Exit Interview WTF?

[Core Shot]

Is chopping an altoid on the boss’s desk and snorting it possible?

[TahoeJ]

The real question is, how many bridges do you want to burn on your way out?

I was going to mention this. I wanted to let 'er rip at my exit interview for this company I left back in the mid 2000's but realized what was the point? And more so, several years later I ended up starting a gig at a new company with some of the people at that other company. No one I had a problem with, but if I had left with guns blazing word gets around and it could have potentially ruined things down the road. I've now been at the other job almost 15 years.

[fatnslow]

hey op, is this your first job or something ? Just stay positive, honest and cut it off after about 20 minutes and walk out. If they really wanted to keep you they would have thrown enough money at you to stay and you never know when/if you might need a reference or possibly go back.

[old goat]

Does "it's not you it's me" work for exit interviews?

[MagnificentUnicorn]

People keep posting about future references. Why would you use a previous employer as a reference? I always use people I know and trust. They might have worked for the previous employer though. A n employer can’t say anything about you but that you worked there and what your salary was unless you list them as a reference. Then they can say what ever they want.

[ötzi]

Most employers will only confirm the fact of employment and the starting and ending dates these days anyways. Too much opportunity for liability otherwise. So worrying about what they will say about you in a reference is a waste of time.

[El Chupacabra]

"Hello, I'm calling for a reference regarding ate'em. I understand he used to work for you. What can you tell me about him?"

"Yes, he did work here. About all I can remember is that he has some serious gastrointestinal distress."

[Bunion 2020]

Its a smaller world than most people realize. Decline the opportunity or take it but remain professional unless this was some bullshit job.

I never called HR for references. Somebody was looking for a job with my department, chances are I could find out a lot about them with a few phone calls that were off the record.

[SumJongGuy]

I've worked in HR and checked references.. Not since about 2006 though. Even then the practice was officially like Iceman says. Wife's a PHR Cert program manager for a multinational. Been in HR at seminar levels at Toshiba, Nortel, places like that. It's pretty fucking common for someone who worked at one place to call a friend or colleague at another place on the side and have a much more detailed convo on the DL. It's not all that different than checking out their social media posts. Nothing gets written down or recorded there but when it's a toss up between two candidate it absolutely matters what former colleagues say about you.

I'm actually on the interview team for my group at Network Place.. I interviewed a dude a month ago who worked in the same office I worked in mid 2018. I also told the manager what I knew about them when we worked there together.. It absolutely fucking matters sometimes.. It was all good FWIW...

[Mustonen]

Yeah, calling references is a thing. Nobody goes on the record, but if somebody was a rockstar or a shitshow you’re not trying very hard if you can’t pick up on that pretty quickly with a couple casual phone calls. Usually you use that as a tiebreaker, sure, but it’s more reliable than any gut feel I ever got from an interview.

Hint: you wanna be the guy where whatever douchebag boss you used to have says “obviously can’t say much, but off the record and between you and me that guy killed it, wish he was still here.” Not the guy where the same boss says “him? Uhhhhh…. Can’t say anything. Good luck.”

[Not DJSapp]

Its a smaller world than most people realize.

This was exactly my point. Anyone that is high enough up is known to the industry, and every industry in the upper ranks is small. When someone moves, people eventually hear about it. So if you're planning on remaining in the industry, play nice. The people may switch companies, but they'll remember you, if you're worth remembering.

But if you're doing a complete career and location shift, go nuts and live the dream for the rest of us.

[4matic]

At my last public company it was absolutely forbidden and grounds for term if you provided any reference for a former employee. Our HR would provide a reference login to a secure site if a former employee needed it.

After I was gone I did get a call from a manager from the state government hiring a former employee. I was happy to help but surprised at the depth of questioning. Seemed risky for the manager.

[ötzi]

Why would it be risky for the manager to ask questions?

[jfost]

Why would it be risky for the manager to ask questions?

He just told you… I’m going to recommend against hiring you.

[XXX-er]

Usual policy is for a company to say joe blow worked here during this period of time and make no comment on what he did and the reason as i understand it is that any comment could fly in the face of why the employee was let go in the case of wrongful dismisal or any fcuking thing, so the official policy is to say nothing

The 2 managers who had to terminate me after 30 yrs were lteraly crying and i was laughing

cuz after 30yrs I was golden

[Toadman]

Nothing good comes from being negative in an exit interview. HR will keep a file, that most likely will show themes from all the people that left before. It's the usual suspects;

1) Over worked and underpaid.
2) No one listens to my great ideas
3) I was offered more money and better benefits elsewhere
4) No or little opportunity for advancement
5) Life's too short to be just another cog in the wheel

[RootSkier]

Nothing good comes from being negative in an exit interview. HR will keep a file, that most likely will show themes from all the people that left before. It's the usual suspects;

1) Over worked and underpaid.
2) No one listens to my great ideas
3) I was offered more money and better benefits elsewhere
4) No or little opportunity for advancement
5) Life's too short to be just another cog in the wheel

Going against the grain here to say that, as a shareholder* of an entity, I LOVE it when good employees throw the fuck down about other problematic shareholders during their exit interviews.

