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The utterly pointless "Exit Interview".

lonegunman762x51

MSgt USAF ret.
Full Member
Minuteman
Apr 8, 2011
2,499
9,027
Pacific Northwest
I am less than a year from retiring the 3rd time in my life. As I wandered around work, taking readings and logging data I was reflecting on the worthless but required "exit interview". I wondered why they bother? Honestly, in my more than 40 years of fulltime employment I have never, EVER worked for a company, agency or government that gave a crap about what a spent employee had to say. Complain about your boss, they do not care, they frigging hired the idiot. Co workers?, They do not care, they hired those idiots too. Work policies or procedures, they do not care they wrote that crap to limit their own liability if you get killed or injured. Safety or cleanliness of the facilities? They certainly do not give two craps about that and they care even less about worker safety. Corruption, nepotism, workplace theft or time card cheats?............................................maybe. Because that might cost them money.

While it was not a retirement, I left active duty after a decade to join the National Guard. My unit had had three commanders in 6 months because of "downsizing and reorganization". I had to work until the day before I out-processed because we were so short handed. My boss had stopped me in the hallway and invited me into a meeting with the commander, 1st shirt and some of the unit officers. They asked me to attend the base commanders meeting to try and address the horrible morale and treatment of lower enlisted. I was an E-5 at the time. I politely declined and asked why? I reminded them I was departing in a few days and my morale was no longer an issue anyone should care about. The commander excitedly declared, "EXACTLY!" I gave a quizzical look. He said, "You can tell the truth without fear of retribution from the leadership. You would be doing the guys a huge favor. They cannot say what it going wrong because of what we will do to them........................you can.":oops::unsure: The next week, I had to collect the last signature on my out-processing check list from a Major who had to idea who I was, he signed and said, "Thanks for coming out". I smiled an replied, "I came out for a decade btw." He just gave me an odd smile and sat there looking confused.

When I retired from the National Guard, my commander went room to room warning people to not speak to me. He claimed I was writing an IG complaint outlining the corrupt promotions, thieving and favoritism that was rampant in our unit. He was especially worried because for a female to make E-7 she was required to fuck him and this was a well known fact. He had hired call girls to come to his hotel room on one deployment. He was well known for his whoring, lying and cheating.

I had once stopped a simulated terrorist attack during a huge readiness inspection by exiting his bullshit meeting when I saw the simulated terrorists running towards the building. I simulated killed all four of them and made the inspectors day. I actually got an IG Outstanding Performer award and a big thank you.....................................from everyone but him. He accused me of being out there shooting bad guys because I was ditching his meeting and he called me foul names and cursed me like a 5'6" piece of shit LTC usually does. I wasn't polite back and told him that when he got home later, he better look up and thank fucking God I didn't have live ammo today. Ours was a relationship of mutual distain. I was very good at my job and he was very jealous of anyone over 6 feet tall and especially envied anyone who was good at their job, because he truly sucked at his job.

In the end, I had my buddies mail me the plaque, MSM and certificates of who gives a fuck because I really could have cared less. My exit form was brief. I said, "Promotions were rigged, the commander was a lecherous piece of garbage who demands sex from women to promote them, he uses his govt travel card to buy hookers and lacks any ability to lead." They promoted him to full Colonel less than a year later. Less than a year after that, he fired his secretary when she went on vacation and replaced her with a Waffle House waitress he was fucking. Civil Service and union rules prohibit firing people for refusing to have sex with their boss, this made for an awesome IG complaint and a great story on the local news. He "retired" shortly afterwards and his wife took 1/2 of his shit and moved on.

Six years ago, I retired from a municipal job after 20 years of it. I took this job in the mid-1990's after studying the pension plan. It paid 25% less than a comparable job elsewhere but once you had five years you were vested in the pension and once you were 50 years old, you could retire with a pension for life. The value in this job was the pension. I worked over 20 years and then started hunting for a new job to work while I double dipped. My old boss was at a different operation and instead of offering to be my reference, he offered me a chance to work for him again. I left my drunkard boss and moved on with two weeks notice and no retirement party. They asked my to come in for an "exit interview" I simply said, Why?" They insisted and I wasted an hour having this chat.

