100% true. I worked in HR and the pure fact is that unless your employer is making a concerted, ongoing and tangible effort to create a good environment from Day 1 there is nothing you can tell them when you're leaving that they're going to care about or pay attention to. You wouldn't be leaving if there was a possibility of change for the better.
its the whole pretending everything's fine that really get on my wick.. I feel foolish trying to play that game. We are turning into zombies because whatever field you are in its a small network and word get around ,
I’m quitting in a couple of weeks and after watching this video, I will NOT be giving an exit interview! I’ve been with this organization for 12 years and I’m leaving for the exact same reasons 99% of the people have left in the past: dysfunction and toxic environment
My last employer didn't, due to shutting down due to COVID. My boss and I cried on each other's shoulders. My new job is great, though, so I hope your new one, if you have one by now, is great too! The ones before that couldn't have dragged me into an exit interview for any price.
Let me sum this up very simply: Politely refuse an Exit Interview 100% of the time. Period. You have nothing to lose by politely refusing. You have EVERYTHING to potentially lose by going. Don’t do it. No matter the terms, good or bad, that you are leaving.
If your options are skip or follow this advice then definitley skip it. Not saying anything of substance makes the exit interview a waste of everyone's time.
When I leave a work place, it’s because the management screwed over me or someone else. I’m a long~term type of employee. I’m talking 15 years of my life employee. One day I was called into my manager’s office and ambushed by three managers. I knew this was it. After about 10 minutes of listening to their bullshit, I stood up, took my name badge off, laid it on the her desk and said, “I quit.” I calmly opened her office door and walked. I heard my boss say, “This is not what I want!” Well, too late. Never once had I received a poor performance right up. So, I took six months off, paid off everything I owed and moved to Florida near a beach. Got a job in no time and simply shut the door on my past workplace. Even had I given them notice, an exit interview would’ve served absolutely no purpose. I do not recommend that anyone exit the way I did, but I had the money saved and it felt so damn good!
@@roxcyn They had no intention of firing me. I’m an RN and the situation revolved around a disagreement with a nursing tech. I simply wasn’t willing to be neutered by the Alpha female managers. The looks on their faces...priceless!
@@josephjohnson8353 good for you! I worked in healthcare as well and was told to lie about their quality data. After a three day war path of harassment because I wouldn’t do it, I walked out. Best decision I ever made.
I ran into a former coworker. He said that everyone missed me and some of the customers wanted to know where I was. I smirked and said hmm. I never asked how my replacement was doing etc. That’s my approach too the door is closed. I had one other coworker I visited with for a hour or so. I made a point not to ask how work was. I want nothing to do with them anymore.
They do an Exit Interview for one thing only, that is to try and see if you have any intentions of hitting them with a law suit of any kind . If they get you in that interview, the things you say can and will be used against you. They could care less about how your time with the company was. If you are smart, just skip the exit interview so they have no ammunition to use against you via your own words if you decide to pursue any possible legal action against them in the future. Remember, they didn't care about you while you worked there, and that hasn't changed at an exit interview.
Exactly!! They expect most employee would not say anything bad during the exit interview because they want a good reference and if you sue, they will point out that you did not mention any of that during the exit interview and ask why didn't you mention it "when you had the opportunity and had nothing to lose as you were already leaving." Then they will imply that if you lied in the exit interview, then you're not trustworthy and are also lying in your law suit. Just don't do an exit interview. Nothing you say will change the culture or help those that remain. It'll only be used against you. If you do point out the issues, they will say why didn't you bring these issue up before the exit interview. The real goal is to give them advance notice of the potential law suit and more time to plan a defense. HR is never your friend. You are just a "resource" and it's "Human Resources" job to manage the risk you represent to the company.
@@zerkorj Obviously you are HR. The truth is not nice to hear about how you treat exiting employees is it. Keep your usual sarcasm confined to yourself.
Anyone ever feel like the entire reason toxic atmospheres, crap management, and poor work environments continue to exist is because we, as employees, are basically strongarmed into kissing ass and pretending everything is great so as to not hurt the precious fee-fees of the higher ups, and suffer retaliation?
Exactly. When can you actually give honest feedback to the company? During your time there? No, because it might hurt your career and cause you problems. When you leave? No because that is not the time? Than when?
The safest option is to opt-out of a exit interview. If your company truly valued employee feedback, and cared about improving the work environment, they would have done so beforehand to prevent employees from walking out the door to begin with.
A positive review from an employer would likely by accompanied by a raise which is why most companies avoid them like the plague. Negative reviews are much more common and serve as a tool to keep employees down. Good leaders are rare and so are worthwhile exit interviews.
@@davidmoran4471 Yeah this is true, or just their own coworkers that may be toxic. I'll be honest, I really like my job but I have seriously considered finding another similar job somewhere else just to get out of the environment I'm in. When people say they hate their jobs, I think they are usually talking about the people they work with. If they hated the actual job itself, then either they wouldn't have applied or would have quit a lot sooner.
I love exit interviews, they are fun and mine last around 90 seconds and never get beyond question #1. I simply reply, "why am I leaving? Well, my lawyer will be calling corporate and filling them in on my reasons...have a nice day 🙂" You should see the look on HR's face. Simply priceless.
Left too many jobs over my years of employment. When asked to do an exit interview I ask them to give me the questions in writing XX days before my final day and I'll answer them. Each answer is the same - 'Decline to State' . If they didn't want my input while I was there 40 hours/week and they were paying me $$$, I can't see why they'd want them as I'm walking out the door for the final time. Just be polite, don't say anything negative, and you'll be OK.
Last job I worked at before making a career change, would give us these “employee surveys”. First time I took it, it rated me as “ungrateful”. Kid you not. Like a Facebook “what *insert fact* are you” type of classification. After that, I never took them the following two years before leaving. So yeah, what you and she said is spot on.
The one thing I know about HR is that they are there to protect the company. So, they’re not interested in really understanding why you’re leaving. They just want to ask you questions that could help them prevent any kind of fallout or legalities from your departure. If given the choice to do or not, personally, I have an issue holding my tongue so it would likely be best for me to skip! But if you can give these cookie cutter answers with a straight face, def do. I left my last job and made all these mistakes and while I didn’t experience consequences, it changed nothing about the company or how they treated their employees. It just made me look like an a-hole.
I had an exit interview from a previous job. I was brutally honest about why I was leaving. I did not like one of the owners coming into my office when he screwed up and started dropping F-BOMBS in my direction.
I remember when I was younger. I happily participated in an exit interview with my first employer. I remember I called out individuals who were tough to work with and all the gripes I had with the job and workplace. I did not hold back. It's safe to say, I burned that bridge, but I haven't regretted it since. I probably wouldn't do it again though.
I have done all the "do not's". Never once had a regret doing it. Never once negatively effected my chances of advancement opportunities either. And I, for the most part, refuse to give notice. They find out on my last day.
Personally if you don't plan on going back which as a rule you should never return to a job you quit then let them have it or just don't go. Returning to a job or company you left can best be answered by asking why did you leave.
Hi Jennifer! Tomorrow is my exit interview from my toxic job. I just wanted to say thank you for your helpful and relatable information. Your channel was definitely one of the factors that made me decide to submit my resignation without having another job lined up. I had another company recruit me 2 days later, interviewed and offered the job 6 days later and accepted the position 10 days after submitting my resignation... for significantly more money!!! Thanks again for the valuable tips.. I am dreading the exit interview tomorrow. But this will absolutely help me remain diplomatic tomorrow!!
