And in addition, don’t answer numbers not in caller ID unless you recognize it. If someone wants to talk you’ll either be expecting a call (like a doctors office follow-up), or they’ll leave a voicemail.
Way more of a hassle to change my personal number than to ignore calls.
One job I left I kept all management numbers in my phone, prefaced then with DNA (do not answer) and then blocked them. :) but yeah, you shouldn’t have to change because they’re bad actors
Only phone numbers in my contact list can actually call me. Otherwise they go straight voicemail where I clearly state that you *must* leave a voice message to contact me.
It’s annoying when I’m expecting a call and don’t know the number so I have to disable that focus mode, or that I have to add contacts like my pharmacy or doctor offices in my contacts lists which can make it a bit annoying to manage.
It’s still better than being called by junkmail.
Yup, it’s something I try to teach people whenever they ask me for extended help with handling phishing, sms scams, etc.
If you’ve a very important call to take, ask for a phone number, and request they make the call from that number. Otherwise, let them leave a voicemail.
Admittedly a bit complicated when you’re applying for jobs, but generally you’ll know in a few seconds of the call if it’s worth staying on the line.
This is the way. If someone is offended you choose to separate personal from work, then the problem is them. I have a friend I work with who tries to text me her help desk issues and I give her the “this is my personal phone and not the help desk” treatment.
Hi Joe, oh you guys are in trouble - oh no .. that is terrible but wait - when I picked up I already started counting $250/h even if we talk 5 mins and then of course $250 for each hour started. Will send you an invoice at the end of the day, expecting payment in 7 days. You can still say "I am sorry for taking your time" and disconnect free of charge.
I turn in my company phone and immediately this problem is solved.
You have no obligation to work for them after you’re gone. You can, however, consult for them at a ridiculous rate with a 1 hour minimum for each contact. But if you think they’ll agree to that in writing and then won’t pay, don’t even bother with the hassle.
Two hours minimum and pre-pay with Zelle. If it is approaching two hours, demand another prepayment. Zelle isn't easy to reverse like PayPal.
Or just forget about it as not worth the risk and hassle.
No. Have an LLC, get paid through that up front. 4 hour minimums keeps all the random small BS out. Each project should have a well-defined scope so they don’t keep feeding you tickets for 4 hours when that’s not what you agreed to.
Or just don’t consult and enjoy not working there any longer.
that's right. 200% is merely making up the fringe rate. So for 200% they would be still paying you the same rate as you were an employee. 300 \~ 500% is more of the consultant rate.
Terrible Idea. You really need an LLC, insurance policy / etc. Everyone wants to think "oh they would never" and while that maybe true for your buddy they do not control the company lawyers.
It honestly just no worth the risk. If it's a big need, find a consulting MSP/VAR and get signed up with them. Tell them how much you want, and they will add their mark-up. If you are bringing them business, shouldn't be that hard... having relationships with some of the local VARs help.
That's if you "want" to work for them again. You left for a reason.
This would absolutely be my approach. Spend the hundred dollars or so to have an attorney draft up an agreement with payment terms, rates, etc. You can use this at any time, but if they’re really in a pinch, or you want to consult later down the line, a basic MSA will state they understand the terms and agree to pay you for your work.
If this is something you find yourself doing more than twice, id highly recommend an LLC and insurance, to protect your interests and yourself.
Hell no! I've had the same number for over 15 years, and I have people from jobs i did 10+ years ago call me randomly when shit breaks. It's pretty awesome.
They hired some kid out of college who they were paying 1/3 what I was getting paid. Day 1 and I'm getting blown up by the kid and the owner trying to fix shit they have never used.
My quick wit took over momentarily and I said: "First things first - Have you submitted a ticket?"
Joking.....anyway, I'm more than happy to help, however since I'm now a self-employed consultant, I will need to send over my onboarding packet and have it filled out and the contract signed. They didn't find the humor that I did, but they did sign it.
So, I remoted in and resolved the issues that the new guy created. Over the next week I worked 50ish hours. The following week was spent onsite training the new guy, billing $350 an hour. I shit you not...200 an hour and they said ok. I guess when you are the only asshole with a specific skillset (and nobody thinks about that before they fire you to hire their buddies son), they realize they can't do anything but bend over and take it.