Didn't hurt their careers at all, as far as I can tell. But this is definitely a risky move, and not surprisingly, it was always badass fearless women who spoke the truth. And who we missed the most.

*Former shareholder.

[Core Shot]

Two pages in and no office space?

[MyNameIsAugustWest]

If you all think that Hiring Managers and others don't actually call former supervisors for input on job candidates, you're delusional. Agree that most are only checking the top 2 or 3 candidates to avoid selection bias.

Policy is just to confirm employment and dates of employment. Blah, blah, blah.

Nobody follows that policy.

I would always check reference (I always called the former boss, even if not listed as a reference) via phone (rather than email)...even if they didn't say much, tone of voice spoke volumes.

Be honest but polite. Don't burn any bridges.

[SumJongGuy]

Two pages in and no office space?

Attachment 425175

None... Go back to sleep..

[skinipenem]

Except for unique situations you have only to lose, not gain. Your employer could benefit from information you choose to share.

Don't forget your stapler. If you're feeling ballsy don't forget the printer.

Sent from my SM-S908U1 using Tapatalk

[californiagrown]

A n employer can’t say anything about you but that you worked there and what your salary was unless you list them as a reference. Then they can say what ever they want.

Is that a law? IDK, industry folks im friendly with have reached out to me to ask about previous employees who are in the interview process at their company. And similarly, ive reached out to folks i know at other companies to ask about a person we are interviewing. IME, if you are staying in the same industry in the same geographic location, its a small world.

There was one guy in particular who just didnt fit the role we needed at the time but was otherwise great who we fired. At an industry event a month or so later, someone from another firm mentioned that this guy was interviewing and asked what his deal was. I went out of my way to give him a truthful, but glowing review. Alternatively, we had an employee quit and in his exit interview exaggerated complaints about my manager at the time who was gruff, but otherwise an awesome manager. That manager was very active in numerous industry organizations and i heard that contributed to the employee having a real hard time finding another job.


And yeah, my advice would be to treat the exit interview the same way you would an employee review. Be truthful and honest, but frame it in a positive constructive manner if possible. You want the company regretting your absence and thinking they lost a good one. Think about the economic future and if you really want to wittle down future employment prospects....

[MagnificentUnicorn]

Is that a law? IDK, industry folks im friendly with have reached out to me to ask about previous employees who are in the interview process at their company. And similarly, ive reached out to folks i know at other companies to ask about a person we are interviewing. IME, if you are staying in the same industry in the same geographic location, its a small world.

There was one guy in particular who just didnt fit the role we needed at the time but was otherwise great who we fired. At an industry event a month or so later, someone from another firm mentioned that this guy was interviewing and asked what his deal was. I went out of my way to give him a truthful, but glowing review. Alternatively, we had an employee quit and in his exit interview exaggerated complaints about my manager at the time who was gruff, but otherwise an awesome manager. That manager was very active in numerous industry organizations and i heard that contributed to the employee having a real hard time finding another job.


And yeah, my advice would be to treat the exit interview the same way you would an employee review. Be truthful and honest, but frame it in a positive constructive manner if possible. You want the company regretting your absence and thinking they lost a good one. Think about the economic future and if you really want to wittle down future employment prospects....

I just looked it up for WA. They can disclose most things but surprisingly not salary. They need to keep a written record of the disclosures and that the disclosures are made in good faith. The employee in question must be allowed to see the record of the disclosures at any time.

So kind of? I’m actually at little surprised, I was told what I previously posted years ago and that was in CA.

[Core Shot]

It may not be law. But any decent corporation does name rank and serial number.

Saying anything more. Good or bad. Can open you up to a lawsuit.
Fuck the lawyers. At least dentists add value to society.

[Conundrum]

It is the law in the sense that former companies don’t want to get tied up in future law suits if someone isn’t hired and brings suit for whatever reason. A law that is only followed if there is written proof or HR dorks are checking references. Yes, everybody knows somebody and people talk.

I’m going to give difference advice to consider. Not saying it would work for you. If there is asshole at your former company that everybody knows is an asshole or there’s flaws with the company that all can see, I’d say it in the exit interview. If someone you’re going to work for someday calls your old company and you miss out on a job because of that reference, you’re dodging bullets. Plus, I’d rather hear that you didn’t get along with someone who is a known prick. Hiring people that are not afraid to speak the truth isn’t a bad thing. In my opinion, people that play the game and say all the right things in an interview are pretty good sales people when it comes to selling themselves.