No ! I and my friends were roasted by a horrible team lead so we all quit and I’m using reverse psychology to make my lead suffer. It always works. Im not a guy who holds grudges but this time he went too far. So I’m super awesome at charming people so I’m gonna charm the HR tomorrow to make them extricate my team lead at any costs whatsoever
A friend of mine is benefitting from her peers leaving because they are finding opportunities to work from home, and now her employer is finally taking permanent remote work seriously.
Reputation aside, it's so frustrating for an employee to feel like they have to flat out lie to the employer, therefore helping them in no way whatsoever. Not that they would all be receptive to the feedback. Of course, there's usually a way to address problems artfully and professionally. But there are one too many places that tell employees that they're allowed to have an opinion and that they're all about some wonderful culture. Then the employee just finds out it's lip service and the employer expects positive perfunctory answers.
I'm with you on this one 💯💯💯 It takes a lot of confidence to be accountable to both the good and the bad. Not every leader has that. It's too bad because talented employees suffer, then leave. We have the ability to construct better workplaces, and exit interviews when operationalized successfully are key to that!
I am personally grateful to Jennifer for this video. It contained new information for me. Maybe you cant help the employer, but you can and should protect yourself.
An exit interview with the purpose of finding out why someone is leaving the company is pointless. Whatever they could or should have done to retain you could or should have been done before you decided to leave. Sounds cliche, but this is the classic case of closing the barn door after the horse has escaped.
Even if companies take action upon your exit interview feedback, it's action that benefits THEM. In case you didn't notice, "them" is not necessarily the same as "you", i.e. goals/intentions might be different, to not say "might clash"
I have done an exit interview which was a document that HR sent me to fill out. I inserted screenshots...LOL. But like you said, the company wasn't going to do anything with it (it was a checklist item they had on the list) but I wanted to do my part. In hopes that something would make a difference. It didn't - but I was a team player.
I love that you inserted screenshots. IMHO this is like performance review, nothing new should be discussed, but pointing to concerns you already raised is totally valid.
I've seen a severance package be contingent upon doing an exit interview whose real purpose to get you to sign a statement that you won't sue or publicly criticize the company.
@@markday3145 You always have the option to not sign... You also have the option to have any document reviewed by an attorney before signing. Tough call. It would depend on the severance package. I had Covid in mid-January. It took me 6 weeks from first symptoms to being able to return to work. Pneumonia and/or bronchitis did not help... I was fired on my first day back, even though my "leave" was protected leave under Washington Family and Medical Leave. I am debating filing an Illegal Termination lawsuit against my former company. Mainly due to the fact that the owner threatened my job when I told him I needed the time off to recover. I asked the owner for a written notice that I was being fired. He refused to give it to me. I think he planned to tell everyone that I quit and wanted to screw me out of unemployment. I couple of pre-emptive email messages to HR, the company bank contact, and employees in my team blocked that attempt!
I worked at a company for 17 years. Alot of folks were shocked when I put in my two weeks notice. I warned the HR person when I started the exit interview that any frustration wasn't geared towards them. Long story short, one comment I made about improvements was to quit laying people off (they were doing layoff cycles about every 3-4 months while not hiring anyone to replace anyone). About 2 weeks after I left the company they did a huge layoff of hundreds of people. It was sad because there were so many great people there. I actually liked the company's vision and the industry, but I had to leave because of how they never listened to the employees. It's such a shame.
Jesus Christ. The employment world is one big circle jerk of stroking egos and being "nice" at all costs despite the issues involved in both administrative and ground levels.
My exit interview consisted of: Did you pass along your files to the next clinician and complete training? Did you notify teams of your departure? Did you turn in your keys to the office? Then, "I guess we're done here".
Bottom line, we cannot be fully honest. And the crap cycle at the company continues to repeat itself. 😖😫 I mean damn, can we be honest but use euphemisms?!
I had an exit interview and I wanted to answer the truth regarding why I was leaving, but instead I was too scared to say that the reason I was leaving was because I was getting bullied by another employee who had also bullied many others and was the main reason why so many others left.
Yeah, I'm aware HR is not your friend. However, my recent exit interview I stated how bad our department got treated and how bad a job the GM and management was. I'm leaving the field I was working in so I had no problem telling the truth. There was a handful of people that did the same thing as me. Even though HR won't do anything, at least we told the truth. If I had to do it again, I would of stated all the illegal activity within the place. I would much rather tell the truth, be honest, and hold on to some self respect. I have nothing to be ashamed of and I def don't regret that decision.
Good for you! I feel the same about not working in same sector also. Not sure whether to say anythy BC I did already write a letter talking about some of my concerns and nothing changed of course. But I did wonder about being more blunt as in they're trying to do anti racist intersectional work and they're clearly not ready for it (why I was hired) and all the racialised people they hired alongside me have either left or been ground down and spit out like yesterday's newspaper. I did think of just sending them a link to a website on white supremacist culture in organisations and saying 'see here' so I didn't even have to make an effort to write anything could just point to how boringly obviously toxic they are!
I always did the exact opposite! Knowing i would never ever in my lifetime go back there, i went for the honest answers, which were like the ones you said are not safe. And God how much fun i had! If you are 100% sure you are not going back there, i say go for honesty.
30 years ago, I left a job that was so toxic (I had a very negative exit interview as well), the person who replaced me committed suicide due to job related stress. I didn't even have another job when I quit, but I got an offer 3 weeks later and got a 12k raise!
@@pascalsierens6299 I've always had that rule for myself too: if you leave, don't look back. I only broke it once for a summer job when I needed some extra money to move to another country and was looking for the fastest possible way to make cash. Instead of going through the whole interview process and learning a new job, I asked my boss if I could work there for a few month and would give him plenty of notice when I was leaving. It worked... it was the only time I ever worked the same job more than once.
@@LifeTheExperience i switched jobs 4 times and each time i was upfront on the reasons for leaving. Once i was bypassed by an incompetent but welleducated person. together with a colleague we compensated that incompetence untill she started to be counter productive. We informed higher management who stated to be aware of the sit. But did not take action. I warned them it would be me or here well in advance... and i left. Now non of us works there anymore, only because of our own initiative. Sometimes management simply doesnt know how to make a descission because they look too much to the negative outcomes instead of the positive. Risk aversion is a common but bad habit...
@@MegaDIEHARD75 yes, but with respect for all involved. People (also management) are often products of their environment. I once had a toxic boss, with behavior caused by childhood insecurity. At the end i was able to get him open up a little better to his staff, which as response opened up more to him... basically the bad situation there was grown out of mutual bad thrust...but someone needs to take the first step.
My last exit interview consisted of someone from HR calling me after I had quit, asking if I could do an exit interview, and me saying no thank you. This was followed with an “Um… okay,” and then I hung up.
As a truck driver I got fed up with the boss and just quit. He repeatedly emailed me until I answered and told him flat out what a jerk he was. Every job interview after that when my perspective employer called for a reference he would forward them my email. No exit interview, no email, no contact!
It’s really sad that we can’t even be honest with companies even when they’ve clearly been mismanaging their employees. I wonder what’s the point of these exit interviews in the first place if we can’t even tell them they how we’re really feeling. Obviously there’s no need to be disrespectful or hostile, you always want to be professional. It’s just ridiculous how we have to tiptoe around the interview like this.