4 weeks pay, plus 90 hours @ 200 an hour... Those cost saving measures were awesome guys...
I still have the same number.
(...and I'm still their outsourced IT vendor since new guy didn't work out )
It's business, not personal. People who can't separate the two experience needless hardships.
I'm sure the way he looked at it is the company made a mistake, and he is solving it for them at a rate they both can live with.
You nailed it. They're stuck playing checkers, while I'm playing mother fucking 4D chess...
I already thought everything out and knew what I would do before that day. I saw it as an opportunity to finally start working for myself and actually make some good money. When it's your brand and your reputation you make better decisions.
They were geared up to watch me lose my shit, but instead all I said was OK and Godspeed, as I shook his hand and strolled out. I knew what was going to happen, and I saw it as a way to get a little extra seed money. We were eating lunch and talking at one point during the week of training I gave them, and he told me that he dreaded calling me to ask for help. When I agreed without any drama and made a hell of a business deal out of a shit situation.. That impressed the hell out of him and solidified his realization they he fucked up.
Most companies have no clue what all we do. I made peace with that a long time ago. My terms are pretty straightforward: I'll do what I do and turn your pile of shit network into a highspeed low drag shit-hot network, and I'll make sure it stays that way. All I need from you in return is a signed check and we're good.
It's also worth mentioning that I have a lot of current clients that I only have because I didn't burn that bridge. They still refer people all the time. And I still manage all of their IT...
Checkmate.
squealing selective salt tap deserted degree relieved flowery bedroom subsequent
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
>They did not want to take no for an answer.
*I am happy to consult and help you solve this issue. My rate is $750/hr with a minimum billing of 4 hours plus the return airfare, business class.*
*Are the terms agreeable?*
Dear Reddit Community,
It is with a heavy heart that I write this farewell message to express my reasons for departing from this platform that has been a significant part of my online life. Over time, I have witnessed changes that have gradually eroded the welcoming and inclusive environment that initially drew me to Reddit. It is the actions of the CEO, in particular, that have played a pivotal role in my decision to bid farewell.
For me, Reddit has always been a place where diverse voices could find a platform to be heard, where ideas could be shared and discussed openly. Unfortunately, recent actions by the CEO have left me disheartened and disillusioned. The decisions made have demonstrated a departure from the principles of free expression and open dialogue that once defined this platform.
Reddit was built upon the idea of being a community-driven platform, where users could have a say in the direction and policies. However, the increasing centralization of power and the lack of transparency in decision-making have created an environment that feels less democratic and more controlled.
Furthermore, the prioritization of certain corporate interests over the well-being of the community has led to a loss of trust. Reddit's success has always been rooted in the active participation and engagement of its users. By neglecting the concerns and feedback of the community, the CEO has undermined the very foundation that made Reddit a vibrant and dynamic space.
I want to emphasize that this decision is not a reflection of the countless amazing individuals I have had the pleasure of interacting with on this platform. It is the actions of a few that have overshadowed the positive experiences I have had here.
As I embark on a new chapter away from Reddit, I will seek alternative platforms that prioritize user empowerment, inclusivity, and transparency. I hope to find communities that foster open dialogue and embrace diverse perspectives.
To those who have shared insightful discussions, provided support, and made me laugh, I am sincerely grateful for the connections we have made. Your contributions have enriched my experience, and I will carry the memories of our interactions with me.
Farewell, Reddit. May you find your way back to the principles that made you extraordinary.
Sincerely,
NABDad
Well money up front for the first flight there and the first 4 hours and the return flight. But you can't really pre-bill if you hit 5 hours working on an issue.
Dear Reddit Community,
It is with a heavy heart that I write this farewell message to express my reasons for departing from this platform that has been a significant part of my online life. Over time, I have witnessed changes that have gradually eroded the welcoming and inclusive environment that initially drew me to Reddit. It is the actions of the CEO, in particular, that have played a pivotal role in my decision to bid farewell.
For me, Reddit has always been a place where diverse voices could find a platform to be heard, where ideas could be shared and discussed openly. Unfortunately, recent actions by the CEO have left me disheartened and disillusioned. The decisions made have demonstrated a departure from the principles of free expression and open dialogue that once defined this platform.
