Ask Your Former Co-Workers for Feedback
Flip the exit interview on its head
Odds are, over the course of your professional life, you’re going to leave a lot of jobs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, most Americans hold more than a dozen during their career, moving on to a new position or company roughly every four years. For younger people, the wheel turns even faster; workers hold an average of five and a half jobs in the six years between ages 18 and 24.
All this job-hopping represents an opportunity: Some of the best — or at least the most honest — feedback on your performance can come when you’re on your way out, and asking for it is a smart way to ensure you’re performing even better in your next gig. But it’s not just your former boss you should be asking. “Some nasty bosses may be likely to withhold any positives and just focus on what they think you failed at,” says Aaron Halliday, PhD, an organizational psychologist based in Ontario. But ask your co-workers as well, and you may get a more complete picture. “Getting that 360-degree feedback is another way of making sure you’re getting more than one opinion, and it’s probably a more honest one,” Halliday adds.
Hearing their farewell feedback might help you perform better in your next position.