It's just to check a box so they can say they checked in before you left. I give a canned response, get my exit paperwork and walk out that door into the sunshine
I don’t agree with not airing grievances if it was a toxic work environment. Some managers think they can speak down to their employees and that’s okay. They should understand employees are people and they should be allowed to provide an honest and accurate feedback.
Excellent advice, which I could have used back in 2005, before a 2 hour sit down with the HR VP. They wanted to know where I was going and what I would be doing. I wouldn't tell them. They then threatened to sue me over noncompete, which went nowhere. Flash forward to 2016, and I took a buy out where I ended up, and applied at the company I left for an opening for essentially an upgrade to the job I'd left. They put me through 4 rounds of interviews. I asked them each round if they were sure they were going to hire the new position, and consider me. Yes each time. They made a good offer I accepted. Then they pulled that offer at 3pm the day before my start date. I called the HR VP to say it wasn't done in good faith. Same guy... There was a reason I left the first time...
I won't participate in an exit interview or even provide a reason for leaving. I am polite and professional and just state that I am leaving on this day. I did attend an exit interview early in my career and they insisted that I sign an non-poachment agreement. Humm- what would I do that? I told HR and the attorney that I would do so for a $5,000 fee (non reciprocal contracts are generally not enforceable anyway) They of course said no and I said no as well. They said they would be watching me. My response was that if they interfered with my professional life I would have my attorney contact them. That was the end of it. A few years later they called me and hired me back so I guess the exit interview had no bearing on anything
I've only given one exit interview and told them the exact reasons I'm leaving. I covered the poor pay, no promotion unless someone quits, the company has lost support contracts with other businesses, the support team isn't expanding, and the company seems to be stagnating (we got no updates from the CEO or directors about new clients or where the business is heading). Don't regret any of it. Some people need to be told why they have a high turnover of staff.
I received an email from HR when I worked for a contract security company, told them flat out about poor management, lack of tools/training and noncompliance issues. They also hired be before completing a psychological evaluation (I'm an armed guard) because they need a body to fill a post. Then the Pulse nightclub shooting happened and they went on full damage control mode and I had to take the written test, after my work shift at the area office for no pay. Gave notice and they took two weeks to pay out; took them to the labor board and soaked them for $2000. Then was a party to a couple class action suits for a few hundred more....so karma ended up paying me and giving the company a bitch-slap.
I quit after 4.5 years in a mid-senior position and never got asked to do an exit interview, this surprised me and underpinned why I should be leaving as the company weren't even interested in looking at their faults/issues.
I left my job because of my bullying psycho boss and I told them so. I said I felt really connected with the project and I would love to keep on working for the company but I couldn't tolerate the strain she took on my physical and mental health any longer. Probably not wise but it was simply the truth. I'll let them deal with this information however they see fit. Different situation though, I quit cold turkey, left them without a chance to find a replacement and it was only a project, so they didn't know me or my boss beforehand.
ANYTHING a company does is FOR THEIR BENEFIT NOT YOURS. Keep that in mind. They can't hold you until you do an exit interview. If they try to intimidate you by holding your check, etc. that's illegal. Hand them a letter of resignation. That is more than sufficient.
Let's sum this video up in a few words: Don't. Do. Exit interviews. If you have to give the "safe" answer or the sort-of safe answer, what's the point of doing it? If they're asking questions that they really don't want the answers to and won't act on, don't placate their ego by answering said questions. The answer to all their questions are: You're leaving. Let them fill in the blanks. And if they label you as "disgruntled", well it just speaks to why you're leaving.
This lady hasn't had enough experience in life yet. Do not participate in an exit interview. You are not going to change anything. The company already knows the bs that is going on. The purpose of an exit interview is to gather information to protect them from litigation or fight unemployment during a layoff. If you are leaving a job. Turn in a two week notice and be prepared to get the boot right then. Don't tell them or anyone where you are going. If the keep asking, just say a long vacation to Disneyland 🤣.... You owe them nothing, they aren't your friends or family and you will be forgotten as soon as your replacement starts
I felt much better after wasting my breath and lighting that match. I completely walked away from my corporate career and switched gears to meaningful work that doesn't suck my soul dry.
Leaving my current job after 7.5 years. My building has been a clown show and everyone is expendable. Been there so long and a new person who’s picking their nose the first day is making more than everyone else who’s been there.
I did my exit interview because it was one of my last few days and I didn't have anything else to do anyway, I'd already written off the work as somebody else's problem. Just had the general "Why are you leaving?" And I was honest about how the job had grown into something I no longer enjoyed. They also provided some good information about how to handle things like my 401k and paystub records after I left. So it was something to do in my last few hours on the clock
Never in your best interest - it's to cover themselves legally, prepare for a legal offense if necessary or to prepare to fight unemployment. As she stated anything you say or sign will be official documentation. and considering that to be "professional" you will be giving them a glowing report or not addressing the real reason, it will leave you defenseless. Tactfully decline - this is a professional relationship, not personal - "closure" is not required. Anyway, unless they're completely mismanaging they'll know already, which circles us back to the top of this post.
Whether they acted on my exit interview or not, I had to tell the truth about my toxic micromanaging boss. Of course, I was professional about it. “Our new manager likes to know the details of what each team member working on from hour to hour and keep it all in a spreadsheet. I find that I work better when I have more autonomy”
I grew in areas I didn't expect here Lol this is a good one 🤣🤣🤣 It sounded nice but if u get burnt by a toxic work place it means total different thing
Watched this video a bit too late. I was vivid at my exit interview! I said everything I wanted. I will never go back and work for them ever again! I needed to let it all out.
So the TLDR is "BS your exit interview the same way you likely needed to BS your job there. Transparency is a no-no." What if someone doesn't like lying and BSing? (Don't go to the interview...)
The hottest take I gave HR in an exit interview was, "Management demanded that I take on duties that looked like 12 years of negative job growth. I can't have that on my resume."
It stand to reason that if the company has yearly "your voice counts" feedback surveys for employees to take and does nothing with the info, then they couldn't care less about any of your constructive criticism during the exit interview. Protect your interests because they will forever protect theirs.
Stay positive and be careful what you say. Keep your opinions off of social media. And remember the company can retaliate against you in future references.
I'm not quite sure how it's helpful to lie during an exit interview and sugar coat things. Why go? How is that even remotely helpful to anyone at all. Just decline and keep it moving.
If I understand this correctly, you want to accept an exit interview to show that you're a team player, but since they won't actually use any of the feedback you provide to effect any positive changes, you just want to be positive or politely deflect each question. Additionally, anything you say can be used against you later. It sounds like an exit interview offers far more risk than reward. How does showing you're a good team player offset the downsides of an exit interview?
Now I'm no expert, but my understanding is that setting fire to your boss's desk generally pre-answers any of the questions you would have been asked during an exit interview. So there's that.
Yep, don't bother. Don't leave a letter or an e-mail summarizing issues working there, don't do an exit interview, just leave. Anything you say can and will be used against you, not for improving the work environment.
I remember my toxic work environment exit interview. I basically said what a wonderful place the company was and how sorry I was to go. My thought process was “you guys don’t deserve my feedback”
Most employers I have had never even asked us for them. I know sometimes my current one will do it. It's in the form of a survey packet so it's not face to face. Good to know you can decline them.
Exit interviews are just a chance for HR to uncover potential loose ends so they can deal with them before the company gets hit later. They know very well that when you provide BS polite answers it absolves them of potential wrong doing. Companies can later claim the “but he told us that all was good, he liked it here. Look it’s documented” defense. They love the polite BS answers, it serves their interests. The best course of action is to politely refuse the exit interview meeting.