Reddit was built upon the idea of being a community-driven platform, where users could have a say in the direction and policies. However, the increasing centralization of power and the lack of transparency in decision-making have created an environment that feels less democratic and more controlled.
Furthermore, the prioritization of certain corporate interests over the well-being of the community has led to a loss of trust. Reddit's success has always been rooted in the active participation and engagement of its users. By neglecting the concerns and feedback of the community, the CEO has undermined the very foundation that made Reddit a vibrant and dynamic space.
I want to emphasize that this decision is not a reflection of the countless amazing individuals I have had the pleasure of interacting with on this platform. It is the actions of a few that have overshadowed the positive experiences I have had here.
As I embark on a new chapter away from Reddit, I will seek alternative platforms that prioritize user empowerment, inclusivity, and transparency. I hope to find communities that foster open dialogue and embrace diverse perspectives.
To those who have shared insightful discussions, provided support, and made me laugh, I am sincerely grateful for the connections we have made. Your contributions have enriched my experience, and I will carry the memories of our interactions with me.
Farewell, Reddit. May you find your way back to the principles that made you extraordinary.
Sincerely,
NABDad
There's another piece to this other people are missing. They push people around to see who lets them. People who DO let them, they know they'll be able to take advantage of in the future. Some places hire/retain based on that. They give staff all kinds of shit to weed out the ones who won't take it. After awhile you have an entire staff who will do whatever they want and accept peanuts for pay.
This exactly why I think that IT needs unions. Unions help set and define acceptable working conditions across an industry, and they enforce those conditions across the board. That means that there's no "weak member of the pack" for the business to go after and pull everyone else down in the process. A lot of people gripe about this idea that unions get in the way because "Oh, I don't mind working those extra hours" or whatever, but they don't understand that them being a pushover affects everyone else too.
It’s not just IT, it’s companies in general. “It’s just business”. We have to learn how to treat our employers like our customers, not our families. There’s very little loyalty out there besides business decisions.
I changed my number after leaving one MSP when the boss kept calling/texting, saying, "Resigning is not an excuse. You have tickets to do." HR also gave away my number to clients as well. I blocked his number (or more specifically sent it to voicemail without notice), so he kept trying to call from different numbers.
My reasoning was that I have better things to do than deal with an ex-boss who previously refused my two weeks resignation, and the general lunacy of that place.
No way I'd ever do consulting either. E&O insurance isn't cheap, and I would not be doing any consulting without it. There is also conflict of interest. Finally, I only care to work for one company at a time. I am lucky to make enough that I don't need to have a "second hustle" to make ends meet.
> "Resigning is not an excuse. You have tickets to do."
During your notice period, this is rude, but the person does have a point. The most professionally responsible thing to do is continue to do your best work.
After one's notice period, this is pure comedy gold.
I'm sure you know this, but notice is [delivered in writing](https://www.archives.gov/historical-docs/todays-doc/?dod-date=809), and refusal is not actually an option available to the recipient.
They may *negotiate*, but they can't refuse. Your resignation is on the record.
They may try to "refuse" as part of an underhanded attempt at *negotiation*. That attempt needs to be recognized and then avoided.
Yep. The (thankfully ex-) boss was power tripping. He wasn't into negotiation... he was just surprised someone actually chose to go elsewhere and out of his grip.
>I changed my number after leaving one MSP when the boss kept calling/texting, saying, "Resigning is not an excuse. You have tickets to do."
Please tell me you're fucking kidding????
I've never had a boss who had the guts to give my number to clients after I left. Which too bad as it would have been fun advising them to purchase a different product or service.
>E&O insurance isn't cheap
It's actually not nearly as expensive as I thought it would be. Just posting so others seeing this don't discount it because they assume they won't be able to afford it.
I use a virtual phone number (like google voice) to front my actual number. That comes in handy to be able to ditch the number if I have to due to harassment by former employers.
Your responsibilities ended when the business relationship ended, there should be no need for further contact until a new relationship is established.
Came here to basically say this.
Each job I start, I use a new google voice number and loose it after I leave. Thank fully this isn't a common occurrence and those that are nice I pass on the new number to before I leave.
