Exit Interview Excerpts

Head of U Libraries HR: So, did you work at Magrath all five years?

What Soxanne Wanted To Say: Are you kidding me? You don’t even know where I have been working? Did you not look at my file before I came up here?

What Soxanne Said: (uncomfortable pause) Um. No. Actually, I worked a weekly shift at Magrath for some of that time but I was at EFW and the branches

HoULHR: Right, that’s what I meant! You were in St Paul the whole time?

WSWtS: Liar!

WSS: Yes.

(Bad start. Really bad start) Blah blah blah blah

HoULHR: I hear you already started your new job. What are you doing there?

WSS: I’m doing a lot of Information Literacy and Library instruction as well as reference.

HoULHR: And how did you get interested in that?

WSS: I did volunteer work at Franklin Learning Center and discovered I really liked teaching and working with adults. 70% of the students there are Somali women, and while the student population at my new job is not the same demographic, it is a population that does not normally have the opportunity to go to college. They are hard working and highly motivated.

HoULHR: Oh, I did volunteer work with Southeast Asians for a while. What rewarding work that is! We have so much to learn from the immigrant population … blah blah blah (goes into politically correct speech)…

WSWtS: OMG! Do I have to listen to you go on about your greatness and how wonderful it is to work with The Little People?

WSS: Yes. Well, you know, I’m married to an immigrant.

HoULHR: Oh! You know all about it then!

Blah, blah blah ….

HoULHR: You know your boss thinks you’re wonderful and that you did great work here. Would you ever consider coming back to work at the University Libraries?

WSWtS: I hope not.

WSS: Maybe if the job paid what the work was worth.

(HoULHR blames central University HR for this and does not seem to see herself as potential advocate for library employees. I would also assume that if I had been a different demographic from my predecessor I would have never been paid 15% less than she was paid - whether because of political correctness or a potential lawsuit we'll never know).

HoULHR: So, what was your favorite project that you worked on during your time here?

WSS: Working with the rare collection.

HoULHR: Oh! Is there a rare collection over there?!?

WSWtS: So not only do you know nothing of me, you don’t know anything about the libraries in St Paul!?!?

WSS: Yes, actually, there are two Collections of Distinction headed for the Google project …. (goes on to outline the St Paul rare collections)….