History Main / WrongLineOfWork

May also occur as a result of KlingonPromotion when the next highest ranked person in an organization is forced to take up the position of their superiors or SpareToTheThrone if the job involves monarchy and the one next in line proves to be underqualified for the job. See BusinessAsUnusual for when this drives the plot of a movie or story. Compare with TheAllegedExpert, HeroWithAnFInGood, MinionWithAnFInEvil, TheDilbertPrinciple, ThePeterPrinciple, and VictimOfCircumstanceWithNoJobQualifications

May also occur as a result of KlingonPromotion when the next highest ranked person in an organization is forced to take up the position of their superiors or SpareToTheThrone if the job involves monarchy and the one next in line proves to be underqualified for the job. See BusinessAsUnusual for when this drives the plot of a movie or story. Compare with TheAllegedExpert, HeroWithAnFInGood, MinionWithAnFInEvil, TheDilbertPrinciple, and ThePeterPrinciple.

* In ''Theatre/DeathOfASalesman'', the tragedy of Biff Loman is that he found success and contentment as a farmhand, but because it's not the kind of lifestyle that his father Willy considers "successful", he abandoned that job and is instead struggling to survive as a businessman, which he hates and has no proficiency at, just to impress Willy.

* ''Series/MarriedWithChildren'' provides Al Bundy, a ButtMonkey and JadedWashout who had big dreams of being a football star but was condemend to spend his life selling womens' shoes. He hates the job and is terrible at it partly because he thinks [[ICouldaBeenAContender he was meant for better things]], doesn't think selling shoes is really a "man's job" and is disgusted by how many of his customers are fat. He constantly insults them for their weight (and it's implied he literally ''cannot'' stop himself even when he tries) and rarely ever sells anything.

* ''Series/TedLasso'''s plot is kicked off by the titular Ted Lasso, an American college football coach, being hired to coach an association football team in England; naturally, Ted is ignorant about association football, and his hiring is part of the club owner's scheme to get back at her abusive ex-husband. However, while Ted still struggles to catch on to the finer points of the sport over a year after being the team's manager, he recognizes the gaps in his knowledge, so he's able to build a solid coaching staff to help fill those areas while he focuses on building a great team culture. By the end of Season 2, he's able to bring the team back into the Premier League after getting relegated in his first season while also leading the team to their best ever placement in UsefulNotes/TheFACup.

* The ''Series/DoctorWho'' episode "The Woman Who Fell to Earth" implies that this is the case for Karl, a tower crane operator with a fear of heights and low self-esteem that seems to be caused by him being unsuited to his job (he has to listen to a recorded motivational speech, telling him his contribution is valued, while working). It's also implied that he only got the job through {{Nepotism}}, as he mentions several times that the company he works for is owned by his dad.

** There's the Triggerbot Backstreet, a lookout with SuperSenses. Great right? Not when said lookout is a skittish, anxiety-riddled mess who jumps to conclusions.

* While the level of it varies DependingOnTheWriter, many episodes of ''WesternAnimation/ThomasTheTankEngine'' have engines switched or relocated to different jobs, often leading to [[CatchPhrase confusion and delay]]. This is especially common when lightweight tank engines switch jobs with strong tender engines. For example, Thomas, Percy and Toby on separate occasions have been made to pull the Express, a large passenger train they can barely move and is usually located to Gordon or James. They have no problems shunting or taking goods trains however, jobs Gordon and James loathe and routinely botch from lack of effort or behaviour issues.

** Michael Scott is a better salesman than he is a manager. When he held a secret second job as a telemarketer, he was able to connect with his clients; a far cry from his management position in which he uses to try and make friends with his employees [[RealityEnsues which may not be the best idea]]. When he was fired from Dunder-Mifflin, he started his own paper company and we get to see his salesmanship shine once again and win over prospective clients.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': Due to laziness and lack of motivation, Homer is largely incompetent at his job at the power plant, either being the source of many problems that occur there or making existing ones worse. And he's the ''safety inspector''. It's hard to think of a worse job for someone like him. Many episodes show he is rather skilled at a great deal of other professions, like being a referee, a chess master, or a bodyguard, to name a few.

* ''Series/BetterCallSaul'': Saul Goodman is not an ideal lawyer but makes commercials people like and seems very knowledgeable in film making; there was even an episode where he offered to make commercials for others because he got in trouble with his lawyer shenanigans.

* The ''Series/DoctorWho'' episode "The Woman Who Fell to Earth" implies that this is the case for Carl, a tower crane operator with a fear of heights and low self-esteem that seems to be caused by him being unsuited to his job (he has to listen to a recorded motivational speech, telling him his contribution is valued, while working). It's also implied that he only got the job through {{Nepotism}}, as he mentions several times that the company he works for is owned by his dad.

* ''Webcomic/StandStillStaySilent'': This is a dodged bullet for Emil. In his youth, he was studying to be an academic with private tutors. When his wealthy family lost its money, he switched to public school and implicitly did poorly because the private tutors had failed to teach him properly. After that, he decided to enlist into the DemolitionsExpert branch of the army, mostly because it suited his MadBomber and {{Pyromaniac}} tendencies well. In the first arc of the story proper, he joins an expedition that is officially doing research, but actually scavengig for books from TheBeforetimes in UrbanRuins. Emil doesn't show any interest in the research material nor the books themselves and has poor book-selecting skills, while being a KnowNothingKnowItAll about TheBeforetimes on a good day. All this indicates that he would have made a poor academic even if he hadn't dropped out of the career path.

* In ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', Robert Baratheon was a glorious fighter and general who managed to overthrow the Targaryen Dynasty, which had reigned for centuries. Unfortunately, he then became King, and turned out to be terrible at actually ruling his kingdom.

* ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets'': Gilderoy Lockhart accepts the job of [[WizardingSchool Hogwart's]] Teacher of Defence Against the Dark Arts (a post which no-one else wants since the position is rumored to be cursed), despite lacking the magical skill to subdue a swarm of pixies. The end of the book reveals that he's a FakeUltimateHero who's career was built on taking credit for the deeds of others, and that the only magic he's ever had a talent for is memory charms.

* In ''Literature/CaptainUnderpants'' Mr. Krupp is a curmudgeon of a principal who absolutely despises children and runs Jerome Horwitz Elementary School in a way akin to a penitentiary. He only picks teachers and faculty that can share in his idea of torturing children and making them feel miserable all while maintaining a setting where knowledge and order is emphasized at every moment. Obviously as his alter-ego Captain Underpants is the exact opposite of Mr. Krupp in every way.
* ''LightNovel/AscendanceOfABookworm'': Damuel is more suited for scholar work than for a knight's work, but his family is quite poor and his older brother a better scholar than him, so he beacame a knight to widen his family's business.