Leaving my job this week to run my own small business full time… im 2 days away from my last day and HR has yet to set up a meeting for an exit interview… oh well, guess they dont care on how to improve employee retention
When it comes to what to say about management you say, "It's so refreshing to be in an organization where people are promoted up their competency level." If you can finish that sentence without laughing then it is apparent you are leaving to play professional poker.
This was very informative, there was a time where I didn't know exit interviews existed. Also I was under the impression that exit interviews also served as a way for HR managers o ensure you're not leaving due to something negative happening in the company, although even if that was the case they probably wouldn't do much about it.
I gave an exit interview once and, as it was my first one - I had never even heard of this concept before - I was under the impression it was mandatory. So I went and, while I tried to be diplomatic, I was also honest. Now that I know you can refuse to do an exit interview, I probably wouldn't do one again. First off because I know that my previous company didn't do anything with the information I gave them because, if they were concerned, they would've done something with the information they'd received from coworkers I had worked with in various departments when things happened and an HR investigation had to be done. Secondly they're extremely uncomfortable and I just don't fancy intentionally putting myself in awkward situations that are basically set up for me to look bad.
I live in a right-to-work state and the employer doesn't have to give you notice or reason when they fire you so I did not participate in an exit interview when I quit and HR and my supervisor were really pissy.
I'm going to one soon. If they ask me what they could do better, I'll just give some suggestions on how they can optimize some minor things. No bridges will be burned and it won't be a waste of anyone's time
Im glad i am in healthcare. Clinical and managerial. It's different there. It's not uncommon for people to go back and forth between hospitals or facilities or clinics. Its not held against people unless they were negative, part of a problem on a unit, etc. Or quit with no notice. I've never really been in a non healthcare job other than fast food as a teenager. I also feel fortunate to have learned about the line between work and personal. And it never reflects well on the person who loses their temper and goes crazy with bad feedback.
Why do you have to be nice IF you go to an exit interview? Giving your 2 week notice is enough. Like she said HR isn’t our friend and the company is just trying to make you feel as though you’re being listened to. Why the hell would I compliment a company when I leave a company on less than ideal circumstances?
Luckily I don’t have any serious problems with my soon to be former employer. I actually was not trying to leave, recruiters reached out to me about higher paying jobs in my industry and I ultimately got offers. My big reasons for leaving are the money and wanting a wider range of work in my area of focus in my profession.
The last place I worked at did not ask for an exit interview. They know exactly who/what the problems are but refuse to deal with them. I would gladly reiterate the issues and problems to them again which others have previously pointed out, for the sake of the employees who still work there.
Honest feedback that comes from a place of benevolence is completely fine with them. But if they sense you're going to thrash them publicly after your termination, they will condemn you for life.
I work in construction. I had a co-worker who was working dangerously. Brought it up to management and the owner and gave solutions to the problems. Nothing changes for 3 weeks. This co-worker then tells me off for doing my job and I blew up at him. I call him out for his bad behavior. He laughs it off. The owner comes to me about it and I tell him, "You're either gonna fire him or I'm quitting. He's too dangerous to work with." He was pretty shocked. Tried to reason with me but eventually I just said "Are you firing him or not?" boss said no. ""Ok I just quit then." HR then spoke to me about and I guess I had my exit interview. I made it clear to him that this person was going to get someone killed and God was going to hold them accountable for it. At the end of the week I found a safer job that was closer to home with same pay. Did I burn a bridge? Yes. Was I unprofessional? Yes. But I'm so sick of the half truths and lies that fill our jobs with corporate speak.
There was only one case where an exit interview made sense. The employee soon learned that the small city where he accepted his position had no rental housing that was both child and dog friendly while having a situation where getting a mortgage was impossible. He did an exit interview after giving his resignation, and later rejoined when he could work a field position and not have to live in that city.
I've burned a few bridges only to realize later that although I didn't enjoy my job at that company anymore, it wasn't anyone's fault but rather just time to move on. Burning a bridge seems to be unnecessary since it does nothing to help the one exiting.
Many years ago I had an exit interview with a company I was flat fed up with. Most of the problem was my former direct supervisor (I'd made the decision to leave before he was replaced and put in a non-supervisory role). I not only went to the exit interview, I stated in writing who did what to whom. I know they weren't surprised as other employees had the same complaint. Never regretted doing it.
Glad I watched this before I completed the exit interview. I feel very compelled to be completely honest, but I will take your advice. My “friend” who is a manager already threw me under the bus and disclosed to upper management that I found the culture as toxic so I had figured…what the hell. Lol It will feel really good to be really honest. I guess I won’t do that now although they already know how I feel.
I've only ever had one exit interview, and that was because management knew the reason why I was leaving, and needed to get the information in a formal environment so they could present it to head office in order to get rid of a very toxic employee.
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If they were interested in employees’ thoughts, they would’ve asked for and acted on them before you were out the door.
Laudanum: Absolutely👍
100% true. I worked in HR and the pure fact is that unless your employer is making a concerted, ongoing and tangible effort to create a good environment from Day 1 there is nothing you can tell them when you're leaving that they're going to care about or pay attention to. You wouldn't be leaving if there was a possibility of change for the better.
Finally someone with some common sense :)))))
💯
I cannot agree more!
Watching these type of videos confirm just how toxic corporate structure can be. You can never be honest. It’s all a game 😰.
its the whole pretending everything's fine that really get on my wick.. I feel foolish trying to play that game. We are turning into zombies because whatever field you are in its a small network and word get around ,
Rule #1 - HR's main job is to protect the company. Under no circumstances should you participate in one. No good deed goes unpunished.
I’m quitting in a couple of weeks and after watching this video, I will NOT be giving an exit interview!
I’ve been with this organization for 12 years and I’m leaving for the exact same reasons 99% of the people have left in the past: dysfunction and toxic environment
Wow. 12 freaking years
How did it go?
My last employer didn't, due to shutting down due to COVID. My boss and I cried on each other's shoulders. My new job is great, though, so I hope your new one, if you have one by now, is great too! The ones before that couldn't have dragged me into an exit interview for any price.
Every corporate life is toxic
@Sheila She's refusing to answer questions. 😂
Let me sum this up very simply: Politely refuse an Exit Interview 100% of the time. Period. You have nothing to lose by politely refusing. You have EVERYTHING to potentially lose by going. Don’t do it. No matter the terms, good or bad, that you are leaving.
agree 100% In the Silicon Valley HR is pretty useless anyway. If I have a legitimate concern, I would hire my own attorney anyway
If your options are skip or follow this advice then definitley skip it. Not saying anything of substance makes the exit interview a waste of everyone's time.
@@sethzard it is a PROBE to see if you are gonna sue them
Speaking as an attorney, this guy hit the spot! 👆👆🙌🏽
Exactly. What are they going to do if you refuse? Fire you?
When I leave a work place, it’s because the management screwed over me or someone else. I’m a long~term type of employee. I’m talking 15 years of my life employee. One day I was called into my manager’s office and ambushed by three managers. I knew this was it. After about 10 minutes of listening to their bullshit, I stood up, took my name badge off, laid it on the her desk and said, “I quit.” I calmly opened her office door and walked. I heard my boss say, “This is not what I want!” Well, too late. Never once had I received a poor performance right up. So, I took six months off, paid off everything I owed and moved to Florida near a beach. Got a job in no time and simply shut the door on my past workplace. Even had I given them notice, an exit interview would’ve served absolutely no purpose. I do not recommend that anyone exit the way I did, but I had the money saved and it felt so damn good!
