Should you lie in your exit interview?
A TikTok video posted by user @patrick_toner on May 8, which has accumulated over 288,800 views, explores that question. The creator encourages his audience to lie during their exit interviews if they are leaving a job they didn’t like.
In the video, he suggests that when HR conducts an exit interview, individuals should express appreciation for the company and its management, regardless of their true sentiments. He encourages viewers to compliment the company’s practices, bosses, and processes, even if they had negative experiences, so as to not “help them” fix their problems.
@patrick_toner Always do an exit interview if you’re leaving a company that sucks #corporate #hr #exitinterview #software #comedy ♬ original sound – Patrick
“The HR people are gonna want to sit down with you and ask you ‘what went wrong, what could we have done better,’ and sit down with them, look them in the eye, and tell them everything they’re doing is great.” Patrick says in the video.
“Keep up the great work, keep the bosses, the same people in place, keep the same processes in place. I loved it here! I loved it!” he exclaims sarcastically.
According to the TikToker, as he explains in a follow-up TikTok, complaining about the company is “providing useful information to them” and “it would be funnier to let them think the business is good.”
“Why do you want to help them now, f*ck them!” he concludes.
The video received a mixed reaction, sparking a debate in the comment section.
“Don’t do it. Just leave. It’s tempting to vent but never going to [be] professionally helpful,” one commenter wrote.
“It does not matter what you say in an exit interview. They are going to put a corporate spin on it no matter what,” a second commenter remarked.
“The person that conducted mine was my HRBP. I spelled out every time she let me down straight to her. It was very cathartic,” a third commenter said.
“I understand where you’re coming from, but if we could make it better for other ppl, why wouldn’t we?” another commenter questioned.
The Daily Dot has reached out to the creator via TikTok comment.
