A professional who spent more than four years with their previous organisation has shared an account online describing how a job transition collapsed shortly after they disclosed the identity of their next employer during a resignation discussion.
The account, posted on the social platform Reddit, has sparked debate among users about how much information employees should disclose when leaving a job, particularly when discussing their next career move with managers.
According to the individual, the situation unfolded after they decided to leave their organisation following several years in the role.
“I worked at my previous company for 4.5+ years. Most of it was fine, but towards the end I felt the respect and recognition were missing, and my pay had fallen behind the market. So I started looking,” the person wrote.
The employee explained that they secured an offer from another firm and formally resigned. During discussions surrounding their departure, they disclosed the name of the company they intended to join to a senior manager above their direct supervisor.
“I got an offer and resigned. During the discussion I made the mistake of telling my skip-level boss which company I was joining,” the post stated.
According to the account, the manager responded by warning the employee against accepting the position, claiming that an understanding existed between the two companies preventing them from hiring each other’s staff.
“He said there was a ‘no-poach agreement’ and asked me not to join,” the individual wrote.
Seeking clarification, the employee said they reached out to the leadership of the new company to verify the claim.
“I checked with the CEO of the new company and was told it didn’t apply,” they explained.
However, the situation took an unexpected turn shortly afterwards. The worker said the offer was withdrawn only a few days later, without any formal explanation.
“A few days later the offer was rescinded. No explanation, but the timing was pretty clear,” the person wrote.
Despite the setback, the employee chose not to retract their resignation from their existing job. They eventually secured another role, although it required relocating to a different city.
“I didn’t take my resignation back and eventually found another job, but it’s in Mumbai. After almost a decade in Gurgaon, the move is tough,” they said.
Reflecting on the episode, the individual expressed regret over sharing the information about their next workplace.
“I just wish I hadn’t told him where I was going. Lesson learned.”
The post drew significant reaction from other users on the platform, many of whom offered opinions on how employees should handle resignation conversations.
One commenter wrote, “Rookie mistake by an experienced individual. That’s new. But it happens. Also, all the best for Mumbai. You’re gonna need it, bud. Happy House Hunting.”
Another user said the story had left them uncertain about how to approach their own future job transition.
“I’m a fresher looking to switch in a few months. After reading this post, I’m confused about what to say when resigning and what to say if they ask about the next company. Also, what should be my reply to colleagues forcing me to tell them the company name?” the commenter wrote.
Others argued that employees should limit the information they disclose during exit discussions.
“Management is never a friend. If I were you, I’d just cite personal reasons while resigning and, if prodded, say I’m taking a short break to recharge. Simple. No need to get into where you’re going next,” another response read.
A different user, who said they had recently resigned from their first job, shared their own approach to navigating similar conversations.
“Fresher here, gave my first resignation a month back. I gave the most generic reason, and they kept pushing for more details, but I kept repeating the same thing. And never give the company name ever, no matter what. Even if it’s your boss or colleagues, just say you can check my LinkedIn after I join there, repeat this line like a robot,” the commenter wrote.
They also advised caution when completing exit interviews or internal forms.
“And another thing I learnt is that, even when you fill out the exit form (oral and/or written), give the most generic answers. Don’t ever say that my salary was low, that’s why I am switching, my manager/any colleague was a bi**h, this thing was the problem in this company, you can improve this and that, never. You’re leaving anyway, so saying all of this will have no impact on your life, but it could definitely backfire on you,” the user added.
The same commenter also mentioned seeking assistance from artificial intelligence tools when preparing responses.
“And yes, take help from ChatGPT, it was quite helpful for me.”