[koyote]

I see this on a daily basis and have seen in at multiple companies:

"Non-Senior" engineers who have to pretty much mentor "Senior" engineers; the "Senior" being given the title due to X years of experience instead of actual knowledge and knowhow and of course the reverse where the "Non-Senior" does not get promoted because he does not have the required ~years of experience~.

I see it more rarely amongst higher job titles though. It's more difficult for a senior engineer to make it to lead or principal when they do not have the skills.

[ogn3rd]

I'm living this reality. Not to mention the seniors come in with a significantly higher salary.

[echlebek]

The last time I had a job like this I left it. There was a sr. who consistently turned out sloppy work, scoffed at tests, and constantly caused production fires.

His boss loved him because he was always working hard after hours to correct his own sloppy mistakes.

I realized that I was probably more senior than my own boss and went and found a new job.