My current boss was a full blown alcoholic who had a 290 pounder for a girlfriend and he screwed this fatso in his office once or twice a week. She worked in a different location and came over for "lunch". His office stank of old booze and the worst tuna fish sandwich EVER. When they screwed her bulbous head banged off the wall and you could hear it in my office. It was as if he wrestled a greased pig in there. He missed meetings and important phone calls because he was blowing chowder in his favorite clam and always got pissed about it. "Why didn't you knock or let me know they were here???" I replied, "Really! Do you really want me to walk people into your office while you screw your girlfriend???" He got pissed and said, "You know I AM YOUR BOSS!!!!! You cannot say that!!!" I replied, "You know who's office is on the other side of that wall your chicks head bands against????" It got very, very quiet.

For my "exit interview" I pointed out for the 1,2 and 3 guys in the department and some front office HR lady, that I had no idea what my bosses work schedule was after almost two years. They looked chagrined to say the least. I told them he comes in by noon on Monday, before 10am on Tuesday and Wednesday and for a couple of random hours on Thursday, he takes lunch from 10a-230p daily and is gone by 3pm most days. He stinks of booze and screws a plumper in his office once or twice a week then goes to sleep for an hour to two when she leaves. A year after I retired they made him the department head.

A year after that they still could not figure out his work schedule. He held screaming meetings where he demanded to be obeyed because "I AM IN-Charge!!". He still nailed the plumper in his office once in a while but usually he let her blow him in the parking lot in the new BMW he bought with his promotion cash. He was fired unceremoniously one Thursday after yelling at the lesbians from Environmental Plans when they showed up to demand to be included in departmental projects and plans because they wanted to save the earth. He refused while hungover and it went poorly.

Well, the time is rapidly approaching for another departure, my last one if my plans work out correctly. This one is tough because of the covid. Apparently, every office type still "works from home" to avoid the common cold and has no intention of coming in, especially if it was to help an employee retire. My next door neighbor retired a few months ago, he had to do it online and thru Zoom meetings. His paperwork is so screwed up that he might have to reapply for his job ands try again next year. I had six questions on the benefits I am interested in retaining once retired, I've asked them and no one will reply in writing. They have all said, "Can we have a Zoom Meeting?" I told them I would record the meeting on my Go-Pro so that we have a record of it and now that is impossible as well. No one wants to get caught helping or making statements.

The woman I spoke too, did say there is a required exit interview with my bosses, boss. And a list of questions to answer before leaving the organization. I asked why? She said, "well during your exit interview you will be given a chance to speak freely about what goes on here that you think needs addressed". Again, I asked, "Why?"
 
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When I was younger, a older wiser friend told me that you smile, and write your letter to read " I am only leaving because of an exceptional opportunity at another company and I have valued my time here at company xyz" - no matter what you think, or want to say they are not going to be using your feedback to fix things... and you never know when you are going to run into that boss, or bosses boss or friend of that boss again.. It has been advice that has served me well.
 
Maybe they're sincere this time. I know small companies that genuinely listen to their staff because they want to retain people.

Specialized skills are not like minimum wage jobs where you can hire anyone to stand in a drive through and ask if you'd like fries with that. Once you lose that employee, replacing them can be a nightmare. Better to retain at a higher price than to retrain or have to rehire when the next few can't do the job.
 
When I was younger, a older wiser friend told me that you smile, and write your letter to read " I am only leaving because of an exceptional opportunity at another company and I have valued my time here at company xyz" - no matter what you think, or want to say they are not going to be using your feedback to fix things... and you never know when you are going to run into that boss, or bosses boss or friend of that boss again.. It has been advice that has served me well.
You sound young and not retiring for the 3rd time. Great advice for that.

though OP sound like there is NO incentive to do what they want
 
I have about 300 people that report to me globally. Every time one leaves all the mgmt reviews the exit interview report. It’s important. We act on it. It’s really hard to find good people and it takes 6 mo to a year before they’re really productive. Turnover sucks and costs a lot of money.

That said, if you just whine for an hour about 100 different things, maybe 1-3 comments will make it to senior mgmt and one of those might be “he’s a whiny cunt”. So focus your comments on the one or two reasons you left and what would have caused you to stay.
 
