How honest should I be in my exit interview?

[LWJ]

Rick,

I worked for an unethical company. They layed me off a few months after I was prominently featured at the National Sales meeting. The company lost several thousand % of value in a couple years. I still don't understand what happened but I have an idea.

Your situation is similar. What is the motivation for the owner here? He is a scumbag. You and your friends have much to lose. Be careful. Your soon to be ex-company is a bad actor. I would think about what lawsuits, coercion, and nasty things can happen from this. Perhaps since you have committed, you give the world's most dispassionate, boring interview?

Good luck. You are a good guy. They have a motivation in this that isn't honorable.

Larry

[widebody911]

Originally Posted by LWJ

The company lost several thousand % of value in a couple years. I still don't understand what happened but I have an idea.

Apparently you don't understand percentages, either

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

My boss, who's home now and I am sure is just burning up vacation before he quits, just texted me to be brutally honest in the exit interview. I'll be a little more diplomatic. Honestly, the only folks here I'll ever need to stay on good terms with are my boss and his boss, both of whom are good buddies and feel equally shafted by this company.

At least thats how they represent to you. People do all kinds of things in business organizations, make odd alliances and in general try to get others to pull their water.

You escaped - taking shots on the way out will benefit no one and will potentially hurt your "friends" or your reputation as you don't know who's in whom's court. In f'd up organizations lines get drawn and you can think you're helping someone with a comment when in reality you just sliced them in half.

No upside. Seriously. Any comments can just make things worse. If they insist on an interview just don't answer the questions. They can't force you to. You're on the way out - no leverage.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Sounds like lots of potential downside, no potential upside. Skip it. Or if you feel compelled, turn it around and exit interview THEM. YOU ask the questions. "What do you feel is the greatest reason a person would want to come on board with or stay on board with this company?" "What do you think are the greatest strengths this company has to offer that will be afforded to my replacement?" Stuff like that. Have a little fun with it. Don't take it too seriously. It's pretty clear they don't.

[MJHanna]

Just tell them the TRUTH you are leaving because you found another job. You found an opportunity to advance YOUR career. That’s ALL there is NO point in saying anything else you will Not change anything there. Move on and forward.

[ckelly78z]

I'm sure that an unethical company such as the one you currently are leaving, would have no problem taping the exit interview and reviewing it carefully for their own legal purposes. Be very careful with your words so they can't be construed as something other than what you meant. There really isn't alot of upside here to doing the interview other than feeling of completion of your duties.

[oldE]

A lot of the reasoning for and against doing the interview centres around "What's in it for me?", but no one seems to have touched upon, "Because it's the right thing to do."

I agree in keeping the comments factual and dispassionate. But this is truth time. After enduring years of (dare I say North Korean type) BS, someone has asked for feedback.
You, my friend are in a unique position.
Keep your feelings out of it, but emphasize how the management actions have eroded the function and profitability of the company.
Tell it like it is. If they don't listen, at least you have had the satisfaction of speaking the truth.

Best
Les

[sugarwood]

Rick,
OldE said it well. Here is one vote for being brutally honest, while staying diplomatic and detached. You will regret not telling them once this opportunity is gone. What exactly is the downside? The HR bimbo blacklists you for being ethical and knowing what you're talking about? For exhibiting superior managerial instinct? Being honest may actually distinguish you from the rest of the hoard who just quits and says nothing.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by oldE

A lot of the reasoning for and against doing the interview centres around "What's in it for me?", but no one seems to have touched upon, "Because it's the right thing to do."
.....

BTDT..."burned the bridge" with no regrets. Rest of my group saw radical changes within a few months, though the ship was a "Titanic" on the way down, I never regretted it one bit. Did my exit interviews with a senior VP and the director of IT (and I told the truth as I saw it)....would NOT and didn't give a rat's about a worthless HR interview. This was a mega-bank now mismanaged out of existence just a few years later....wasn't hard to foresee. I reckon' the "bridge isn't really burned"....Wells Fargo owes me another pension in a few years

I was in a position to immediately replace my job with a much better one down the street and 11 years later was willing and able to "leave" that organization on my own terms too. If you're really concerned about leaving a few days pay on the table then I'd simply stfu and move on...

[Oh Haha]

Rick,

Whatever you do today I wish you the best.

[Shadetree930]

Get pics of the HR bimbo!

But really ... STFU. Nothing good can come from you being honest. NOTHING

[Baz]

Interesting thread. I will only add this.

Whenever I am asked questions I am uncomfortable answering my response is always the same....

"I'm not at liberty to say."

Good luck and please keep us posted!

[Gretch]

Originally Posted by aschen

some times its selfserving to give em a little piece of your mind, so to speak.


I agree its a bad Idea, but.....................feels good man

Might "feel good". BFD. You can't make mortgage payments with ego cookies.......

The world is full of drama queens........ go ahead an wallow around in that stupid, useless sauce. See what it gets you.

[Shadetree930]

No posts yet ....

Looks like the really did not like what he had to say.

Hope he knows how to Monkey Roll.

[Rick Lee]

It went very well and was not at all confrontational. The HR lady is so nice, it'd be hard to let loose on her and none of it is her fault anyway. I just answered her prepared questions, was very frank and unemotional about it and at the end she asked what they would have to do to keep me. I said double my pay and put it into an iron-clad one yr. contract. Then we both burst out laughing. Really was painless.

[mreid]

Nice job, well done!

You just gave back to those who suffer from unenlightened leadership. Things may not change there, but you did your part and now full speed ahead!

[Baz]

Nice job, Rick. Thanks for the followup.

Onward.....

[Shadetree930]

Pics of HR lady? LOL

Glad it was a no drama experience.

[Evans, Marv]

I might be interesting if you get any feedback from your buddies (any that are left) if they learn anything from it later on.

[Cajundaddy]

Pics of the nice HR lady or it didn't happen!

Good on you and good luck moving forward.