Were they going to fire you? That is ridiculous they had three managers in there.
@@roxcyn They had no intention of firing me. I’m an RN and the situation revolved around a disagreement with a nursing tech. I simply wasn’t willing to be neutered by the Alpha female managers. The looks on their faces...priceless!
@@josephjohnson8353 good for you! I worked in healthcare as well and was told to lie about their quality data. After a three day war path of harassment because I wouldn’t do it, I walked out. Best decision I ever made.
I ran into a former coworker. He said that everyone missed me and some of the customers wanted to know where I was. I smirked and said hmm. I never asked how my replacement was doing etc. That’s my approach too the door is closed. I had one other coworker I visited with for a hour or so. I made a point not to ask how work was. I want nothing to do with them anymore.
Money is options. The more money you have stored away, the more options you have.
They do an Exit Interview for one thing only, that is to try and see if you have any intentions of hitting them with a law suit of any kind . If they get you in that interview, the things you say can and will be used against you. They could care less about how your time with the company was. If you are smart, just skip the exit interview so they have no ammunition to use against you via your own words if you decide to pursue any possible legal action against them in the future. Remember, they didn't care about you while you worked there, and that hasn't changed at an exit interview.
Exactly!! They expect most employee would not say anything bad during the exit interview because they want a good reference and if you sue, they will point out that you did not mention any of that during the exit interview and ask why didn't you mention it "when you had the opportunity and had nothing to lose as you were already leaving." Then they will imply that if you lied in the exit interview, then you're not trustworthy and are also lying in your law suit. Just don't do an exit interview. Nothing you say will change the culture or help those that remain. It'll only be used against you. If you do point out the issues, they will say why didn't you bring these issue up before the exit interview. The real goal is to give them advance notice of the potential law suit and more time to plan a defense. HR is never your friend. You are just a "resource" and it's "Human Resources" job to manage the risk you represent to the company.
Amen
Exactly.
😂
@@zerkorj Obviously you are HR. The truth is not nice to hear about how you treat exiting employees is it. Keep your usual sarcasm confined to yourself.
Anyone ever feel like the entire reason toxic atmospheres, crap management, and poor work environments continue to exist is because we, as employees, are basically strongarmed into kissing ass and pretending everything is great so as to not hurt the precious fee-fees of the higher ups, and suffer retaliation?
100 % agree - why we should kiss theyr toxic asses when we walk aut of the door ?!
Amen. Nothing ever changes because people are bullied into not speaking up.
@@Grannievore amen
Exactly. When can you actually give honest feedback to the company? During your time there? No, because it might hurt your career and cause you problems. When you leave? No because that is not the time? Than when?
@@nikoletahanakova8573 When it's positive feedback. That's when we're allowed to be honest.
The safest option is to opt-out of a exit interview. If your company truly valued employee feedback, and cared about improving the work environment, they would have done so beforehand to prevent employees from walking out the door to begin with.
A positive review from an employer would likely by accompanied by a raise which is why most companies avoid them like the plague. Negative reviews are much more common and serve as a tool to keep employees down. Good leaders are rare and so are worthwhile exit interviews.
They don't seem to understand, in most cases people don't leave a bad job, they leave poor management.
@@davidmoran4471 Yeah this is true, or just their own coworkers that may be toxic. I'll be honest, I really like my job but I have seriously considered finding another similar job somewhere else just to get out of the environment I'm in. When people say they hate their jobs, I think they are usually talking about the people they work with. If they hated the actual job itself, then either they wouldn't have applied or would have quit a lot sooner.
I love exit interviews, they are fun and mine last around 90 seconds and never get beyond question #1. I simply reply, "why am I leaving? Well, my lawyer will be calling corporate and filling them in on my reasons...have a nice day 🙂" You should see the look on HR's face. Simply priceless.
If you try to sue every place you've worked, perhaps the problem is not the business? Just a thought
Left too many jobs over my years of employment. When asked to do an exit interview I ask them to give me the questions in writing XX days before my final day and I'll answer them. Each answer is the same - 'Decline to State' . If they didn't want my input while I was there 40 hours/week and they were paying me $$$, I can't see why they'd want them as I'm walking out the door for the final time. Just be polite, don't say anything negative, and you'll be OK.
Last job I worked at before making a career change, would give us these “employee surveys”. First time I took it, it rated me as “ungrateful”. Kid you not. Like a Facebook “what *insert fact* are you” type of classification.
After that, I never took them the following two years before leaving.
So yeah, what you and she said is spot on.
The one thing I know about HR is that they are there to protect the company. So, they’re not interested in really understanding why you’re leaving. They just want to ask you questions that could help them prevent any kind of fallout or legalities from your departure. If given the choice to do or not, personally, I have an issue holding my tongue so it would likely be best for me to skip! But if you can give these cookie cutter answers with a straight face, def do. I left my last job and made all these mistakes and while I didn’t experience consequences, it changed nothing about the company or how they treated their employees. It just made me look like an a-hole.
I had an exit interview from a previous job. I was brutally honest about why I was leaving. I did not like one of the owners coming into my office when he screwed up and started dropping F-BOMBS in my direction.
f that guy! congratz!
I remember when I was younger. I happily participated in an exit interview with my first employer. I remember I called out individuals who were tough to work with and all the gripes I had with the job and workplace. I did not hold back.
It's safe to say, I burned that bridge, but I haven't regretted it since. I probably wouldn't do it again though.
I really love this video, this and the "hr is not your friend" is really eye opening
They're really not your friend.
@@bodhisattva2348 truer words have never been spoken. Watch your back..
You tick the diversity boxes. You have nothing to worry about.
I have done all the "do not's". Never once had a regret doing it. Never once negatively effected my chances of advancement opportunities either. And I, for the most part, refuse to give notice. They find out on my last day.
Have you ever had anything happen from an exit interview.
@@Sirie7206 never done one. Don't see any value in it.
Where was this video in 2009 when I quit Comcast? My exit interview was an hour long and I put everyone on blast
Personally if you don't plan on going back which as a rule you should never return to a job you quit then let them have it or just don't go. Returning to a job or company you left can best be answered by asking why did you leave.
Hi Jennifer! Tomorrow is my exit interview from my toxic job. I just wanted to say thank you for your helpful and relatable information. Your channel was definitely one of the factors that made me decide to submit my resignation without having another job lined up. I had another company recruit me 2 days later, interviewed and offered the job 6 days later and accepted the position 10 days after submitting my resignation... for significantly more money!!!
Thanks again for the valuable tips.. I am dreading the exit interview tomorrow. But this will absolutely help me remain diplomatic tomorrow!!
How would you suggest answering the “why are you leaving?” Question when you left without something else lined up?
Duude, you don't have to go! Leave them fools .
I just wonder why companies even bother asking these questions if they will be receiving false/sugar coasted answers in return.
cause it is a checkbox for them
No ! I and my friends were roasted by a horrible team lead so we all quit and I’m using reverse psychology to make my lead suffer. It always works. Im not a guy who holds grudges but this time he went too far. So I’m super awesome at charming people so I’m gonna charm the HR tomorrow to make them extricate my team lead at any costs whatsoever
A friend of mine is benefitting from her peers leaving because they are finding opportunities to work from home, and now her employer is finally taking permanent remote work seriously.