The telco that I retired from 18 years ago did not and still does not do any exit interviews. Management knows better than any person who worked in the trenches for 35 years.
So be it.
 
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I have about 300 people that report to me globally. Every time one leaves all the mgmt reviews the exit interview report. It’s important. We act on it. It’s really hard to find good people and it takes 6 mo to a year before they’re really productive. Turnover sucks and costs a lot of money.

That said, if you just whine for an hour about 100 different things, maybe 1-3 comments will make it to senior mgmt and one of those might be “he’s a whiny cunt”. So focus your comments on the one or two reasons you left and what would have caused you to stay.


I gave 1-4 comments every time.
 
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Yeah...I retired in January of this year (rage quit over The Covid Scenario) having 49 years of verifiable field service experience. Up until 2000 I had maybe 3 different jobs the culmination being 20 years owning/operating my own Consumer Electronics Service Center. Since 2020, the final 22 years of my Working Life, I have had 10 jobs. 4 of them since 2015...literally changed jobs 3X in one year (2017) and my perspective is that all of the prior job etiquette, like exit interviews, is long, long gone.

All of my exit/resignation letters were exactly 3 sentences - This is my letter of resignation. I have been offered, and have accepted, a position with XYZ/123 Company which begins on April X. April W ill be my last Day in your employ. Sincerely.

The entire work ethic and terms and conditions/normals established in the20th century is no longer in place nor valid - no one checks references, they don't read your resume, they don't give a fuck about anything but verifiable work experience (the more the better) in your field of expertise. They don't call personal references, your past/current employer. A seasoned pro with proper LinkedIn page and documented work history can go anywhere they want now at will.

Most employers I have interviewed with since 2015 will do/say/lie about anything to get qualified techs/professionals on their payroll even if it's for a few weeks until you discover they suck as bad as the place you just bounced out of. 2 week notice? Last place I gave two weeks notice to shoved me out the door the day after my Dear John letter It's every man for himself now.

VooDoo
 
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Hahahaha. An employer cares and wants you to stay. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

You’re a widget. Totally disposable NO MATTER WHAT you are supposedly an expert at. If they had any interest in what you thought they would have asked when you were employed. I have no idea why the want an exit interview…I always assumed it was some HR circle jerk they needed to justify their HR department.

Also, I think you need to have the spine to tell them what is up when you leave. The letter can be boilerplate “exceptional opportunity…” bullshit but if they ask, in an interview or otherwise, I tell them exactly what the problem is.

And in my industry, references are legally required to be collected and checked. Your current and past employers often know you’ve applied somewhere else LONG before you might want them to as they get a formal records request from the new place pretty early in the process.
 
Most of the time exit interviews are worthless. They are content with their piss poor management and nothing you say will change that. Almost every job I've had in the last 10 years had a horrible turnover rate mainly due to management. They want yes men in that position instead of someone that might actually have good ideas and improve on the way things are done.
 
Virtually all o the places I was employed since 2020 have utterly lost the "Team" concept - the people who actually are doing the work are the valuable ones. But we were all treated as if we were "lucky" to have a job - most of my bosses had literally no clue how to actually do the job - they were bean counters working thru a System where everyone was expendable.

So we all repeatedly expended ourselves and fucked them shitless because they would not treat us as valuable/critical or pay us accordingly. It's happening across America in droves right now. There is more need for good workers than ther are good workers. There is no need to cooperate with exit interviews or any bullshit protocol that Bosses think we owe them. I told every one of my former employers exactly what the beef was for months/years before I left them standing with thier mouths open - I told them flat out I'd leave them standing in a parking lot if they din't wise up. and they din't and I did.

No exit interviews needed. They didn't listen or care when I told them I was not amused so they don't get an exit interview after the fact. They didn't deserve unlimited warnings and then an explanation they had already ignored.

VooDoo
 
My last exit interview I really spelled everything out to them about how stupidly things are handled there, which resulted in the firing of the people in management directly above me, and an offer letter for one of their positions. Apparently some companies do in fact value what somebody that’s leaving has to say.

