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Old 10-22-2022, 04:03 PM
 
23,550 posts, read 70,038,361 times
Reputation: 49030

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Quote:
Originally Posted by riffle View Post
Are you thinking this would happen after OP's employment has ended? I've never heard of that. Typically it would be at normal business hours during the notice period. To answer your questions:
1. It's an opportunity to act in a professional manner and avoid burning bridges with HR, in case of a future desire to return to the organization.
2. What negative fallout do you think is possible, as long as criticism is kept to a minimum?
3. All employment is "being used" in some way.
4. If on the clock while employed, it is the employer's time to waste.
5. Same pay she would get for her regular duties.

On the other hand, refusing to participate or demanding for an attorney to be present is needlessly confrontational and comes across as hostile or paranoid. What is the legal risk you are trying to mitigate?
It doesn't have to be phrased in a hostile way. A simple "I'd prefer not having an exit interview" is sufficient. I don't usually sugar-coat on forums.

The word paranoid keeps getting used. It is completely inappropriate. I've been on all sides of employment. I've seen a lot, and understand what goes on behind closed doors. Cautious and private are not "paranoid."

Years ago, I was trained in an interview technique called "polyviewing." Any qualified HR person has a similar bag of tricks, and I can just about guarantee that what an interviewee experiences is only a small part of what an interviewer is gleaning, no matter how innocuous the interview. I have distrust of interviews, especially formal ones, and that distrust comes from knowledge.

Refusing an exit interview is not "burning bridges" unless the corporation is large and hide-bound. In decision making on a re-hire, the reports from supervisors and any merit reports or annual reviews are going to be the determining factors. An exit interview is an opportunity to shoot oneself in the foot with even a casual off-the-cuff remark. Given a choice between good reports and a blank exit interview, and the same WITH an exit interview, the written report of that interview is much more of an exclusionary filter than inclusionary. The report will attempt to provide the reasons for the quit or termination - those are negatives. It will not provide reasons for staying that were successful, because there aren't any. Chances of no good coming from the interview, from the employee's point of view, are extremely high.

An exit interview can also be a time of uncomfortable questions. "I see you had use of a company car. In a past report, your supervisor approved mileage allowance for use of your personal car. Why was that?" "Did you notice, or were you affected by any ADA issues while you were here?" I could think of a hundred questions to rattle someone leaving - all very innocent and within the bounds of legality. Any interview may or may not be pleasant, but by its very nature there is some element of antagonistic questioning.

Anyway, if someone wants to engage in an exit interview when leaving, I don't much care. I just know that I would have to be convinced and remunerated and not be pressured for me to even consider one.

Ever been party to depositions? Had to testify in court? You quickly learn that such systems are set up certain ways, and those are NOT for your benefit. No big deal, but not something you blindly walk into unless you are a fool.
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Old 10-22-2022, 04:56 PM
 
Location: Vermont
9,286 posts, read 5,048,135 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Seguinite View Post
I was a 'do my job and go home' federal employee. No extracurricular activities, no functions. My organization had an 'exit interview' program, but I think too many people refused to particpate... and the ones that DID particpate said things management didn't want to hear. It's an HR check box.
When I left the 'real Fed" employment, exit interviews were actually an online questionairre not requiring any in-person interview (this was during COVID). Same opportunity to voice complaints, concerns, or positive experiences. I didn't really have anything negative to say about my 14 yrs there, but did have a few suggestions I hoped they'd take into consideration.
My opinion is the same - that the exit interview is an opportunity to point out serious issues that might not be articulated while you are actually still working there. But it is also a chance to talk about what is going well.
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Old 10-22-2022, 06:09 PM
 
1,515 posts, read 2,395,303 times
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I had an offer from a company in my industry that was double what I was making. I brought the offer to management and they exceed the offer and I received a letter of apology from the president of the company. I stuck around for the next 30 years.
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Old 10-22-2022, 06:41 PM
 
1,241 posts, read 541,536 times
Reputation: 1150
I work for a large commuter railroad company. To my knowledge, we don't do exit interviews anymore, and the question routinely comes up in the HR portion of Periodic performance reviews.

