Employer Exit Interview.

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Personally, if management really WANTED to know the issues versus having the exit interview serve as a formality, I'd expound on the issues in a calm and organized way. It sounds to me that it would likely take the turn of management just going through the motions, and I doubt I'd say much of anything under those circumstances.

I quit a job 25 years ago due to the high stress level and micromanagement that everyone endured having the longest tenure there at 2 years. The exit interview was an excuse for the Regional Manager to belittle me and tell me I should maybe pursue a diametrically opposed job to this one. My numbers and my attitude were never an issue in the job with this Fortune 100 company. This RM had several connections with hiring managers in related and non-related fields, so if there's the potential for retribution or an a-wipe manager has the ability to put the kibosh on a possible offer, I wouldn't say anything that didn't create a veneer over the situation and just thank them for the opportunity.
 
Originally Posted By: pandus13
HR is there to take care of the company/organization. Even if you tell them, they would not change a thing.


Bingo. I just left a company after 20 years. During those 2 decades, not a single exit interview changed how the company did business or treated their employees.

Decline the exit interview.
 
Originally Posted By: glock19
Personally, I would decline the exit interview. You have absolutely nothing to gain from it, it's for the benefit of the company and only has the potential to hurt you in future employment opportunities. It may sound harsh, but you don't owe this company anything. Look out for yourself and your family.

+6
You don't owe them anything.
 
You are well within your rights to just walk out. 100%.

However, you might want to consider the possibility of affecting a postive change for future employees. At some point in this competitive environment, a company will reach an understanding that the old ways of doing buisness is detrimental to themselves and others. You could, potentially, be the catalyst that begins a process of improvement that will benefit everyone.

Even if you decline the interview, copy-paste-print your original post, remove all identifying info, then mail it directly to the person you would have interviewed with. The message will get through with no official connection to you. Best wishes and congrats on your new career Justin!
 
IF you can keep your part of the interview nice & polite and the reason you are leaving because of family opportunities etc then do so. Never burn any bridge because there is lots to loose in the future and nothing to gain except momentary satisfaction. Ed
 
I completely agree with TOM NJ's post. This is exactly what I was going to say. It is also good to have some closure and give feedback when it is due.
As a side note, I quit a job three years ago because of very poor working environment at a 'big' name home improvement center. The business practices and management were more interested in 'saving big money' than employee satisfaction and customer assistance. I was not given the option to have an exit interview with management when I quit. However, I did not give them an option to get away without one. The practices that were occurring were unacceptable and illegal. The store manager was very rude during the discussion and was a very poor representation of the company. He asked me why I was leaving, and I simply said "It is because of all the rude [censored] people just like yourself who only care about numbers." He lit up like a Christmas tree as I walked out and started a much better job. People like that need to be knocked down a notch on occasion. He ended up getting the feedback he needed.
 
Originally Posted By: andyd
Take the exit interview. Don't say a thing about your ex-workers. Just say you are moving due to family considerations. Bridges are best left unburned...


As a former business owner with employees, this is my advice.
 
I would decline the interview. If you haven't got anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.

Put your arm into a bucket of water, then take it out quickly and measure the hole left behind.

That is what you mean to the company...and about how fast you'd be replaced.
 
Originally Posted By: Smokescreen
I would decline the interview. If you haven't got anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.

Put your arm into a bucket of water, then take it out quickly and measure the hole left behind.

That is what you mean to the company...and about how fast you'd be replaced.

My first boss saying bye: "Don't worry, we'll manage. Cemeteries are full of irreplaceable people." (of course... they hired 4/four guys for my job...)
 
I don't understand the need to "decline" the interview. That's some passive-aggressive [censored] move rather than being a grown human.

You can just give yes/no or equivalent 1 sentence answers and they'll run out of things to talk abut and that's it.
If you've ever talked with a teenager who just gives you grunts, just channel that.

If you get a question you don't want to answer just say you don't want to answer. or walk out at that point. But walking out before even hearing the questions. come on man.
 
Most companies will not let you skip an exit interview. If yours does, you still should go.

Simply state the truth, your wife found a new dream job in a great area. While there you stumbled across a great opportunity that offers more money and growth. While you have enjoyed working here, at this point in time you have to jump at the opportunity since it is the best for your family. If they ask specific questions you don't want to be honest about, like issues with co workers or policy, just state again you are leaving due to relocation and life obligations.

Hopefully you gave notice, if not, you should have. Offer during the exit interview to bridge any gaps during the transition of you leaving if you have not. You really want to leave on good terms, it truly is a small world. People and companies talk, everyone has a reputation. Good luck
 
Personnel is the hind end of the management structure in any company.
That said, even if they can never help you or the organization, they can hurt you and they will take your declining an exit interview as a slight.
Therefore, I'd take the exit interview, I'd emphasize what you learned while working there and how that prepared you for this new opportunity.
Do this for two reasons. First, you may want to or have to return to this organization and you may have to face the same personnel puke in angling for some future opportunity.
The next exit interview I'll have is when I retire in a little over three years.
I'll then be able to be brutally honest about the PD's failure to get out from behind her desk and do anything proactive in recruiting suitable candidates for the well compensated entry level positions we can't fill with people we want to retain. I'm also in a position to insist that the senior manager on site be present so that I'll have a real audience before which to front out our lazy, arrogant and incompetent PD.
You can do that sort of thing when you're going out the door for good.
You aren't yet there.
 
