When moving jobs do you tell colleagues where you're going?
When moving jobs do you tell colleagues where you're going?
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Discussion

simons123

Original Poster:

229 posts

46 months

Saturday 6th September 2025
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Put my notice in recently and everyone keeps asking 'which company you going'. My reply is 'i don't want to say'.

They think I'm being weird, awkward, etc and can't understand why I won't tell them. In my opinion none of them are my friends so they don't need to know and you never know what one of the managers might say to my new employer before I join.

What are peoples thoughts on this? Do you tell people which company you're going to??

RayDonovan

5,734 posts

245 months

Saturday 6th September 2025
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It's a bit weird not telling people.

SturdyHSV

10,443 posts

197 months

Saturday 6th September 2025
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Arguably, they're just being polite asking as that's just the natural follow up question when finding out you're leaving.

Clearly you don't like any of them, the feeling is most likely mutual and they don't give a st where you're going just as much as you don't care what they're doing.

Likely all involved will be happy once you're at your new place hehe

Sounds like the job market can be quite difficult so congratulations on securing a new job.

fat80b

3,237 posts

251 months

Saturday 6th September 2025
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simons123 said:
My reply is 'i don't want to say'.
I wouldn't put it that way - "I don't want to say" could suggest that there is some other reason for not wanting to say - e.g. a competitor or something and could well lead to further questions / rumours etc.

I'd respond with some details without actually giving the company name - something like - "Oh, it's a small company in a completely different field, I'm going to part of a team of 3 all in the same office and I'm really looking forward to it" etc.


i.e. you've not said anything meaningful, but have given some sort of information, which is probably all the polite conversationist is looking for.

Slow.Patrol

5,528 posts

44 months

Saturday 6th September 2025
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Nope, none of their business. Not at all weird.

I learnt early on in my career that your work colleagues are not your friends.

SkinnyPete

2,001 posts

179 months

Saturday 6th September 2025
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You could say you have identity/association restrictions with your new employer and therefore unable to comment.

i4got

5,929 posts

108 months

Saturday 6th September 2025
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It was pretty normal in my industry to keep quiet about where you were moving to.

Much more chance of gardening leave if you let thrm assume you’re off to a major competitor.


SV_WDC

1,185 posts

119 months

Saturday 6th September 2025
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It's your choice. But not broadcasting it seems the default these days.

Better to try to phrase it as a positive so people don't feel youre withholding the info without any reason

SkinnyPete

2,001 posts

179 months

Saturday 6th September 2025
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wyson said:
The problem is, you are not giving any information at all.

So something vague, like, I’m moving to a consultancy or retailer.

Or deferring that info for the future, ‘oh, I don’t want to jinx it, but I’ll put it up on Linkedin when I’m a bit more settled’ will be much better received.
I think it’s sensible advice to hold off on LinkedIn until you have passed your probation.

In fact, it’s not uncommon for people to only put their role up once they have left that job.

Sheets Tabuer

21,457 posts

245 months

Saturday 6th September 2025
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We used to have a guy at work who wouldn't discuss life outside of work at all, if anyone asked if he had kids or a wife/partner he'd say none of your business, he'd have time off and never reveal if he went away or what he did. It became sort of a competition at work to find out where he lived and if he had kids or anything.

That was weird, not telling people where you're going because you don't want anyone fking it up isn't

Countdown

49,519 posts

226 months

Sunday 7th September 2025
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simons123 said:
Put my notice in recently and everyone keeps asking 'which company you going'. My reply is 'i don't want to say'.

They think I'm being weird, awkward, etc and can't understand why I won't tell them. In my opinion none of them are my friends so they don't need to know and you never know what one of the managers might say to my new employer before I join.

What are peoples thoughts on this? Do you tell people which company you're going to??
I can understand where you're coming from.

To avoid the awkwardness I'd make the name up. if they have bad intentions then they'll try (and fail) to find the contact details and they won't be able to come back to you either without looking stupid.

"Hi Simon, what was the name of the Company you said you were moving to?"
"It was Megabank International Corporation"
"Yeah, I thought that's what you said...I googled them and couldn't find them"
"Oh........why were you googling them?"
tumbleweed

MickC

1,101 posts

288 months

Sunday 7th September 2025
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Countdown said:
I can understand where you're coming from.

To avoid the awkwardness I'd make the name up. if they have bad intentions then they'll try (and fail) to find the contact details and they won't be able to come back to you either without looking stupid.

"Hi Simon, what was the name of the Company you said you were moving to?"
"It was Megabank International Corporation"
"Yeah, I thought that's what you said...I googled them and couldn't find them"
"Oh........why were you googling them?"
tumbleweed
Making a company name up sounds even weirder than just saying you cant say, and 'why did you google it' - 'because I'd never heard of them but i assumed i should have and didn't want to sound impolite!'

fourstardan

6,565 posts

174 months

Sunday 7th September 2025
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Most people will be interested about where you are jumping the boundary fence for...

Also, they might be asking because they want to find new jobs as well!

One exception could be if the role is high security focussed and not to say but for the large percentage it's normal surely.


wibble cb

4,154 posts

237 months

Sunday 7th September 2025
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M told me not to say, oh hang on….

Slow.Patrol

5,528 posts

44 months

Sunday 7th September 2025
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I used to deliberately say " It's a new start up" in the hope that management might get a bit nervous about it being competition and decide I needed to work my notice on gardening leave.

It never worked.

BrabusMog

21,788 posts

216 months

Sunday 7th September 2025
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I have two colleagues and three clients that I consider personal friends (attended weddings etc) but most of the people I work with are so nosey and like to ask personally intrusive questions quite frequently. I like to keep work and personal life as separate as possible, so I wouldn't be broadcasting where I'm off to if ever moved on as, quite frankly, it's none of their business.

hidetheelephants

35,944 posts

223 months

Sunday 7th September 2025
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Make up increasingly outlandish lies about where you're going and see how long it is until they start comparing notes and realise. Medecins Sans Frontieres, European Space Agency, Anheuser-Busch, the ukrainian Ministry of Defence and Tyrell Corp. would be a starter for ten.

BrabusMog

21,788 posts

216 months

Sunday 7th September 2025
quotequote all
hidetheelephants said:
Make up increasingly outlandish lies about where you're going and see how long it is until they start comparing notes and realise. Medecins Sans Frontieres, European Space Agency, Anheuser-Busch, the ukrainian Ministry of Defence and Tyrell Corp. would be a starter for ten.
laugh

Inbox

1,337 posts

16 months

Sunday 7th September 2025
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The company will find out if you need a reference from them anyway.

For a job change a few years back I didn't say because I knew everyone would say you don't want to work for him...

When it did slip out, I did get collared by a few people saying you don't want to work for him, this chap did have a reputation but overall best job I have ever had, did some amazing things.

Won't pretend it wasn't demanding and very hard work but best job.

dxg

10,752 posts

290 months

Sunday 7th September 2025
quotequote all
BrabusMog said:
hidetheelephants said:
Make up increasingly outlandish lies about where you're going and see how long it is until they start comparing notes and realise. Medecins Sans Frontieres, European Space Agency, Anheuser-Busch, the ukrainian Ministry of Defence and Tyrell Corp. would be a starter for ten.
laugh
Cyberdyne Systems
Wayland-Yutani
Prodigy
Threshold
Lynch
Dynamic
Dunder Mifflin
Wernham Hogg
Aperture Science
Umbrella Corporation
etc.