Reputation aside, it's so frustrating for an employee to feel like they have to flat out lie to the employer, therefore helping them in no way whatsoever. Not that they would all be receptive to the feedback. Of course, there's usually a way to address problems artfully and professionally. But there are one too many places that tell employees that they're allowed to have an opinion and that they're all about some wonderful culture. Then the employee just finds out it's lip service and the employer expects positive perfunctory answers.
I'm with you on this one 💯💯💯
It takes a lot of confidence to be accountable to both the good and the bad. Not every leader has that. It's too bad because talented employees suffer, then leave. We have the ability to construct better workplaces, and exit interviews when operationalized successfully are key to that!
I am personally grateful to Jennifer for this video. It contained new information for me.
Maybe you cant help the employer, but you can and should protect yourself.
An exit interview with the purpose of finding out why someone is leaving the company is pointless. Whatever they could or should have done to retain you could or should have been done before you decided to leave. Sounds cliche, but this is the classic case of closing the barn door after the horse has escaped.
😘💯Agree
Lol for sure
Even if companies take action upon your exit interview feedback, it's action that benefits THEM. In case you didn't notice, "them" is not necessarily the same as "you", i.e. goals/intentions might be different, to not say "might clash"
Its possible to part ways with a company and still want the best for them.
💯
@@JenniferBrick I wish them well in their future endeavors. As to the interrogation responses it should always be "No comment."
Giving all these answers is why companies never change
I have done an exit interview which was a document that HR sent me to fill out. I inserted screenshots...LOL. But like you said, the company wasn't going to do anything with it (it was a checklist item they had on the list) but I wanted to do my part. In hopes that something would make a difference. It didn't - but I was a team player.
I love that you inserted screenshots.
IMHO this is like performance review, nothing new should be discussed, but pointing to concerns you already raised is totally valid.
I liked the "rank these 5 things for how well they describe why you're leaving"
Can I put them all at top?
Do you need to go to an exit interview?
NOPE!!! What are they going to do... Fire You?????
I've seen a severance package be contingent upon doing an exit interview whose real purpose to get you to sign a statement that you won't sue or publicly criticize the company.
@@markday3145 You always have the option to not sign... You also have the option to have any document reviewed by an attorney before signing. Tough call. It would depend on the severance package.
I had Covid in mid-January. It took me 6 weeks from first symptoms to being able to return to work. Pneumonia and/or bronchitis did not help...
I was fired on my first day back, even though my "leave" was protected leave under Washington Family and Medical Leave. I am debating filing an Illegal Termination lawsuit against my former company. Mainly due to the fact that the owner threatened my job when I told him I needed the time off to recover.
I asked the owner for a written notice that I was being fired. He refused to give it to me. I think he planned to tell everyone that I quit and wanted to screw me out of unemployment. I couple of pre-emptive email messages to HR, the company bank contact, and employees in my team blocked that attempt!
Loving this answer now I changed my mind not gonna go there anyway. Thanks man!
no but they can use it against you
After months of stressful interviews looking for a new job, the exit interview was refreshing, good to go in to an interview knowing you can't fail.
I worked at a company for 17 years. Alot of folks were shocked when I put in my two weeks notice. I warned the HR person when I started the exit interview that any frustration wasn't geared towards them. Long story short, one comment I made about improvements was to quit laying people off (they were doing layoff cycles about every 3-4 months while not hiring anyone to replace anyone). About 2 weeks after I left the company they did a huge layoff of hundreds of people. It was sad because there were so many great people there. I actually liked the company's vision and the industry, but I had to leave because of how they never listened to the employees. It's such a shame.
Jesus Christ. The employment world is one big circle jerk of stroking egos and being "nice" at all costs despite the issues involved in both administrative and ground levels.
My exit interview consisted of:
Did you pass along your files to the next clinician and complete training? Did you notify teams of your departure? Did you turn in your keys to the office? Then, "I guess we're done here".
Bottom line, we cannot be fully honest. And the crap cycle at the company continues to repeat itself. 😖😫 I mean damn, can we be honest but use euphemisms?!
I had an exit interview and I wanted to answer the truth regarding why I was leaving, but instead I was too scared to say that the reason I was leaving was because I was getting bullied by another employee who had also bullied many others and was the main reason why so many others left.
Sending an anonymous letter to the appropriate people about the bully is another strategy.
Yeah, I'm aware HR is not your friend. However, my recent exit interview I stated how bad our department got treated and how bad a job the GM and management was. I'm leaving the field I was working in so I had no problem telling the truth. There was a handful of people that did the same thing as me. Even though HR won't do anything, at least we told the truth. If I had to do it again, I would of stated all the illegal activity within the place. I would much rather tell the truth, be honest, and hold on to some self respect. I have nothing to be ashamed of and I def don't regret that decision.
Good for you! I feel the same about not working in same sector also. Not sure whether to say anythy BC I did already write a letter talking about some of my concerns and nothing changed of course. But I did wonder about being more blunt as in they're trying to do anti racist intersectional work and they're clearly not ready for it (why I was hired) and all the racialised people they hired alongside me have either left or been ground down and spit out like yesterday's newspaper. I did think of just sending them a link to a website on white supremacist culture in organisations and saying 'see here' so I didn't even have to make an effort to write anything could just point to how boringly obviously toxic they are!
I always did the exact opposite! Knowing i would never ever in my lifetime go back there, i went for the honest answers, which were like the ones you said are not safe. And God how much fun i had! If you are 100% sure you are not going back there, i say go for honesty.
30 years ago, I left a job that was so toxic (I had a very negative exit interview as well), the person who replaced me committed suicide due to job related stress. I didn't even have another job when I quit, but I got an offer 3 weeks later and got a 12k raise!
Great advice, to paraphrase: "Don't say anything that would prevent you from ever applying to work there again."
In my opinion: if you leave, do not look back. Otherwise you shouldn’t leave. Making the descision to leave is not choosing another candy.
@@pascalsierens6299 I've always had that rule for myself too: if you leave, don't look back. I only broke it once for a summer job when I needed some extra money to move to another country and was looking for the fastest possible way to make cash. Instead of going through the whole interview process and learning a new job, I asked my boss if I could work there for a few month and would give him plenty of notice when I was leaving. It worked... it was the only time I ever worked the same job more than once.
So a Stone Cold Salute is a no?
@@LifeTheExperience i switched jobs 4 times and each time i was upfront on the reasons for leaving. Once i was bypassed by an incompetent but welleducated person. together with a colleague we compensated that incompetence untill she started to be counter productive. We informed higher management who stated to be aware of the sit. But did not take action. I warned them it would be me or here well in advance... and i left. Now non of us works there anymore, only because of our own initiative. Sometimes management simply doesnt know how to make a descission because they look too much to the negative outcomes instead of the positive. Risk aversion is a common but bad habit...
@@MegaDIEHARD75 yes, but with respect for all involved. People (also management) are often products of their environment. I once had a toxic boss, with behavior caused by childhood insecurity. At the end i was able to get him open up a little better to his staff, which as response opened up more to him... basically the bad situation there was grown out of mutual bad thrust...but someone needs to take the first step.
the solution is refusing the exit interveiw. if they dont already know exactly why you are leaving, they dont deserve to.
My last exit interview consisted of someone from HR calling me after I had quit, asking if I could do an exit interview, and me saying no thank you. This was followed with an “Um… okay,” and then I hung up.
As a truck driver I got fed up with the boss and just quit. He repeatedly emailed me until I answered and told him flat out what a jerk he was. Every job interview after that when my perspective employer called for a reference he would forward them my email. No exit interview, no email, no contact!
