Exit Interviews

[rivan]

So I just saw a guy who's last day is today. He's in his exit interview now, I think.

When I talked to him, he said he was going to leave saying everything's just dandy, which isn't how he actually felt. He just didn't want to burn any bridges.

So - how honest are you/should you be in an exit interview?

 

[Ns1]

as honest as you can without burning bridges.

 

[Platypus]

in my experience they're utterly useless.

They were never interested in fixing the broken things to begin with. I've been honest in all of them.

 

[ViviTheMage]

as honest as you can without burning bridges.

This.

 

[Skitzer]

Depends on whether leaving was my idea or not.

 

[SunnyD]

I always decline/avoid the exit interview.

 

[dfuze]

as honest as you can without burning bridges.

I would go with this, you never know if you may need to cross that bridge again in the future

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Companies who do exit interviews do it for one reason, to say they do exit interviews. I've never even heard of a company reexamining their management style, let alone policies or business model, as a result of an exit interview be it management or worker.

 

[Kadarin]

in my experience they're utterly useless.

They were never interested in fixing the broken things to begin with.

This is very true.

 

[Mide]

Companies don't want or care to hear the truth most of the time.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Companies who do exit interviews do it for one reason, to say they do exit interviews. I've never even heard of a company reexamining their management style, let alone policies or business model, as a result of an exit interview be it management or worker.

Agreed. And I know people who were very unhappy with a certain manager's style at a company I worked for and some of them stated this in the exit interview but it changed nothing. The tyrant was still in charge. When I left the company I lied and said everything was fine and dandy...I left for a better opportunity but truth is I had been looking for a while. I wanted out of there despite the fact that I had worked there for 6 years and moved to a different city with the company.

The CEO of the parent organization put this guy in charge of our division. For them to get rid of him would be to admit a mistake...and pointy haired bosses never want to admit that they've made a mistake.

 

[PingSpike]

Yeah, there's no reason to tell them the truth. It might damage your relationship/reference and its not like they're actually going to do anything to fix the problem anyway. And even if they did want to fix the problem at that point, who cares? You already left.

 

[purbeast0]

i was totally 100% honest in my exit interview ... even threw a few people under the bus, but that was partially why i was leaving.

- told them the pay they were giving is way below market value, and what i was going to be making, and it was 25% more, and I was going to be doing Java instead of C++, and I had no professional experience in Java.
- told them i was leaving because my current manager, the day that 10 people were laid off, told me that i was high up on the list of people they were laying off.
- told them i was leaving because my current manager micromanaged too much and didn't let me just work, and that he would always pull me off of things when i was knee deep in it, then when i got back to it my train of thought was totally gone.
- told them that my officemate didn't do jack shit for the past 6 months (was playing dwarf fortress all day) and to check his submission logs, and that there was literally a period of 63 days he did not submit 1 thing to our version control software.
- told them that they claim to be such a 'laid back' company, yet we have to be there from 9 - 5:30, even if you don't take a lunch break to go somewhere.
- told em i felt i was not learning anything new at all at my job and that i wasn't feeling challenged enough to be motivated.

there were a few others ... but i was blatently honest. i actually felt good telling them all this crap and getting it off my chest, because it had been over a year i was looking for a new job.

EVERY SINGLE THING about my new job is better than my old one ... everything.

 

[purbeast0]

dp

 

[pontifex]

i've never had one. i've left 3 jobs, only 1 was involuntary (laid off), and never had an exit interview.

 

[Vic Vega]

I always decline/avoid the exit interview.

This.

 

[AreaCode707]

Companies who do exit interviews do it for one reason, to say they do exit interviews. I've never even heard of a company reexamining their management style, let alone policies or business model, as a result of an exit interview be it management or worker.

Eh, I've seen it used to spot for management personnel problems. That and I've run reports the company used to spot for overall negative trends. But other than having a manager removed for HR reasons (harassment, abuse of company resources, etc.) that were mentioned in an exit interview, I haven't seen a lot of action taken.

I usually pick the top two issues that they would be able to fix if they wanted and state those.

 

[child of wonder]

I'll usually mention any grievances I have in a diplomatic fashion. The only job I was brutally honest with was my last one because it was a truly unbearable environment to work in and there was no way I was ever going to get a positive recommendation from them anyway.

 

[shortylickens]

My exit "interviews" are more like threats against my well being.

 

[Drako]

The truth can sometimes come back to bit you - I always try not to burn my bridges.

 

[CRXican]

have only had one

didn't say all that much

 

[Kreon]

Normally I'm as honest as possible without burning bridges.

Except once. I was brutally honest about how my expectations of the job were not met, how irritated I was that I and the rest of the workers in my department were not allowed to do our job (and made us look terrible) because the higher ups were playing politics (neither looked terrible as the results of their actions). I was surprised because one of the higher ups admitted to this, apologized, and from what I hear friends still there, hasn't played games since.

 

[Stuxnet]

Never leave on a bad note. No matter how awful you think the company, your boss, etc. was, keep it to yourself. Airing out your dirty laundry, no matter how tactful you think you're being, can only hurt you.

Signed,

Guy who quit multiple times at two separate companies, and was rehired by each of them because he didn't spout off in an exit interview.

 

[Stuxnet]

Companies who do exit interviews do it for one reason, to say they do exit interviews. I've never even heard of a company reexamining their management style, let alone policies or business model, as a result of an exit interview be it management or worker.

I agree 100%. A company truly interested in fixing problems that cause turnover will already be paying attention to cues and clues. I've seen a lot of people go into an exit interview and sound off, all while justifying their ranting and complaining in their own heads: "I'm really just trying to help." That, of course, is bullshit.

Back in '98 (way early 20's) I worked as a Network Administrator. I was promised a promotion/raise but it kept getting delayed.

One day I got a call from a headhunter with a job/salary that matched what was promised me at my current company. I accepted the offer and left. In my exit interview, I explained how much I enjoyed the company (which was true) but it was time to take that next step. HR and my ex-boss were paying attention to the timing and undertones of my departure and did the simple math themselves.

Long story short, the new job didn't work out (I was put in charge of 14 doctors' offices and had no help). When my former boss heard, he offered me my job back, with the promised promotion. HR told me that my departure signaled to them that they had a bad habit of dragging their feet after indicating to someone they would be getting a promotion (I originally waited 3 months before I gave up). They changed their promote-from-within policies and practices as a result. Several years later when I was again promoted, I benefited from these new policies.

That company rehired me a second time about four years after that, and they contacted me again last year to see if I was available. They were willing to hire me a third time, even though I've quit several times. Why? Well, being a good employee helps... but so does shutting your face in the exit interview. Don't ever delude yourself into thinking you're helping anyone by "tactfully" outlining their problems.

Companies who are truly interested in fixing problems with turnover will figure things out for themselves. Your loyalty should be to yourself, and the best service you can do yourself when you quit is to STFU.

 

[MotionMan]

i've never had one.

This.

MotionMan