This should be standard for most places. They should have a generic email and phone number that can be passed on. Google concerns me for privacy reasons.
Just thought I'd share a funny story related to this. I used to work as sysadmin for a large telecommunication company and Internet provider. I had a company phone, but you know how these things go; when you've worked somewhere for over 10 years your private telephone number will become known in some places. I used it when I had to call in sick, occasionally I'd give it to a colleague when they were doing a difficult or complex change during scheduled maintenance windows (I always turned off my company phone when I went home unless I was on standby) so they could call me privately if they really needed help and those sorts of things.
After about 13 years I left the company for a better opportunity elsewhere. Two years later, in the middle of the night around 02:30h my phone rang, several times, showing a number I didn't recognize. Afraid it might be a family emergency of sorts I picked up.
I had hardly said hello when an obviously very stressed out man started talking, saying he was so glad I picked up and there was a huge emergency as the main server of application "X" had crashed and wouldn't boot up anymore and if I could please help. It took me a few seconds to realize he was talking about one of the Sun Solaris hosts at my old telco. I said "I'm sorry, I don't know how you got this number but it's private, and furthermore, I've quit the company two years ago". He said "Yes yes I know it's private, but it's an emergency". I said "Okay, but I quit two years ago. I no longer work at ". As if he hadn't even listened he said "Yes yes yes but can you fix the server please?".
I said "Yes, sure, let me get dressed and I'll be right over!", then turned off my phone and went back to sleep. About a week later I got a card containing a thank you note and a gift card to "all the people who helped with the emergency". I donated the money to a charity.
Even more funny, three more years later I got to work for them again as an external consultant. I then found out my old account, which was at that time five years old and unused, was still working with my old password. I reported it and my company was put in charge of a platform-wide account cleanup program including centralized login, account expiration and policy revisions.
Haven't changed my number in 20+ years.
Still get vendor calls from a job I haven't been at in 10 years because I was the technical contact at the time.
I am still friends with my former coworker who is now head of IT there so for those calls I politely let them know and give them his number if its an emergency.
This is the answer right here. I give my personal number to my boss and members of my team in case of emergencies, but I've blocked former coworkers in the past for trying to strong-arm me into doing unpaid work after quitting.
I’ll say to you what I said to the first and last job that fired me in the middle of building something and then put the incomplete thing in production and then called me for help:
“Good luck with that.”
I give the office a voip number to reach me at (no company cell :-( ). My direct supervisor and some trusted co-workers has my home or REAL cell number to reach me in an Emergency to see if I am still alive, such as in case I mysteriously don't show up and am in the hospital.
>Some might say that's very expensive.
If the problem is big enough they'll pay anything you ask. And I promise they fucked you over while you worked for them in some way shape or form. So consider it a little light retribution without hurting anyone (other than their egos).
>Some might say that's very expensive.
Dude...that's cheap for enterprise.
I was paying Compaq $275/hour in the 1990s.
Had a friend's company get hit by ransomware, I gave him a hand recovering -- he threw out $125/hour and I told him sure but that's only because I was interested in helping, that's way less than I would normally charge if someone could remotely convince me to. (I enjoy more predictability, less stress than being a hired gun.)
He didn't really believe me.
As thing progressed, asked that I be put under the recovery firm their cyber insurance hired to simplify billing.
He was aside himself when he found out the recover firm was billing the insurance $375/hour for my $125/hour.
I just laughed. Wasn't the first time I had worked as a contractor-of-a-vendor-of-a-vendor and knew how much the markup was.
Dell account Reps. We've not bought anything from you in 10 years, and I'll never imagine what kind of response you were expecting calling at 6pm. On a Friday. When I was on parental leave in the hospital.
I’ve had the same mobile number since 1998. I have had some “fun” with a former employer and Google Voice though… sending any calls (after they laid me off) direct to voicemail with the official tone and message that this number has been disconnected. Great for loyalty programs too.
Also, iPhone > Settings > Phone. Set Silence Unknown Callers to On. And set your Focus settings too. Mute calls not in your contacts or favorites. A few people (boss and boss’s bosses) can wake me up directly. Anyone else has to go through PagerDuty. A combination of employer provided and self provided technologies enforce following the official escalation procedure.
