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Exit interviews are a trap

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Re: Exit interviews are a trap

#301

Post by ComradePhil »

kache_ wrote: post #110

I'm a politician first and software engineer second.. I have _never_ given anyone or any sub-organization bad feedback, directly or indirectly. I've advised someone on something that could help them be better, but I've never externalized it as grumpiness I have. It's never worth it. Smile and nod, disagree and commit, focus on whats in your control, and tend to your network. If they're not paying you for an honest ex…

So much this... but I don't see the point of avoiding the exit interview. Why not mention minor non-problems which everyone sort of agrees with or they are already doing something about... while emphasizing that you are leaving because of what the new opportunity brings and not what is bad about the company.

Disagreeing to an exit interview seems unnecessarily hostile... and it may lead to on-the-spot ad-hoc informal exit interview anyway... and the questions may take into account the fact that you disagreed to it.

Just agree and comply, tell them what they want to hear. It's easy.

Re: Exit interviews are a trap

#302

Post by epolanski »

I could sum his whole post with: don't give information needlessly in professional environments.

If you have nothing to gain, don't give information for free. You never know the dangers of doing the opposite.

Re: Exit interviews are a trap

#303

Post by [deleted] »

legitster wrote: post #26

I have no idea what the author is on about. The exit interview is often the best 30 minutes of a bad job! You can tell them what they are doing well, what they aren't doing well, praise good employees and criticize bad managers. If you are both professionals, it's a cathartic experience that supports your remaining coworkers. If they are not professional, they weren't going to give you a good reference anyway. But if…

[deleted]

Re: Exit interviews are a trap

#304

Post by [deleted] »

ghusto wrote: post #112

Good lord, what terrible advice. If anyone is reading this and thinking of adopting his ideas, please consider (with the exception being if you're still early in your career): 1) Being true to yourself is worth more than any of his purported wins 2) Be your own merit, and don't rely on others for references or goodwill 3) If every exit interviewee states that the CEO is a dick, that can't be ignored. She won't lose h…

[deleted]

Re: Exit interviews are a trap

#305

Post by jallen_dot_dev »

throw1230 wrote: post #246
ClumsyPilot wrote: post #190

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"If however, you have this kind of attitude of blame-shifting and finger pointing" They asked him whether anything is wrong, they don't get to complain about the answer. On the other hand, for a senior person to go around town and spread rumours about a (presumably) junior team member is exactly the kind of behaviour I want nothing to do with. This comment is miopic, seems the closer you are to the top the less matur…

None of the feedback OP has given to HR has any substance. If you throw around heavy words like this, you better know how to back your words up. - passive aggressive: This is a personal judgment. He was passive aggressive in what way? - excluded you from the team: How was he excluded? Was he not invited to events? Or did he not get good projects? If you are a temp with potential performance problems, it's normal that…

You are sealioning with all of these questions and accusations. This isn't a trial, aroundtown doesn't need to divulge all of the evidence in order to share their anecdote here. You've made an unfair judgement without knowing them or their boss.

Re: Exit interviews are a trap

#307

Post by digisign »

throw1230 wrote: post #248
stavros wrote: post #211

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Except aroundtown expressed their opinion to HR when asked, and the boss went around badmouthing them around town. Only one of the two is the asshole here.

Nah man, exit interviews aren't to express opinions or talk shit, it's a data source for HR to identify problems emerging as patterns and improve their org/company. One guy saying "my boss sucked" isn't really feedback

It is after a number of people quit. Then there is good information on who the problem is.

Re: Exit interviews are a trap

#308

Post by detaro »

throw1230 wrote: post #246
ClumsyPilot wrote: post #190

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"If however, you have this kind of attitude of blame-shifting and finger pointing" They asked him whether anything is wrong, they don't get to complain about the answer. On the other hand, for a senior person to go around town and spread rumours about a (presumably) junior team member is exactly the kind of behaviour I want nothing to do with. This comment is miopic, seems the closer you are to the top the less matur…

None of the feedback OP has given to HR has any substance. If you throw around heavy words like this, you better know how to back your words up. - passive aggressive: This is a personal judgment. He was passive aggressive in what way? - excluded you from the team: How was he excluded? Was he not invited to events? Or did he not get good projects? If you are a temp with potential performance problems, it's normal that…

> This is a personal judgment. He was passive aggressive in what way?

It's an exit interview, so that is an excellent question for HR to ask.

> excluded you from the team: How was he excluded?

same as above.

> code was awful: Again, is this a sentiment shared by other members of the team or is it just one junior engineer being super opinionated about something

Something you can correlate with other feedback, and see if it gets mentioned repeatedly, or not.

...

But you straight out just always assume the most negative interpretation, and then come to the conclusion that your prejudice was confirmed, and support spreading that outside the company.

Re: Exit interviews are a trap

#309

Post by detaro »

throw1230 wrote: post #248
stavros wrote: post #211

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Except aroundtown expressed their opinion to HR when asked, and the boss went around badmouthing them around town. Only one of the two is the asshole here.

Nah man, exit interviews aren't to express opinions or talk shit, it's a data source for HR to identify problems emerging as patterns and improve their org/company. One guy saying "my boss sucked" isn't really feedback

So you are supposed to provide data sources about problems, but are not allowed to involve opinions in that? Can you give some examples of feedback that would fit that criteria?

Re: Exit interviews are a trap

#310

Post by [deleted] »

fleddr wrote: post #288
bradlys wrote: post #265

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Work is a lie, play the game. If there’s any advice I could ever give anyone who has any amount of integrity and tries to live an honest life - it’s this alone. If you don’t play the game - you’re not playing the game everyone else is and you will always lose in the end. Extremely painful to deal with for bright eyed young folks or those switching industries thinking things might be different.

Here's my old man manual to life at work. Show up and do the work, consistently. Just this basic discipline puts you in the top 20% of performers, everywhere. Make your superiors look good and in any case, not bad. They don't care what you do for as long as you do this. This does not require sucking up, just deliver. Be reliable. Deliver on promises, likewise do not commit to a promise you can't fulfill and explain w…

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