I’ll look into being a teller since I’ve got minor knowledge in counting a drawer
Jobadvisor
That is a great question! It is completely normal to desire the structure, routine, and social environment of an office job, especially when you have excellent people skills from fast food. The "corporate grind" is only one type of office job, and the medical field specifically is full of rewarding administrative roles that are essential to patient care.
Your background in fast food is highly relevant, and your goal salary of $40k–$50k is absolutely achievable in an entry-level medical office role, with pathways to the $60k–$70k range within a few years or with a professional certification.
Here are the best office jobs in the medical field that don't require a degree, along with a plan to get you into that "cute little cubicle."
🏥 Top Office Jobs in the Medical Field (No Degree Required)
These roles form the backbone of any clinic, hospital department, or medical billing company, and they often provide the ideal cubicle setting you are looking for.
These roles form the backbone of any clinic, hospital department, or medical billing company, and they often provide the ideal cubicle setting you are looking for.
1. Medical Receptionist / Front Desk Coordinator
The Job: This is the ultimate "face of the office" role. You handle patient check-in/check-out, manage appointments, answer the phone, collect co-pays, and ensure patient files are organized.1
Your Advantage: Your experience in fast food means you are exceptional at handling high-volume customer service, working under pressure during busy rushes, and handling cash/counting a drawer (transferable to managing a till/co-pays).
Pay Potential: Typically starts in the $35,000 – $45,000 range, depending on the area and type of facility (a specialist's office might pay more than a general practice).
The Job: This is the ultimate "face of the office" role. You handle patient check-in/check-out, manage appointments, answer the phone, collect co-pays, and ensure patient files are organized.
1 Your Advantage: Your experience in fast food means you are exceptional at handling high-volume customer service, working under pressure during busy rushes, and handling cash/counting a drawer (transferable to managing a till/co-pays).
Pay Potential: Typically starts in the $35,000 – $45,000 range, depending on the area and type of facility (a specialist's office might pay more than a general practice).
2. Medical Administrative Assistant / Unit Clerk2
The Job: A broader administrative support role, especially common in hospitals or large clinics. You manage patient charts (now Electronic Health Records, or EHRs), coordinate internal communication between nurses and doctors, manage supplies, and handle scheduling.
Your Advantage: The unofficial shift-lead experience shows you have a sense of urgency, basic management awareness, and the organizational skills needed to keep a workflow running smoothly. This role is a great stepping stone.
Pay Potential: Often slightly higher than a receptionist, in the $38,000 – $50,000 range.
The Job: A broader administrative support role, especially common in hospitals or large clinics. You manage patient charts (now Electronic Health Records, or EHRs), coordinate internal communication between nurses and doctors, manage supplies, and handle scheduling.
Your Advantage: The unofficial shift-lead experience shows you have a sense of urgency, basic management awareness, and the organizational skills needed to keep a workflow running smoothly. This role is a great stepping stone.
Pay Potential: Often slightly higher than a receptionist, in the $38,000 – $50,000 range.
3. Medical Biller and Coder
The Job: This is a crucial, detail-oriented, behind-the-scenes role. You translate the services a doctor provided (diagnoses, treatments, procedures) into standardized codes (like ICD-10 and CPT) for insurance claims.3 This is purely an office job with high growth potential.
Your Advantage: This role requires incredible accuracy and attention to detail. While you will likely need a certification (see below), this is how you reach the $50,000 – $70,000+ goal without a degree.
Pay Potential: Entry-level (often with certification) starts around $45,000 – $55,000, with experienced coders easily reaching $65,000+.
The Job: This is a crucial, detail-oriented, behind-the-scenes role. You translate the services a doctor provided (diagnoses, treatments, procedures) into standardized codes (like ICD-10 and CPT) for insurance claims.
3 This is purely an office job with high growth potential.Your Advantage: This role requires incredible accuracy and attention to detail. While you will likely need a certification (see below), this is how you reach the $50,000 – $70,000+ goal without a degree.
Pay Potential: Entry-level (often with certification) starts around $45,000 – $55,000, with experienced coders easily reaching $65,000+.
4. Patient Service Representative (Call Center)
The Job: An office role, often in a large hospital system, that focuses purely on phone support. You handle incoming calls, schedule complex appointments, address billing questions, and direct patients to the right department.4
Your Advantage: Fast food gives you thick skin and fantastic de-escalation and customer service skills—perfect for high-volume call environments.