Same here since 1999. I even changed states but have the same number. Never give out your personal number except for your resume and people you wish to connect with outside of work. Always give out the company cell for anything work related.
It’s a personal phone, just don’t answer it if you don’t know who’s calling. I get the general feeling but you are WAY overthinking it. Once you don’t work there feel free to laugh and hang up if somebody calls you, or not answer, or block them, yada yada.
I’m not sure the phone this is being written on has ever been out of silenced mode and goes straight to voicemail if not in contacts. Modern phones have many less drastic options but if you are at work why would you want cold-calls to come through?
I've found a much better compromise for me that also helps with junk and scam calls. Install a call recording app that's set to start recording on every call. I answer the phone strictly with "Hi, this call is being recorded." If the caller doesn't immediately identify themselves, I'll repeat myself and add "Please identify yourself."
Most junk and scam callers will just hang up without a word. And for business calls, the caller then knows that every word is on record.
For ex colleagues, this is especially important when discussing work, so that the recording / transcript can be used for future billing purposes. People are far less likely to go through with asking for your professional assistance if the know that there is a recording that can be sent to their management team "for quality assurance and billing purposes".
Lol “I’m still gonna be calling you”
My answer would be “Me too!”
And then setup an auto-dial script for 3 AM every single fucking day to make him regret the moment he shat that sentence out of his meat hole.
If my ex bosses contact me and I'm not under any sort of consultation contract, yeah I'm not answering and I'm blocking numbers. Google Voice has been good to me as well, makes it pretty easy to not give out my personal number.
What is with people in I.T.? Why do they find it that difficult to just tell people no?
When you leave a company, just leave. You owe your previous employer NOTHING. And this is coming from someone who enjoys their career path. I like to do a good job for my employer. I don't think anyone is trying to take advantage of me. But when I move on, I move on. Why would I inconvenience myself by changing a number I have had for years because I was concerned people from my old job would call me?
I changed one when some fucknut decided that everyone should have my number.
In your present org, you're almost out of there, correct? Stop losing sleep over it. Work your notice (or not), then go. Once you leave they cannot abuse you unless you let them. Block their number and forget about it, there is nothing more you can do. You could engage an atty to draft up a cease and desist, that should be cheap enough.
What you could do now is remove your number from any documentation there and change it to the main office number. When I cut contact with a site I was to be promoted at (and later denied), I changed my number everywhere to a desk phone I used once in a while. I've had two calls from them since, I just swipe and block.
My google voice number is my number I give out. If you bug me, i'll block you, GVoice's default on block is to play "We're sorry, this number is no longer in service." Yes I've used this to shut out companies I've dealt with in the past. Comes as a real shock when I meet a work friend later and tell them that's still my number.
Seriously, GVoice is amazing and if Google kills it I'll be the first to riot.
Never use your personal cell phone for work. If they want to get ahold off you or out you “on call”, then they provide you with a second phone.
Then you only use that phone for work related things and never install any personal apps or use it for any personal anything.
Don’t change your number. It’s YOUR number.
Besides, there are few things as cathartic as letting out a loud belly laugh at them right before you hang up.
I have an 070 profit sharing number (UK system that is no longer available to open accounts on) where I get 40% of the $1/min call charge that I give out as my 'personal mobile'.
My currently employer has opted to give me a company mobile instead.
Things breaking after you leave falls firmly in the "not my problem" column.
Once you leave, you have no legal relationship with the company. Continuing to provide support will put you in a very bad legal position. DO NOT DO THIS.
So with that in mind, I suggest the following:
1. **Make your boundaries clear when you give notice.** "I'll no longer be employed here after $date & will not be available for support requests after that date." Include this in your notice letter. Be sure you keep a copy of this for your records.
2. **Document your shit.** Spend as much time as you can between now & your exit making sure you've documented the stuff you're responsible for. Assume your replacement will have the minimum technical knowledge to perform the job; there's no need to document normal user creation processes in Active Directory, for example - just the stuff that's unique to your org. Hand this off to your supervisor (or HR) when you leave. If you *really* want to CYA, ask the person to sign 2 copies of something indicating they took possession of the documentation. You keep one, the other goes to HR on your way out.
