Exit Interview

[Rich_W]

So I left somewhere I've worked for 5 years recently. And the HR department (not at the same site) have sent me a letter with a questionnaire to fill in (if I want)

My official reasons for leaving are:

Money - 7% increase in basic.
Career progression - not that much, more a step back to hopefully go 2 forward in a couple years.

My unofficial reasons (re: What made me start looking) are

2 specific colleagues behaviour. Neither are management level. I'll avoid the long winded story for now. But essentially I got sick of them both. (Others are equally sick of them, but maybe not in a position to leave as easily as myself) And how they were dragging the atmosphere down on a daily basis with their nonsense.


So. Would you fill in the form, concentrating on the colleagues behaviour, I'm not planning on kicking the management, since you never know about the future. Or would you just think "who cares" and leave it.

Quite frankly I want to cause st for these 2 guys. It's probably going to make no difference. But I feel like I've been pushed out of a job, whilst not the best in the world, I was settled at.


Has anybody ever given a "relatively" bad exit interview? Were there repercussions?

I had one years ago, and that company seemed excessively paranoid I was being bullied! I wasn't, just the next place was closer to my home and 4 grand a year more

[Rich_W]

I think he means that exit interviews are a tick box exercise.

Companies pretend to care. So do them. But don't really care or do anything off the back of them.

[Rich_W]

Flooble said:

singlecoil said:

If you really want to damn them, then the classic way to do that is with faint praise.

Whatever you say about them, say it in a calm and measured way. Calling them a pair of s, while undoubtedly true if we take your word for it, would reflect more badly on you than it would on them. Maybe something along the lines of "I prefer to work in a more orderly manner than is possible in an environment which includes them".

Absolutely this. There is 99% chance that whatever you write will be ignored but, depending on your seniority, you may be surprised. I had one company where the exit interview was carried out by telling me to phone a number and then answer a series of questions using touch-tone ("Are you leaving for more money, press 1 for year and 2 for no"). I.e. they didn't care at all. But another company gave me the form to fill in and then I had a two hour interview with the HR Director (and an admin). I know form colleagues there that they actually did correct some of the issues I raised.

But don't do a negative write up as it will come over as sour grapes. Do it as suggested above, by making back handed compliments and phrases with double meaning.

"I find it difficult to work in an environment where politics is more important than productive work"

etc.

Oh that's just brilliant!

I love that. Thanks