The Job: An office role, often in a large hospital system, that focuses purely on phone support. You handle incoming calls, schedule complex appointments, address billing questions, and direct patients to the right department.
4 Your Advantage: Fast food gives you thick skin and fantastic de-escalation and customer service skills—perfect for high-volume call environments.
📈 Your Strategy for Getting Hired at 19
Your goal is to show how your fast-food experience translates into a professional office setting.
Your goal is to show how your fast-food experience translates into a professional office setting.
1. Highlight Transferable Skills (The Fast Food Gold)
On your resume and in interviews, rephrase your duties to match office needs:
Fast Food Duty Professional Translation Handled customer complaints Customer Service & De-escalation: Proven ability to resolve conflicts and maintain professionalism under pressure. Worked as a cashier and handled deposits Financial Accountability: Experience with cash handling, balancing a till, and accurate transaction processing. Trained new employees/Helped shift leads Teamwork & Leadership: Demonstrated capacity to learn quickly and provide informal leadership and support to team members. Managed orders during peak lunch rush Time Management & Prioritization: Proficient at prioritizing simultaneous tasks in a high-volume, fast-paced environment.
On your resume and in interviews, rephrase your duties to match office needs:
| Fast Food Duty | Professional Translation |
| Handled customer complaints | Customer Service & De-escalation: Proven ability to resolve conflicts and maintain professionalism under pressure. |
| Worked as a cashier and handled deposits | Financial Accountability: Experience with cash handling, balancing a till, and accurate transaction processing. |
| Trained new employees/Helped shift leads | Teamwork & Leadership: Demonstrated capacity to learn quickly and provide informal leadership and support to team members. |
| Managed orders during peak lunch rush | Time Management & Prioritization: Proficient at prioritizing simultaneous tasks in a high-volume, fast-paced environment. |
2. Get a Quick Certification (The Salary Booster)
To jump past the low-end of the pay scale and hit your $45k+ goal, look into short, specialized training, often offered by community colleges or vocational schools:
Medical Administrative Assistant (MAA) Certificate: Teaches you medical terminology, patient scheduling software (EHR), and billing basics. This is a huge asset for roles 1 and 2.
Certified Professional Coder (CPC) Prep: If you pursue Medical Billing/Coding (Role 3), a certificate from an organization like the AAPC is what employers truly look for, not a degree. These programs often take 6-12 months to complete.
To jump past the low-end of the pay scale and hit your $45k+ goal, look into short, specialized training, often offered by community colleges or vocational schools:
Medical Administrative Assistant (MAA) Certificate: Teaches you medical terminology, patient scheduling software (EHR), and billing basics. This is a huge asset for roles 1 and 2.
Certified Professional Coder (CPC) Prep: If you pursue Medical Billing/Coding (Role 3), a certificate from an organization like the AAPC is what employers truly look for, not a degree. These programs often take 6-12 months to complete.
3. Consider a Temporary Staffing Agency
Working with a staffing agency is one of the quickest ways to get your "foot in the door."
They specialize in placing candidates in entry-level administrative, receptionist, or data entry roles (often medical-related) on a temporary-to-hire basis.
The experience you gain in a 3-6 month contract will make you exponentially more qualified for a permanent position and can often lead to you being hired full-time by that same company.
Your desire for a supportive office environment with a professional routine is a great career goal. Start by looking for "Medical Receptionist," "Administrative Assistant (Healthcare)," or "Patient Scheduler" jobs at local doctors' offices, clinics, or hospitals—that's where you'll find your cubicle and the office drama you're looking for!
Working with a staffing agency is one of the quickest ways to get your "foot in the door."
They specialize in placing candidates in entry-level administrative, receptionist, or data entry roles (often medical-related) on a temporary-to-hire basis.
The experience you gain in a 3-6 month contract will make you exponentially more qualified for a permanent position and can often lead to you being hired full-time by that same company.
Your desire for a supportive office environment with a professional routine is a great career goal. Start by looking for "Medical Receptionist," "Administrative Assistant (Healthcare)," or "Patient Scheduler" jobs at local doctors' offices, clinics, or hospitals—that's where you'll find your cubicle and the office drama you're looking for!