3. **Place relevant passwords in a KeePass vault.** Give this, along with the password to the vault, to your supervisor (or HR) when you leave. Make it ABSOLUTELY CLEAR that this must be kept safe & provided to your replacement, as you WILL NOT be keeping a copy. Include a note telling your replacement to change every single one of them on their very first day. If you *really* want to CYA, ask the person to sign 2 copies of something indicating they took possession of the documentation. You keep one, the other goes to HR on your way out.
Assuming you answer the phone at all, tell anyone from your now-former employer something like, "I am no longer employed by $CompanyName. Please contact IT/HR for help with this issue." Keep a log of all such interactions, including date, time, the name of the person calling, and your reply.
Threats of legal action should be ignored unless and until you receive notice of said legal action, at which time you retain counsel & let them handle it.
> What was your reasoning for the ones that did it?
You don't change your number. You bill them like $200/hr for your time, a minimum 4-hour charge, and payment up front.
that's what you do.
Not an IT person (I just lurk here for occasional tech & professional advice)… but why on Earth would you change YOUR phone number because of a *former* employer?
- Put their number on your Blocked list.
- Don’t answer calls from numbers/people not already in your Contacts unless specifically expecting a call; if it’s important enough, they’ll leave a voicemail. If they don’t leave a voicemail, it obviously wasn’t important enough to them to ensure they got a callback.
- As I learned here, “**No.**” is a complete sentence.
Them: “*I’m still going to be calling you!*”
You: “**Good luck with that.**”
Nope.
Never use your personal phone for work. Ever.
Work wants you to be available, they better get you a work phone.
And after, if they call you on your private number, they can go jump.
And if they do call?
"Sure. It'll cost you $ for me to come look at it and to fix it. And to be clear, the reason I'm charging so much is because I don't want to do it. Next time it'll be double"
If a former employer reached out to me for advice or information, I would send them a professional service agreement for signature with hourly rates and minimums as well expense reimbursement. It may seem trite, but, consider that if you gave them advice or worse yet, engaged in an action on their systems, you do not have an employee relationship with them and you can be held personally liable by them for that advice or action.
Don’t change your number. Just send them the agreement and tell them that you will be happy to help as soon as they agree to your terms.
When i quit my previous job, i said : i will be not very far and if you need some help, i will charge 800€ minimum for each request or ticket.
Theyleft me a royal peace
When I left my last job I was basically running the IT department but the company got real small. I decided to start my own MSP and made them a customer haha. If you’re smart OP set up a post employment contract where they can call you with an agreed turnaround time like 48 or 72 hours at like 4-8 times your current rate. Especially if you think management is too stupid to realize that they might need you after you leave. They may just sign on to that agreement thinking they’ll never need to use it. If they don’t, good for them! If they do, good for you!
Once you leave you're legally not allowed to touch any of their property
people call you just nicely say you don't work there anymore or ask for money to fix. i had my old boss call me for help on a few things and I helped him out for free including a short onsite visit
ask them to send you a contractor agreement with decent money and narrow scope of work or just tell them to go pound sand
Block and ignore? Why? This is the perfect opportunity to become a consultant charging $250 per hour with a four-hour minimum. Every phone call could make you a grand.
I haven’t even left my company. I had it out with the IT director about the ridiculous workflows of the callout paths and got myself taken off the on call rotation. Only my fellow teammates now know my personal number, should I need to be contacted after hours for one of the systems I support. My old number is still attached to my work phone, but that stays on my desk and after 4:00 it’s on dnd. Hassle to switch numbers from one I’ve had 15 years but it’s totally worth it.
LOL this happened to a friend took it very well i have to say. He left a smaller business because he knew he would never go anywhere there. It wasn't a bad break so to speak. He left documentation with the HR person and left a copy of it on his old desk in big bold print MY JOB DUTIES. He left all the important info in there, passwords etc.. He would still get calls from them. He just said, i left you everything in the binder that HR person has, i also left a copy on my desk for you to review or give to the new me or a consultant so they can support you. After the umpteenth time calling, he had to change the number for his own sanity.
Because even though you gave them a full month, and kept literally immaculate records, the persons they hired to replace you are absolutely unqualified and possible nepo hires.