I didn’t take the position offered me because I was already mentally “done” with dealing with that organization.

Edit after reading the last few posts: Exit interview was not handled by any of my immediate supervisors.
 
I’d make the committing come, and not show up. Show them what a waste of time it was, and what you really think about them one last time. Like others have said, if your opinion mattered, they would have sought it while you were actively working.
 
Only one side can benefit from an exit interview, and it’s certainly not the interviewee. HR only cares why they have to recruit another employee and if they are about to go through a lawsuit. Telegraph nothing and always decline the interview, unless it’s in your employment contract to go through one it is never a requirement.
 
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"The woman I spoke too, did say there is a required exit interview with my bosses, boss."

Required? Yeah, IF I'm in the fucking mood I MIGHT decide to have a conversation about my departure. MIGHT.
 
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My last employer wanted an exit interview. I politely stated everything that I need to say was contained in my resignation letter(googled a generic one). They told me it was required, to which I replied what are you gonna do fire me.... An exit interview can not help you, no reason to do them.
 
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Here’s the best rule for exit interviews: Care as much about improving the company you’re leaving as they cared about you during your employment with them.

In my experience (both scheduled and exempt), they are very little more than a HR check box with zero relevancy otherwise.
Go ahead and do the interview, just don’t be delusional and think they’ll take any of your suggestions seriously.

Low expectations, low disappointment.
 
"Here's another hoop we demand you jump thru to please and appease us, Wage Slave. Pray tell us, oh lowly and disrespectful one, why you slap your Masters Face?"

VooDoo
 
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Just walk into the exit interview like you on the place. Sit down. Pull out a cigar and light it. And ask what is it you want to know.

Then put your feet up on the desk making sure that you were wearing crocs.

It won’t get you anywhere but it’ll be a hell of a good story. Cheers
There's zero to gain from that, and little to plenty to lose depending on the field/industry. I had a co-worker who got an "exit interview comment" in the middle of the chow hall from a terminated employee whipping out his dick and telling his now ex boss to suck his dick, that fella missed being a eunuch by about two inches when the response was a Spyderco coming at his junk.

Short of divorce and getting rid of lib friends and family members, burning bridges is never wise. People talk or give references, many industries are small and tight knit in their communities, too many friends and family members to spread the word about what some knucklehead did on his way out the door. Government contracting is even worse, the black list is real and well populated of people who will NEVER achieve employment on any .gov/.mil contract or employment (not that that's really a bad thing anymore).

Point being, there's a huge difference between HR's "mandatory" and court of law's "mandatory". An HR department can say it's mandatory all they want, but if it isn't in your employment contract, it isn't mandatory. If you care to humor them and just get it over with, every single response should be "No comment". Not a 3 on a 1-5 scale, not a single yes/no/neutral, simply "no comment". Feel the need to rat out co-workers and/or bosses for illegal/unethical/incompetent actions? Should have done that when you became aware of them. Saying them on the way out the door without coinciding with a connected lawsuit lends zero credibility to your accusations, instead doing more to make you look bad than them. Otherwise, if you're leaving for another outfit and they are now your competitor, why in the hell would you want to help them in any way whatsoever? The only way I would help any of my former co-workers is by trying to poach them away from that firm, otherwise they're on their own.

Short of getting a counter offer from HR to stay on or if you're retiring after a long and happy career with a employer and you genuinely give a shit, there is absolutely zero/zip/nada for the leaving employee to gain from an exit interview.
 
Almost all employers I’ve had don’t even give a fuck about their useful employees. Soon to be ex employees are worth even less. Don’t get mad, just fuck off. Nothing to be gained by pretending anyone gives a fuck what you think. The managers that say real and useful things are done with critical comments from exit interviews; I suppose it is possible, but I’ve never seen it. Mostly managers talk about what they do like it’s good for someone else, when in reality they only do anything thats good for them.
 
Almost all employers I’ve had don’t even give a fuck about their useful employees. Soon to be ex employees are worth even less. Don’t get mad, just fuck off. Nothing to be gained by pretending anyone gives a fuck what you think. The managers that say real and useful things are done with critical comments from exit interviews; I suppose it is possible, but I’ve never seen it. Mostly managers talk about what they do like it’s good for someone else, when in reality they only do anything thats good for them.
This is also a sad reality that most working people face. With that said, I just got a $10,000 raise so at least some are trying to do things better.
 