It’s really sad that we can’t even be honest with companies even when they’ve clearly been mismanaging their employees. I wonder what’s the point of these exit interviews in the first place if we can’t even tell them they how we’re really feeling. Obviously there’s no need to be disrespectful or hostile, you always want to be professional. It’s just ridiculous how we have to tiptoe around the interview like this.
It's just to check a box so they can say they checked in before you left. I give a canned response, get my exit paperwork and walk out that door into the sunshine
Completely agree. But this seems to be the way it goes 🤷♂️
I don’t agree with not airing grievances if it was a toxic work environment. Some managers think they can speak down to their employees and that’s okay. They should understand employees are people and they should be allowed to provide an honest and accurate feedback.
But the problem is,all that feedback goes into the trash
Excellent advice, which I could have used back in 2005, before a 2 hour sit down with the HR VP. They wanted to know where I was going and what I would be doing. I wouldn't tell them. They then threatened to sue me over noncompete, which went nowhere. Flash forward to 2016, and I took a buy out where I ended up, and applied at the company I left for an opening for essentially an upgrade to the job I'd left. They put me through 4 rounds of interviews. I asked them each round if they were sure they were going to hire the new position, and consider me. Yes each time. They made a good offer I accepted. Then they pulled that offer at 3pm the day before my start date. I called the HR VP to say it wasn't done in good faith. Same guy... There was a reason I left the first time...
I won't participate in an exit interview or even provide a reason for leaving. I am polite and professional and just state that I am leaving on this day. I did attend an exit interview early in my career and they insisted that I sign an non-poachment agreement. Humm- what would I do that? I told HR and the attorney that I would do so for a $5,000 fee (non reciprocal contracts are generally not enforceable anyway) They of course said no and I said no as well. They said they would be watching me. My response was that if they interfered with my professional life I would have my attorney contact them. That was the end of it. A few years later they called me and hired me back so I guess the exit interview had no bearing on anything
I've only given one exit interview and told them the exact reasons I'm leaving. I covered the poor pay, no promotion unless someone quits, the company has lost support contracts with other businesses, the support team isn't expanding, and the company seems to be stagnating (we got no updates from the CEO or directors about new clients or where the business is heading).
Don't regret any of it. Some people need to be told why they have a high turnover of staff.
I received an email from HR when I worked for a contract security company, told them flat out about poor management, lack of tools/training and noncompliance issues. They also hired be before completing a psychological evaluation (I'm an armed guard) because they need a body to fill a post. Then the Pulse nightclub shooting happened and they went on full damage control mode and I had to take the written test, after my work shift at the area office for no pay.
Gave notice and they took two weeks to pay out; took them to the labor board and soaked them for $2000. Then was a party to a couple class action suits for a few hundred more....so karma ended up paying me and giving the company a bitch-slap.
I quit after 4.5 years in a mid-senior position and never got asked to do an exit interview, this surprised me and underpinned why I should be leaving as the company weren't even interested in looking at their faults/issues.
If you're going to fill their heads full of lies, just refuse the interview. Simple. Your integrity is worth too much to throw away for nothing.
I left my job because of my bullying psycho boss and I told them so.
I said I felt really connected with the project and I would love to keep on working for the company but I couldn't tolerate the strain she took on my physical and mental health any longer. Probably not wise but it was simply the truth. I'll let them deal with this information however they see fit.
Different situation though, I quit cold turkey, left them without a chance to find a replacement and it was only a project, so they didn't know me or my boss beforehand.
Great job. And sometimes we should actually say it face to face that there are people bullying you.
Exit interviews are like breaking up and saying let's go grocery shopping.
F that! I said everything I wanted to say!!!! Couldn’t care LESS! It was soooooo much fun! 👊🏼
ANYTHING a company does is FOR THEIR BENEFIT NOT YOURS. Keep that in mind. They can't hold you until you do an exit interview. If they try to intimidate you by holding your check, etc. that's illegal. Hand them a letter of resignation. That is more than sufficient.
Let's sum this video up in a few words:
Don't. Do. Exit interviews.
If you have to give the "safe" answer or the sort-of safe answer, what's the point of doing it? If they're asking questions that they really don't want the answers to and won't act on, don't placate their ego by answering said questions. The answer to all their questions are: You're leaving. Let them fill in the blanks. And if they label you as "disgruntled", well it just speaks to why you're leaving.
This lady hasn't had enough experience in life yet.
Do not participate in an exit interview. You are not going to change anything. The company already knows the bs that is going on.
The purpose of an exit interview is to gather information to protect them from litigation or fight unemployment during a layoff.
If you are leaving a job. Turn in a two week notice and be prepared to get the boot right then. Don't tell them or anyone where you are going. If the keep asking, just say a long vacation to Disneyland 🤣.... You owe them nothing, they aren't your friends or family and you will be forgotten as soon as your replacement starts
I agree with everything you said. Everyone should remember anything that you say can and will be held against you. Decline that interview.
Even if they are your family. Sometimes people use family bonds to abuse their employees cause “I’m your family”
I felt much better after wasting my breath and lighting that match. I completely walked away from my corporate career and switched gears to meaningful work that doesn't suck my soul dry.
I would say I am not available to do the interview and that all my opinions and observations were already expressed during my employment.
Leaving my current job after 7.5 years. My building has been a clown show and everyone is expendable. Been there so long and a new person who’s picking their nose the first day is making more than everyone else who’s been there.
I did my exit interview because it was one of my last few days and I didn't have anything else to do anyway, I'd already written off the work as somebody else's problem.
Just had the general "Why are you leaving?" And I was honest about how the job had grown into something I no longer enjoyed. They also provided some good information about how to handle things like my 401k and paystub records after I left.
So it was something to do in my last few hours on the clock
Awesome
If I'm trying to find a new job there no way in hell I would return to the one I'm leaving from
Never in your best interest - it's to cover themselves legally, prepare for a legal offense if necessary or to prepare to fight unemployment. As she stated anything you say or sign will be official documentation. and considering that to be "professional" you will be giving them a glowing report or not addressing the real reason, it will leave you defenseless. Tactfully decline - this is a professional relationship, not personal - "closure" is not required. Anyway, unless they're completely mismanaging they'll know already, which circles us back to the top of this post.
Not all companies ask for exit interviews. Well, the ones I worked for anyway.
Whether they acted on my exit interview or not, I had to tell the truth about my toxic micromanaging boss. Of course, I was professional about it. “Our new manager likes to know the details of what each team member working on from hour to hour and keep it all in a spreadsheet. I find that I work better when I have more autonomy”
I grew in areas I didn't expect here
Lol this is a good one 🤣🤣🤣
It sounded nice but if u get burnt by a toxic work place it means total different thing
Watched this video a bit too late. I was vivid at my exit interview! I said everything I wanted. I will never go back and work for them ever again! I needed to let it all out.
I'll listen.
So the TLDR is "BS your exit interview the same way you likely needed to BS your job there. Transparency is a no-no." What if someone doesn't like lying and BSing? (Don't go to the interview...)
I have one word which literally solves ALL workplace problems: UNION. There, you're welcome.
Not if the trade union rep leaves and everyone is too overworked to replace them unfortunately...
The hottest take I gave HR in an exit interview was, "Management demanded that I take on duties that looked like 12 years of negative job growth. I can't have that on my resume."
