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Leaving job - New person wanting my mobile number to ask questions when I'm gone.

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  • born_again
    born_again Posts: 20,377 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Fifth Anniversary Name Dropper
    If you do not want to offend trainee. Provide number. Once you leave block their number.
    Life in the slow lane
  • FlorayG
    FlorayG Posts: 2,208 Forumite
    Seventh Anniversary 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    If you do not want to offend trainee. Provide number. Once you leave block their number.
    So you think it's OK to offend someone AFTER you leave?
  • AinsleyFatCat
    AinsleyFatCat Posts: 28 Forumite
    Seventh Anniversary 10 Posts Combo Breaker
    Thanks for all the comments so far. I don't feel so bad now. I think that it will be best to be straight up with them.
    Are you moving to a new job? If not, then seriously consider putting a consultancy proposal to your old employer. I'd package it a x hours per month, at £y per hour, for 3-4 months, on a "use it or lose it" basis. Then you still get paid even if the hours are not utilised. 
    It's not that kind of job,but in any case, I just want to shut the door on it completely.
  • Emmia
    Emmia Posts: 5,628 Forumite
    Fifth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Thanks for all the comments so far. I don't feel so bad now. I think that it will be best to be straight up with them.
    Are you moving to a new job? If not, then seriously consider putting a consultancy proposal to your old employer. I'd package it a x hours per month, at £y per hour, for 3-4 months, on a "use it or lose it" basis. Then you still get paid even if the hours are not utilised. 
    It's not that kind of job,but in any case, I just want to shut the door on it completely.
    In which case your answer is "I'm sorry, but as I'm leaving it wouldn't be appropriate for me to provide advice on what will be your job after I'm gone. Because of this I don't feel that I can share my personal number."

    I've moved internally a few years ago, and had lots  of  questions from my successor - in that case because I still worked at the employer I gave the replacement advice and answered queries for 3 weeks, after that I just said "I'm sorry but the job is yours to do, I have a job I must do, and I don't have time to keep advising you".
  • DullGreyGuy
    DullGreyGuy Posts: 18,613 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    Thanks for all the comments so far. I don't feel so bad now. I think that it will be best to be straight up with them.
    Are you moving to a new job? If not, then seriously consider putting a consultancy proposal to your old employer. I'd package it a x hours per month, at £y per hour, for 3-4 months, on a "use it or lose it" basis. Then you still get paid even if the hours are not utilised. 
    It's not that kind of job,but in any case, I just want to shut the door on it completely.
    Based on your original post I'd have gone about it slightly differently, wouldnt have given the new recruit my number but would have offered it to a manager so that I became a second line referral not first. Firstly, I'd hope a manager to be less likely to call an ex colleague with a problem than a new recruit and secondly I'd be happy for it to be known that I'm being helpful etc so I am still in mind if new opportunities appear in the future. 

    My situation is slightly different because I do operate as a freelancer so have commercial rates and contracts in place not that I'd be looking to bill for a 5 minute phone call but does mean I move around more and keeping on good terms with clients is an important thing if you want future work from them. 

    I've done it may times over the last 20 years and can only recall 2-3 times when anyone has actually contacted me for help and the offer of new jobs has even at least double that. 

    On the basis you want to burn bridges with them and wouldn't be interested in coming back in the future then just say no. 
  • Wyndham
    Wyndham Posts: 2,615 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    If you did give your number, and you then gave advice on how to do something, you could be setting yourself up for problems. A month or two down the line several things may have changed in the firm that you wouldn't know about. Your advice could be out of date, incorrect or potentially grounds for legal action!

    I would politely decline. Or maybe leave my number with the manager if I was so inclined - but if I didn't trust them then I wouldn't even do that.
  • MeteredOut
    MeteredOut Posts: 3,050 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    edited 23 April at 2:31PM
    OP, it depends on the job and whether anything you say could lead to issues at work, but a common get-out is "I wouldn't be insured if the advice I gave led to an issue and wouldn't be protected as an employee, so sorry I can't"

    Or you could give your phone number if they want to stay friends, but make it clear that you won't be answering any work related questions. Probability is they'll never phone, but it'll avoided a potentially awkward situation.
  • TELLIT01
    TELLIT01 Posts: 17,986 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper PPI Party Pooper
    Absolutely no reason to provide a free advise service to a previous employer, which is what the OP would actually be doing.  It's that employer's fault if they no longer have anybody with the required knowledge.
  • sonofmerton
    sonofmerton Posts: 85 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Imagine if a process has changed since you left. You tell them how to do something...it goes up the spout but 'AinsleyFatCat' told me to'.  Steer clear. I've been there. It happened to me. 
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