The most important lesson (probably the only lesson of any importance) I teach my students is

"Never trust a manager"

They seem surprised

I illustrate it with painful, hard-won life lessons that they, as heedless yoofs, find quite funny.

I get them to recite it.

I get them to shout it out by groups, competitively (Smartphone decibel meter grading. Go on, call me a luddite)

I tell them it will be in the test (I mean The Test Of Life, but I sometimes put it in the End-of-Term too).

I bet they forget.
 
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Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
Be nice and polite.

Don't light a match if new job offer is not 'in the bank' and guaranteed. I've seen people burn bridges and new job offer fell through...




Originally Posted By: JTK
If you liked the place and most of the people in it, I'd mitigate any chance of bridge burning by attending the exit interview.

If there's a possibility you could be working with or for people in that organization in the future, I'd do the exit interview. I've been through them before and each one of them hated to see me go and claimed they'd bring me back in a heart-beat should the situation arise.

Perhaps times have changed though. It's been over 21yrs since my last exit interview.



NEVER, NEVER, NEVER BURN A BRIDGE BEHIND YOU!

Management is not going to make changes based on one person leaving, they either know the issues or don't care, or its purely financial.

I would go to the exit interview and state what you liked about the company. Reasons for leaving, family, opportunity etc. Always leave open that you have enjoyed working there, and if things do go as planned for you, you would still enjoy working there.

You do not want your file marked as not for rehire , this could happen if you unload about bad managment. What happens if the structure changes and managment improves or is replaced? Your file is marked not for rehire. They won't even consider you.

Some one there could move on to other opportunities , and your paths could cross. Do you want them to remember you trashing the company in the interview ? Or do you want them to remember you as a guy with class who left on good terms, and is they kind of guy they want under them in their new position ( those who surround themselves with successful people).

Or worse, someone there could be picked up by who you work for now, and suddenly is over you, remembering you hammering the exit interview.

I would conduct myself with class, and bring a polite letter of resignation ( on nice thick quality paper stock) , stating you enjoyed working there, and if the future shifts, you would work there again. You want that letter in your file.

You just never know.
 
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Originally Posted By: spasm3
Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
Be nice and polite.

Don't light a match if new job offer is not 'in the bank' and guaranteed. I've seen people burn bridges and new job offer fell through...




Originally Posted By: JTK
If you liked the place and most of the people in it, I'd mitigate any chance of bridge burning by attending the exit interview.

If there's a possibility you could be working with or for people in that organization in the future, I'd do the exit interview. I've been through them before and each one of them hated to see me go and claimed they'd bring me back in a heart-beat should the situation arise.

Perhaps times have changed though. It's been over 21yrs since my last exit interview.



NEVER, NEVER, NEVER BURN A BRIDGE BEHIND YOU!

Management is not going to make changes based on one person leaving, they either know the issues or don't care, or its purely financial.

I would go to the exit interview and state what you liked about the company. Reasons for leaving, family, opportunity etc. Always leave open that you have enjoyed working there, and if things do go as planned for you, you would still enjoy working there.

You do not want your file marked as not for rehire , this could happen if you unload about bad managment. What happens if the structure changes and managment improves or is replaced? Your file is marked not for rehire. They won't even consider you.

Some one there could move on to other opportunities , and your paths could cross. Do you want them to remember you trashing the company in the interview ? Or do you want them to remember you as a guy with class who left on good terms, and is they kind of guy they want under them in their new position ( those who surround themselves with successful people).

Or worse, someone there could be picked up by who you work for now, and suddenly is over you, remembering you hammering the exit interview.

I would conduct myself with class, and bring a polite letter of resignation ( on nice thick quality paper stock) , stating you enjoyed working there, and if the future shifts, you would work there again. You want that letter in your file.

You just never know.


A lot of good advice in these posts.
 
Go to the exit interview. Stand up after the first question is asked. Slam the table hard with your fisted hands and scream loudly,"GET SOMEONE ELSE TO MAKE YOUR FRIES".
 
I had an "exit interview" at my last job.

HR and my boss wanted to know what they could have done or what I would have liked to have seen. I had my reasons, but I didn't say anything as I didn't want to come across as a bridge burner. I did however mention that I had a better opportunity at my new employer. A comparable position at my last job would have been nice, but it would have taken years (and I mean YEARS) to get there.

Each employer has it's own culture be it good or bad. HR (IMO) doesn't want to hear that during an exit.
 
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