I do wish we did them with people who leave their positions for other divisions or departments within the company, as that kind of insight would be very useful for internal changes, especially if there is more substance than "better pay and schedule."
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Old 10-22-2022, 06:44 PM
 
7,395 posts, read 3,576,896 times
Reputation: 14075
Quote:
Originally Posted by harry chickpea View Post
OK, look at it from this point of view:

Whenever confronted with such a request, ask yourself 1. What is in it for me? 2. What could be the negative fallout? 3.Am I being used in some way? 4.Is my time being wasted? 5. Am I being paid fairly?
OK, let's do them one by one.

1. What is in it for me? I'll verify my snail mail address on file for future tax forms and the like is correct. I'll find out precisely what I need to do to sign up for COBRA, when it goes into effect, how much I pay, and the like. I'll find out specifics of the last contribution from my employer to my 401K. I'll find out how to transfer funds from the 401K to a new plan at a new employer, if I so desire. I'll verify my vacation payout, if any. I'll get confirmation from the company that I do not owe them any written company confidential information. I'll get a receipt for turning in any company-owned laptop, cellphone and the like. I'll get a receipt for final expense reports. I'll find out if the company thinks I owe them any money (some companies, if they pay for you to relocate, have you sign an agreement to repay them on a sliding scale based on how long you stayed). Etc. All the aforementioned are for MY benefit.

2. What could be the negative fallout? Nothing whatsoever. I act professionally, as does the HR person.

3. Am I being used in some way? No.

4. Is my time being wasted? No.

5. Am I being paid fairly? I presume you mean, "am I being paid to attend the exit meeting?" Yes.

In response to any question of the form, "why are you leaving", the correct reply always is "I've accomplished at this company everything I set out to do when I came here, and the new position at a new company is giving me an opportunity to expand and grow professionally in new ways. I'll always have fond memories of my professional time here, and as a shareholder, I'm confident I've contributed to the long-term success of this organization. I wish you all good fortune." Or variations on that.

Last edited by moguldreamer; 10-22-2022 at 06:55 PM..
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Old 10-22-2022, 06:49 PM
 
7,395 posts, read 3,576,896 times
Reputation: 14075
Quote:
Originally Posted by harry chickpea View Post
I just know that I would have to be convinced and remunerated ...
The exit meeting occurs while you are an employee, so you are being paid.
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Old 10-22-2022, 07:55 PM
 
18,494 posts, read 15,469,192 times
Reputation: 16163
Thanks for all the replies. I think I am going to agree to only an ”administrative” exit interview.
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Old 10-22-2022, 10:25 PM
 
Location: Florida and the Rockies
1,963 posts, read 2,213,676 times
Reputation: 3302
I've had many bland exit interviews, but one doozy. So I am cautious about the protocols when leaving an employer.

The doozy was at a F500 company, a unit run by a renegade director. One of the other managers who had tried to raid my budget for years set up multiple gotchas/ blamestorming scenarios and crashed my exit. It took all my patience to get out of there without a fistfight. Both he and the director were terminated within months. The whole unit collapsed in fact, so I was lucky to get out with just moderate (ego) injury.
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Old 02-05-2023, 05:50 AM
 
18,494 posts, read 15,469,192 times
Reputation: 16163
I did end up answering a few short "non-administrative" questions. What I ended up doing was to keep the answers very abstract in order to avoid saying anything that might offend someone. Just things like "More employee (X) would be nice, and I really believe that the company is doing well with (Y) and (Z)", with no references to anyone's names. I was able to keep it very short and mostly positive, so I think I survived more or less unscathed.
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Old 02-05-2023, 06:09 AM
 
4,716 posts, read 3,151,693 times
Reputation: 9211
Quote:
Originally Posted by Riley. View Post
When I left the 'real Fed" employment, exit interviews were actually an online questionairre not requiring any in-person interview (this was during COVID). Same opportunity to voice complaints, concerns, or positive experiences. I didn't really have anything negative to say about my 14 yrs there, but did have a few suggestions I hoped they'd take into consideration.
My opinion is the same - that the exit interview is an opportunity to point out serious issues that might not be articulated while you are actually still working there. But it is also a chance to talk about what is going well.
In my agency, there were mandatory bi-monthly group calls, and one of the points of those was talk about issues. People DID talk, management DIDN'T respond. If they're not responsive while you're there, they sure as hell won't be responsive on your way out the door.
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