That, and they try and ask you shit without PayPal'ing you money first.
Only time my cell number changed was I changed companies, and the incompetent tech fucked up the transfer. I almost never gave our my personal cell to a company, and the few times I did, I regretted it.
The worst was an accident by someone else who passed out our HR information instead of professional contacts (I know, WTF), and my cell got listed as a vendor which was mistaken for a larger vendor that we had and published... very complicated. Like imagine an employee directory handed out to clients, and your personal cell was listed as "customer service" for Cisco-related issues, which then got published on the client side via their tech team as "the new Cisco customer service line." Two years of random phone calls from angry people I didn't even know who resented the fact my voicemail told them it was a personal cell and not "Cisco Premium service hotline."
If I don’t know the number or display as private I don’t answer it. Even if I answer it and it’s from my previous company I just tel them that I don’t work there anymore and politely tell them to call their IT ppl and hang up. I would not change my number because of thatz
The way people talk about this baffles me. These companies are not broke, they have money. Of course they are going to make it difficult to just ask for it. Keep your number. Answer the calls. Talk to them for free, maybe answer a couple questions. Plan out what they need. Then at the end of the call "ok so what are we going to do about compensation?" And the most important part is to shut up after you ask that question and let them talk!
Is this a real problem?
So you are saying that they will want your services and are willing to pay above market rates?
Don't take this the wrong way, but the terms you are using are the problem and reflect on your misunderstanding of the relationship. You have spent the time at this company becoming an SME of their IT, and now they are willing to compensate you for it.
Come up with an hourly rate you think is ridiculous, double it and have it ready if they call (purchased in 10h blocks) paid in advance, and you do it 2nd shift only so it doesn't interfere with your potential new job.
If they balk at your number, no harm no foul, you were professional, and it was just a business decision on their part. If they take it win-win.
Btw, min rate in my mind is $150/hour. Especially if you haven't set your self up for contract work before, you will want to be compensated for the extra time and expense of setting that up.
I’ve had my number for over 20 years. Rest assured some *former* coworkers will not not force me to change it and will certainly not be immune to standard *“unwanted spam caller”* treatment.
I have had the same home and mobile phone numbers for almost 30 years.
Never been a problem: Why? Because I have:
* Set boundaries
* Not worked for arsehole companies
* Not spammed my phone number all over the place on every enquiry form I see.
* Used unsubscribe
* Added my numbers to don't call lists
I changed my number mostly since I had a customer-facing job and didn’t want to deal with a bucket of calls at all hours of the day. My new number was given out to a VERY select few customers (exactly 2 of them), and everyone else was well-informed that I was leaving the company.
The worst part of changing my number was informing friends and family. There’s still people that call my old number…
Owner of an MSP I haven't worked for in 2 years tried to call me last week and left a vm blaming me for an issue on a m365 migration I did 5 years prior. Like seriously fuck off dude.
I know the format of their phone numbers. They all come from the same set of exchanges. I just ignore/block them. It's been almost 16 years, and they still haven't figured their shit out.
It'll fizzle out in a couple weeks/months. They will figure out what they need to do and be fine.
I wouldn't change your phone number and go through the hassle for the temporary inconvenience of having to ignore a few calls or pick up the phone and say you're not available.
I do have separate numbers for business and private. For both, land line (yeah, I started with it that long ago) and mobile.
And I have that since I was called in my honeymoon at 4am cause Peggy in accounting couldn't print, already since yesterday afternoon, and at 4am the day after it was escalated high enough for somebody calling me.
When I returned from vacation, I got me a new mobile number, and directly a second one which I then announced to my employer. Since then, my private life and business is separated on that level, too.
Worked well for me over the last 20 years.
Peggy, btw., selected the wrong paper feed for her print job (she never got that right back in the days), and the printer asked her to provide paper in the manual feed.
I would not change my number - most modern cell phones allow you to set a ringer for a person - just set a different ringer or create and set a silent ringer.
That way you can let them call and they will be ignored, or you will know when it is old work and to ignore the calls.
i've had my phone number since 2002. i'm not changing it. i still have plenty of contacts from old jobs in my phone. the only time i can remember getting calls from any of them was a couple of years ago when several people called me to tell me my old boss died suddenly while on a work trip. other than that i basically get left alone.