I love how you used the word circus while rolling your eyes.
i dont sugar coat.........sometimes it needs said
"you barely paid for me to have an email address"
That one hit really close to home...
It stand to reason that if the company has yearly "your voice counts" feedback surveys for employees to take and does nothing with the info, then they couldn't care less about any of your constructive criticism during the exit interview. Protect your interests because they will forever protect theirs.
Stay positive and be careful what you say. Keep your opinions off of social media. And remember the company can retaliate against you in future references.
I'm not quite sure how it's helpful to lie during an exit interview and sugar coat things. Why go? How is that even remotely helpful to anyone at all. Just decline and keep it moving.
If I understand this correctly, you want to accept an exit interview to show that you're a team player, but since they won't actually use any of the feedback you provide to effect any positive changes, you just want to be positive or politely deflect each question. Additionally, anything you say can be used against you later. It sounds like an exit interview offers far more risk than reward. How does showing you're a good team player offset the downsides of an exit interview?
@Trefor Gordon Word gets around. Everyone knows someone...
Now I'm no expert, but my understanding is that setting fire to your boss's desk generally pre-answers any of the questions you would have been asked during an exit interview. So there's that.
Yep, don't bother. Don't leave a letter or an e-mail summarizing issues working there, don't do an exit interview, just leave. Anything you say can and will be used against you, not for improving the work environment.
I remember my toxic work environment exit interview. I basically said what a wonderful place the company was and how sorry I was to go. My thought process was “you guys don’t deserve my feedback”
Most employers I have had never even asked us for them. I know sometimes my current one will do it. It's in the form of a survey packet so it's not face to face. Good to know you can decline them.
I was asked to go to one when I quit a job. I declined, still got my last paycheck. Done and done.
The answer is “No, I don’t do exit interviews.”
Thanks for this video! After 15 years at my firm I’m resigning tomorrow. I’m a nervous wreck 😰. I’m happy for myself but I also feel guilty bit.
Exit interviews are just a chance for HR to uncover potential loose ends so they can deal with them before the company gets hit later. They know very well that when you provide BS polite answers it absolves them of potential wrong doing. Companies can later claim the “but he told us that all was good, he liked it here. Look it’s documented” defense. They love the polite BS answers, it serves their interests.
The best course of action is to politely refuse the exit interview meeting.
Leaving my job this week to run my own small business full time… im 2 days away from my last day and HR has yet to set up a meeting for an exit interview… oh well, guess they dont care on how to improve employee retention
When it comes to what to say about management you say, "It's so refreshing to be in an organization where people are promoted up their competency level." If you can finish that sentence without laughing then it is apparent you are leaving to play professional poker.
This was very informative, there was a time where I didn't know exit interviews existed. Also I was under the impression that exit interviews also served as a way for HR managers o ensure you're not leaving due to something negative happening in the company, although even if that was the case they probably wouldn't do much about it.
I gave an exit interview once and, as it was my first one - I had never even heard of this concept before - I was under the impression it was mandatory. So I went and, while I tried to be diplomatic, I was also honest.
Now that I know you can refuse to do an exit interview, I probably wouldn't do one again. First off because I know that my previous company didn't do anything with the information I gave them because, if they were concerned, they would've done something with the information they'd received from coworkers I had worked with in various departments when things happened and an HR investigation had to be done. Secondly they're extremely uncomfortable and I just don't fancy intentionally putting myself in awkward situations that are basically set up for me to look bad.
I live in a right-to-work state and the employer doesn't have to give you notice or reason when they fire you so I did not participate in an exit interview when I quit and HR and my supervisor were really pissy.
I'm going to one soon. If they ask me what they could do better, I'll just give some suggestions on how they can optimize some minor things. No bridges will be burned and it won't be a waste of anyone's time
Im glad i am in healthcare. Clinical and managerial. It's different there. It's not uncommon for people to go back and forth between hospitals or facilities or clinics. Its not held against people unless they were negative, part of a problem on a unit, etc. Or quit with no notice. I've never really been in a non healthcare job other than fast food as a teenager. I also feel fortunate to have learned about the line between work and personal. And it never reflects well on the person who loses their temper and goes crazy with bad feedback.
When I was critiquing my boss to HR, they had a smirk on their face because they didn’t care
So lie and be nice because it can effect how you leave the company basically
Why do you have to be nice IF you go to an exit interview? Giving your 2 week notice is enough. Like she said HR isn’t our friend and the company is just trying to make you feel as though you’re being listened to.
Why the hell would I compliment a company when I leave a company on less than ideal circumstances?
Luckily I don’t have any serious problems with my soon to be former employer. I actually was not trying to leave, recruiters reached out to me about higher paying jobs in my industry and I ultimately got offers. My big reasons for leaving are the money and wanting a wider range of work in my area of focus in my profession.
The last place I worked at did not ask for an exit interview. They know exactly who/what the problems are but refuse to deal with them. I would gladly reiterate the issues and problems to them again which others have previously pointed out, for the sake of the employees who still work there.
I don’t understand why you would discourage giving honest feedback in an exit interview. Professional, calm, but honest
...because they could care less.
Honest feedback that comes from a place of benevolence is completely fine with them. But if they sense you're going to thrash them publicly after your termination, they will condemn you for life.
I work in construction. I had a co-worker who was working dangerously. Brought it up to management and the owner and gave solutions to the problems. Nothing changes for 3 weeks. This co-worker then tells me off for doing my job and I blew up at him. I call him out for his bad behavior. He laughs it off. The owner comes to me about it and I tell him, "You're either gonna fire him or I'm quitting. He's too dangerous to work with." He was pretty shocked. Tried to reason with me but eventually I just said "Are you firing him or not?" boss said no.
""Ok I just quit then." HR then spoke to me about and I guess I had my exit interview. I made it clear to him that this person was going to get someone killed and God was going to hold them accountable for it. At the end of the week I found a safer job that was closer to home with same pay.
Did I burn a bridge? Yes. Was I unprofessional? Yes. But I'm so sick of the half truths and lies that fill our jobs with corporate speak.
Just don't say anything. You're an ex employee and if you're being fired, there's100% chance you'll lose your cool.
There was only one case where an exit interview made sense. The employee soon learned that the small city where he accepted his position had no rental housing that was both child and dog friendly while having a situation where getting a mortgage was impossible. He did an exit interview after giving his resignation, and later rejoined when he could work a field position and not have to live in that city.
I've burned a few bridges only to realize later that although I didn't enjoy my job at that company anymore, it wasn't anyone's fault but rather just time to move on. Burning a bridge seems to be unnecessary since it does nothing to help the one exiting.
My exit interview was mostly just making sure I gave them back any keys I had to the building.
Many years ago I had an exit interview with a company I was flat fed up with. Most of the problem was my former direct supervisor (I'd made the decision to leave before he was replaced and put in a non-supervisory role). I not only went to the exit interview, I stated in writing who did what to whom. I know they weren't surprised as other employees had the same complaint. Never regretted doing it.
Glad I watched this before I completed the exit interview. I feel very compelled to be completely honest, but I will take your advice. My “friend” who is a manager already threw me under the bus and disclosed to upper management that I found the culture as toxic so I had figured…what the hell. Lol It will feel really good to be really honest. I guess I won’t do that now although they already know how I feel.
Great information and love the snipits of humor :)
I've only ever had one exit interview, and that was because management knew the reason why I was leaving, and needed to get the information in a formal environment so they could present it to head office in order to get rid of a very toxic employee.
youd be surprised how clueless mgmt is or simply dont care.