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An exit interview can most certainly have a positive effect on those still in the employment of a company you are leaving.

Going on 12 or so years ago, we had a person leave our team. While staying in the industry, she wasn't going to the competition, so it was a pretty amicable separation. Around the same time, some cost cutting efforts had made a negative impact on the company break room. (The company provided food- in an effort to keep people from leaving for lunch, and to entice them to stay late.) One of the 'fan favorite' food items had been axed by the cost cutting efforts.

HR couldn't do anything about executive hires. They couldn't address wages below the industry average. They couldn't do anything regarding any of the questions that they asked. Save one. "Do have any suggestions...?" HR may have been nearly powerless, but by God, they could bring back the "Chicken Bakes..."

So, don't discount the effect you can have on your former fellow co-workers...
 
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Retiring 3x! I’m impressed. Best to say a small piece and move on and enjoy retirement. They can, and some will, do stupid shit, like withhold your benefits and so on, if you don’t check all their boxes. Enjoy it sir. I have at least 23 more years before I can even think about retirement.
One thought that just popped into my little pea brain;

As a recent retiree and looking back just a little, don’t look forward to retirement as a goal/destination (but, make all moves necessary to financially set yourself up).

Rather, your goals should be to derive as much pleasure/satisfaction in your job now, on your way to retirement.

Truth be told, I’d rather still be doing the job that I had, but management was so terrible that I had to finally walk away.

Would I go back to work? Yeah, on a very selective basis and strictly on my terms. Those terms would probably be so strict that no one would want me. And, that’s OK too….
 
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Plead the 5th

"On the advice of counsel, I invoke my fifth amendment privilege against self-incrimination and respectfully decline to answer your question."
 
A woman I know, essentially an upper level supervisor in a professional school, quit because of the backstabbing evil president and his six evil cronies who worked as a team. She telephoned the head of the governing board of the school, and told them the truth. They fired the 30 year president of the school, and all but one of his backstabbing, lying cronies. The one that survived did so only because she was an excellent liar.

So in this case, an informal exit interview worked wonders. I agree with comment above, about narrowing down your exit complaints to three or four, and there is a moderate chance they will make some changes eventually. I would do it for the co-workers, if not for the company in general.
 
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One thought that just popped into my little pea brain;

As a recent retiree and looking back just a little, don’t look forward to retirement as a goal/destination (but, make all moves necessary to financially set yourself up).

Rather, your goals should be to derive as much pleasure/satisfaction in your job now, on your way to retirement.

Truth be told, I’d rather be doing the job that I had, but management was so terrible that I had to finally walk away.

Would I go back to work? Yeah, on a very selective basis and strictly on my terms. Those terms would probably be so strict that no one would want me. And, that’s OK too….

Retirement just means I do what I want when I want to do it and never need to take vacation. Retirement was a goal someday in the future and now it just happens to be danger close, so I can reflect a little. I enjoy some parts of my job a lot and it is kind of a shame that I cannot download about 20 years of knowledge onto a thumb drive and hand it off to a younger guy.

One of my initial plans involves helping some guys restore a couple of WWII airplanes to flying status. I'm looking forward to spending my time doing things I enjoy for little or no pay.
 
I have about 300 people that report to me globally. Every time one leaves all the mgmt reviews the exit interview report. It’s important. We act on it. It’s really hard to find good people and it takes 6 mo to a year before they’re really productive. Turnover sucks and costs a lot of money.

That said, if you just whine for an hour about 100 different things, maybe 1-3 comments will make it to senior mgmt and one of those might be “he’s a whiny cunt”. So focus your comments on the one or two reasons you left and what would have caused you to stay.

I was going to say the same thing.

The OP sounds like a real shit show in my opinion. Lots and lots of complaints about the leaders in his org who victimize him which makes me think he needs to look in the mirror.

I see nothing about bringing value to the organization and supporting his peers and a lot about how he has manipulated the system to get pensions.
 
