How can I inform my boss that I may have been hired by mistake?

Question

I was hired at my current workplace just over a month ago. During the interview process, I found out that someone I knew from university was also interviewing for the position. I'll call him Jim. Jim and I have never been close, but are merely aware of each other. Based solely on technical knowledge and relevant expertise, I believe that Jim would have been the better candidate for the job. In particular, he previously worked at a well known company in a position very similar to this one. I was therefore somewhat surprised when I received the offer.

On multiple occasions, my manager has made statements along the lines of “You'd be good at this project due to your experience with [some technology]”. I have only limited knowledge of the technologies mentioned, but I know that Jim has experience with them. Each time I've simply brushed it off.

More recently, I overheard my manager mention Jim's previous employer as though I had worked there. He's made this mistake twice, referencing the same company.

Given the above and some other hints, I believe my manager mixed up our résumés and may have hired me by mistake. The interviews were over the phone, so he would not have noticed by my face that I'm the wrong candidate.

I want my manager to know my actual background and areas of expertise and feel guilty that I “stole” a position using someone else's credentials. However, I'd also like to retain my position, if possible. How can I tell my manager that I was hired by mistake?

Answer 1

I want my manager to know my actual background and areas of expertise and feel guilty that I “stole” a position using someone else's credentials. However, I'd also like to retain my position, if possible. How can I tell my manager that I was hired by mistake?

Skip the "hired by mistake" part - that's just silly. Deal with the "my manager doesn't know my background" part. You don't really know if your manager was confused during the hiring process, or is just now remembering details incorrectly. Deal with the real issue, not the imagined one.

Talk to your manager in private. Something like "You know, you mentioned [wrong previous employer]. But I never worked there." should start the conversation.

Don't make it about "You hired the wrong person." Make it about "You are confused about my background".

I want my manager to know my actual background and areas of expertise

That's reasonable.

and feel guilty that I “stole” a position using someone else's credentials.

Unless you did something intentionally, that's nonsense. You didn't steal his credentials any more than you stole his identity.

Answer 2

How can I tell my manager that I was hired by mistake?

Short answer: You don't, you don't bring any of this up at all.

You have no real way to know if this is true or not, so assume it's not and continue on. Keep your head down, focus on your tasks, and do the best you can.

Now, if you feel this position is beyond your skill set, and you were really hired by mistake, then begin looking for another job. Remember it is always easier to find another job while you are employed.

Answer 3

Always be honest; doing otherwise will come back to bite you in the end. If your boss mentions your previous experience (that you don't have), correct him politely.

You did not misrepresent yourself during the application and hiring process, and you don't want to make the mistake of doing so now by allowing his assumptions to continue.

That said, you do NOT need to tell him you are the wrong person for the job. They evaluated you and decided you ARE the right person for the job. If they made mistakes during that process, that's their blame and not yours. There is always a learning curve, and you do not need to apologize to your boss or to yourself that there may be others who are more qualified than you. Do your best, and become the employee they need.

Answer 4

Don't overthink this.

Boss, I don't have experience with [some technology]. I have worked with [some other technology].

Let him figure out what to do next. Don't go looking for trouble. It is not your problem.

Not correcting your manager's mistaken assumption about your skills would be trouble, however. Just clarify the misunderstanding and be done with.

Answer 5

You are suffering from imposter syndrome. Just use your new job as an opportunity to learn the new technologies. Once you gain confidence with the new technologies, the imposter syndrome will disappear.

Answer 6

Ask yourself: If you convince your boss that you were hired by mistake, what's the benefit to you? Because that is the only thing that matters, the benefit to you.

I can't actually see any benefit, and huge risks. What you are doing will be considered weird. You destroy your reputation. There is actually the risk of losing your job. And why? You applied for a job, you've got it. Jim may not have got that offer because he found a better job elsewhere. Whatever happened to him, his problem, not yours.

Answer 7

I think that is excellent you have a conscience, however, it does not seem that you are certain that you are certain regarding the 'facts'. It would seem that the issue is that you need to face is to understand whether your supervisor has an incorrect understanding of your background and if you need to address this.

If you think you were hired by mistake, then think again...

It is unclear if you are able to do the job you were hired for. Can you do the work?

Answer 8

  Name one thing you kept from your childhood -- Vogue interviewer

  My insecurities.    -- Taylor Swift

Insecurity is a real thing and it lies to you all the time, and tells you very elaborate stories over and over. What's worse, it sounds like you so you want to believe it!

Don't be fooled. Presume things are alright. Yes, politely correct the boss's misconception about your experience when he mentions it, don't go out of the way to do so.

Other than that, do a good job and don't let insecurities tell you you are unqualified or a fraud. Everyone's insecurities tell them that all the time, and it's just noise.

Frankly, all human minds say a lot of trash all the time, it's nearly an endless stream of gibberish... if you doubt that, look at Youtube comments! LOL! Honestly I think the brain works by creating every thought possible and then filtering out the wrong ones, and insecurity is an error where self-doubting thoughts make it farther through the cull than they should.

Answer 9

Joe's answer seems to be about right. You need to let them know when they are checking things that are not true.

You are basically lying by omission. You claim your boss has checked these details with you a few times now. If your boss discovers the mistake, at best they will be angry that you didn't correct them. At worst, you will be fired with no reference. It may even be possible for them to take legal action as they will be relying on you to do something you cannot do.

If you think you can do the job to the expected level and not raise suspicion, you may be able to get away with it. But do you really want to? Do you really want to start your career at this new company with a lie? You are always going to be waiting for the day they find out. This would be incredibly stressful.