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I was "retired" from the military 21 years ago.

I sent no less than 10 letters to those that might have been interested in my thoughts.

One of those letters went to a two star general (lower case intentional).

From that I did receive a message on my answering machine from the inspector general (again lower case intentional). His message - " . . . just received your letter in the mail and find it quite disturbing. If you could please give me a call . . . ".

Yes, I recorded it and just finished listening to it to make sure I got the quote accurate. I did NOT return the call.

I framed the letter I wrote and it still hangs on the wall in my Shop - 21 years later. It is interesting watching people stand and read it.

Shortly after my retirement I received a call from higher headquarters. They were wanting me to create a retirement gift for the retiring sergeant major (are you noticing a theme here?). I was known for doing this sort of thing and even had one of my projects sent to the Pentagon. Anyway, I got great enjoyment telling them that I did not work for them any longer.

Burning bridges has kept me warm on the cold nights all of these years. :D
 
I simply tell them, "No." and leave. My resignation letter or my termination letter is my exit interview. Just because someone says it's required doesn't mean that it actually is. The only things required of me are to stay white and eventually die. Everything else is a choice I get to make. The minute one of us hands the other a bye bye letter, it's bye bye. Besides, when I leave a place it's because they don't need me anymore no matter which one of us decided it was time for me to go. A couple times HR or my direct management has gotten froggy about it but each I told them to mail me my check and just walked the hell right on out. Once I've worked at a place, it's very rare for them to need anything like my services again.
 
This is also a sad reality that most working people face. With that said, I just got a $10,000 raise so at least some are trying to do things better.
That's because if they have a brain in their head they are scared. Slowly but surely the latest Covid Debacle has shown employers that there is an *extreme* dearth of turn key productive employees. Think yer top enders/best employees owe you? Good luck replacing them because they are quitting in droves for more money and better options.

Good on ya for having the ethic that they are trying to take care of you so you will try and do the best for them you can. Shit's gonna change (it is changing fast) and employers that embrace the old tried and true "yer lucky to have a job!!!" are fucked and soon to be fucked shitless. 20 years in the making - high time valuable workers get treated and paid as such. If they don't it's time to move along where a good and profitable employee gets a square deal and respect as well as pay.

My last year, my employer came to me and gave me a modest raise based on the fact that my Field Service Specialist classification made them a million dollars. Literally, my position and performance make them a million dollars supporting their highest level clients at the highest level of performance they could define. I got a $2K a year raise and in my off time (because it literally takes me an hour to do what it takes others a whole day or two) they wanted and expected/forced a 66 YO field service engineer to carry ladders and set up scaffold, pull wire and work odd hours because I had finished my field service duties and was now a Bitch to be commanded to crawl on my knees and bust holes in concrete.

Fuck Ya'll. I'm out and thrilled every day. Anyone who can move and find a better position should do so. Everyone is looking for good people. If you are one you should be jumping ship.

VooDoo
 
images.jpg

no one really ever cares , except when you start your own company and directly compete with your old company and take there business away .
 
That's because if they have a brain in their head they are scared. Slowly but surely the latest Covid Debacle has shown employers that there is an *extreme* dearth of turn key productive employees. Think yer top enders/best employees owe you? Good luck replacing them because they are quitting in droves for more money and better options.

Good on ya for having the ethic that they are trying to take care of you so you will try and do the best for them you can. Shit's gonna change (it is changing fast) and employers that embrace the old tried and true "yer lucky to have a job!!!" are fucked and soon to be fucked shitless. 20 years in the making - high time valuable workers get treated and paid as such. If they don't it's time to move along where a good and profitable employee gets a square deal and respect as well as pay.

My last year, my employer came to me and gave me a modest raise based on the fact that my Field Service Specialist classification made them a million dollars. Literally, my position and performance make them a million dollars supporting their highest level clients at the highest level of performance they could define. I got a $2K a year raise and in my off time (because it literally takes me an hour to do what it takes others a whole day or two) they wanted and expected/forced a 66 YO field service engineer to carry ladders and set up scaffold, pull wire and work odd hours because I had finished my field service duties and was now a Bitch to be commanded to crawl on my knees and bust holes in concrete.

Fuck Ya'll. I'm out and thrilled every day. Anyone who can move and find a better position should do so. Everyone is looking for good people. If you are one you should be jumping ship.

VooDoo
Always good to keep options on the table.
 
In my experience (both scheduled and exempt), they are very little more than a HR check box with zero relevancy otherwise.

There are a couple of very good reasons to give exiting employees a chance to vent, understanding workplace issues from someone who felt strongly enough to leave, and look proactlively at cases who are pissed enough to act.

I’ve managed a lot of people in 40 years and HR did get some valuable feedback we otherwise wouldn’t have received, but generally take with a grain of salt:

Feedback on working conditions, other employees. Most don’t really trash their coworkers. Two stand out:

Rage expressed towards a supervisor including a wish for payback - One turned out to later be a stalker of that female who recommended his termination. 2+2 = rapid ID of the guy, caught outside her home.

An “oh by the way Bob is stealing you blind….” he marked finished products as defective / trash then picked them that evening after work from the dumpster and sell them online. A nice little scam for a $5K radio, most every week.

Finally you’re being assessed towards your “re-hirability”. You might think your rehireable since you gave 2 weeks notice, and technically you are, but you could earn a little x on your personnel file, which means no way in hell to those in the hiring department.
 
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Unless you are retiring never to return to that industry, odds are that you will be seeing your former co-workers again. This is something to bear in mind when making your exit.
 
I was going to say the same thing.

The OP sounds like a real shit show in my opinion. Lots and lots of complaints about the leaders in his org who victimize him which makes me think he needs to look in the mirror.

I see nothing about bringing value to the organization and supporting his peers and a lot about how he has manipulated the system to get pensions.
Snide comments from an old loser. You sound like an ass kissing piece of shit.

I batted 100% job offers from job interviews in my chosen profession. Top that bitch.

I chose my jobs well. How does that amount to " manipulated the system"? Share that fucktard loser logic with the rest of us. I don't like drunks or guys who fuck fat girls at work. You support unprofessional behavior in your superiors just proves you are an ass kissing loser.

I'm a value add every time I walk thru the door, something I'm positive no one ever said about you. You are literally just another loser who never climbed off the bottom rung. You are a stain.
 
There are a couple of very good reasons to give exiting employees a chance to vent, understanding workplace issues from someone who felt strongly enough to leave, and look proactlively at cases who are pissed enough to act.

I’ve managed a lot of people in 40 years and HR did get some valuable feedback we otherwise wouldn’t have received, but generally take with a grain of salt:

Feedback on working conditions, other employees. Most don’t really trash their coworkers. Two stand out:

Rage expressed towards a supervisor including a wish for payback - One turned out to later be a stalker of that female who recommended his termination. 2+2 = rapid ID of the guy, caught outside her home.

An “oh by the way Bob is stealing you blind….” he marked finished products as defective / trash then picked them that evening after work from the dumpster and sell them online. A nice little scam for a $5K radio, most every week.

Finally you’re being assessed towards your “re-hirability”. You might think your rehireable since you gave 2 weeks notice, and technically you are, but you could earn a little x on your personnel file, which means no way in hell to those in the hiring department.
The commander excitedly declared, "EXACTLY!" I gave a quizzical look. He said, "You can tell the truth without fear of retribution from the leadership. You would be doing the guys a huge favor. They cannot say what it going wrong because of what we will do to them........................you can.
 
There are a couple of very good reasons to give exiting employees a chance to vent, understanding workplace issues from someone who felt strongly enough to leave, and look proactlively at cases who are pissed enough to act.

I’ve managed a lot of people in 40 years and HR did get some valuable feedback we otherwise wouldn’t have received, but generally take with a grain of salt:

Feedback on working conditions, other employees. Most don’t really trash their coworkers. Two stand out:

Rage expressed towards a supervisor including a wish for payback - One turned out to later be a stalker of that female who recommended his termination. 2+2 = rapid ID of the guy, caught outside her home.

An “oh by the way Bob is stealing you blind….” he marked finished products as defective / trash then picked them that evening after work from the dumpster and sell them online. A nice little scam for a $5K radio, most every week.

Finally you’re being assessed towards your “re-hirability”. You might think your rehireable since you gave 2 weeks notice, and technically you are, but you could earn a little x on your personnel file, which means no way in hell to those in the hiring department.
All those benefits are purely for the company, and none for the departing employee. Hence why I say the most that should ever be given is “no comment” and nothing more.

If HR and management really want to know what’s happening in the ranks and desires to make improvements to morale and production, all they have to do is get out of their offices, go to their employees and ask and listen.

Mind blowing concept these days, because that is entirely rare to see. I see my manager once a year at our annual training meeting for all of 30 minutes, and see zero above his level. I’ve spoken with HR once in four years and only because they were investigating someone.
 
All those benefits are purely for the company, and none for the departing employee. Hence why I say the most that should ever be given is “no comment” and nothing more.

If HR and management really want to know what’s happening in the ranks and desires to make improvements to morale and production, all they have to do is get out of their offices, go to their employees and ask and listen.

Mind blowing concept these days, because that is entirely rare to see. I see my manager once a year at our annual training meeting for all of 30 minutes, and see zero above his level. I’ve spoken with HR once in four years and only because they were investigating someone.
I gave my exit interview to benefit the fellow employees I left behind.... or at least the ones I liked anyway.
 
One of the jobs I had in 2017 - after about 3 months of employment I realized they had no intention of honoring to our agreement. My company supplied vehicle was removed because I would not work off the clock which they told me was a requirement for those with company vehicles. Since it was considered a perk, they wanted free work to pay for it. Sorry. I don't work off the clock. The job duties became shit I told them at my interview (they solicited me...) that I was not interested in doing full time - hauling cable, moving/climbing ladders, pulling cable , drilling holes in concrete, mounting heavy equipment - I'm a 66 YO Electronics Engineer with 40+ years of Field Service Specialist (verifiable) and I already did decades in the Installation and Construction aspects of the industry. I didn't work 3 jobs in the 70's to pay my way thru College in Electronic Engineering to end up being 60+ YO and still pulling fucking cable and working off the clock.

We had discussions behind closed doors and at meetings - I told them that we had all agreed at my interview that if they persisted in requiring the things they were asking for I'd just find another job....I already had offers sitting on the table. They advised me that if I left I'd better mind my mouth if I ever intended to return.

I told them if I intended to ever return I'd not quit in the first place but try again to fix it. The following Monday I sent my two weeks notice - they sent me home on Wednesday. During the following 5 years working for their competition (and beating their brains out) I kept in touch with all of my former coworkers, many of whom jumped ship and followed me to The Competition *or* played my tack and forced the company to stop working them off the clock and withholding use of company vehicles for those who refused to do that.

It may be different in different industries but my perspective is that 90% of employees will do "whatever they are told" to keep their jobs even if it is against their interest. The American Ethic has given Way to employers that abuse at will and that's gonna change/is changing right now. Younger workers have options and are not bound by the past lost Ethic - Employers are gonna have to up their games and play fair if they want to keep employees going forward.

VooDoo
 
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I guess I’m one of the lucky few. I’m 60 years old, and, not counting the amusement park when I was 17, ive had three jobs in my life. One of them sucked for way too long. No exit interview when I quit. Second, I was laid off because of sales slowing down. No exit interview when I left. I’m still employed at my third, and looking forward to retirement soon. I know when that time comes, I will not have an exit interview.
 
If you want to read a pretty good exit interview, 'About Face' from Col Hackworth is interesting. Although I can't say that what was written had much effect on the military industrial complex.
 
I just interviewed and will start a new job soon. We'll see if the present company gives a damn for what I was doing for them. Probably not.
 
I did one exit interview. fresh out of college I turn in my 2 week notice for a large chemical company that I co-opted into a full hire position. I stayed on extra time as they were in a bad spot labor wise. My superior was a prick but he never fucked with me. Anyways I drive 45 min to do this thing. My boss is visibly pissed off of the timing of it all. He tells me I am nonrehirable. Fresh out of college and my first job in the field has screwed up my resume. So now my level of pissed off is higher than his. It was very toxic and have refused them ever since. i Have a small business now and don’t do them.