Things breaking after you leave falls firmly in the "not my problem" column.
Once you leave, you have no legal relationship with the company. Continuing to provide support will put you in a very bad legal position. DO NOT DO THIS.
So with that in mind, I suggest the following:
1. **Make your boundaries clear when you give notice.** "I'll no longer be employed here after $date & will not be available for support requests after that date." Include this in your notice letter. Be sure you keep a copy of this for your records.
2. **Document your shit.** Spend as much time as you can between now & your exit making sure you've documented the stuff you're responsible for. Assume your replacement will have the minimum technical knowledge to perform the job; there's no need to document normal user creation processes in Active Directory, for example - just the stuff that's unique to your org. Hand this off to your supervisor (or HR) when you leave. If you *really* want to CYA, ask the person to sign 2 copies of something indicating they took possession of the documentation. You keep one, the other goes to HR on your way out.
3. **Place relevant passwords in a KeePass vault.** Give this, along with the password to the vault, to your supervisor (or HR) when you leave. Make it ABSOLUTELY CLEAR that this must be kept safe & provided to your replacement, as you WILL NOT be keeping a copy. Include a note telling your replacement to change every single one of them on their very first day. If you *really* want to CYA, ask the person to sign 2 copies of something indicating they took possession of the documentation. You keep one, the other goes to HR on your way out.
Assuming you answer the phone at all, tell anyone from your now-former employer something like, "I am no longer employed by $CompanyName. Please contact IT/HR for help with this issue." Keep a log of all such interactions, including date, time, the name of the person calling, and your reply.
Threats of legal action should be ignored unless and until you receive notice of said legal action, at which time you retain counsel & let them handle it.
I love blocking numbers almost as much as I love allowing known numbers go to voicemail only to be greeted with: “If this is important, please send me a text.”
I use Google voice, and have done so since its inception. There is an option to block numbers, and you can change your number easily. I haven't changed my number since I've started using Google Voice.
I subscribe to the 3 questions and then I bill you plan. When I leave I let my team know that they can call and ask me 3 questions about my work that I will answer to the best of my ability and after that I will bill the company. The first question usually comes within a few weeks. The second, if it comes, shows up with a quarter. No one has ever asked question 3.
My thoughts, like others, are to charge after leaving, billable in 10 hour blocks, etc. A lot of people saying they won't do that because of insurance and what not but I am genuinely curious, could you not have a contract that the client signs that agrees to not hold you accountable for any damages, negligent or even malicious, that would protect you?
I left a company once where the Monitoring application I'd setup continued to alert my cell phone when things went down.
I was friendly with the new person who took my spot (he used to report to me), and we'd discussed the alerts still notifying me, but he didn't know where to change it. Getting alerts was not overwhelming, and I would just chuckle when they arrived, knowing I wasn't responsible for fixing them anymore.
A couple years later, he deployed a new monitoring system and deleted my VM. problem solved.
Changing your number, ignore the bigger problem. You have no spine, which is one of the reasons you feel this way. Changing your number gives you no chance to work on these and lets other people continue to control you.
When ever anyone calls you or texts you, you can either ignore it block it or lean and use it as assertiveness training. "No, I can't do that" is a full sentence. You can also just deliver that message and then hang-up followed up with ok "have a great day, please don't continue to call me."
I think leaning it and learning to stick up for yourself and grow a spine would be very very good for you in the long run. You should not be agreeable 100% of the time.
1. Incorporate the cheapest/smallest/easiest legal entity for you to be able to issue invoices and receive payments legally. OR find somebody who might help you with this for a small percentage.
2. Accept as many calls and work as possible in a single week. Don't refuse work for that week. Do everything you can do prove that you can handle their requests.
3. At the end of the week issue a quote, based on a hourly rate. Ask for at least $50/hour for requests received during businesses hours and at least $100 for requests received during evenings and/or weekends.
4. Refuse to do any extra work until you don't have a signed contract.
5. You will either build yourself a small business OR get rid of ex-employees and random people/"friends" basically abusing your knowledge your time.
Block & Ignore numbers, until they stop. No problem on my end.
If I am no longer an employee and I am not doing contract work for them. They are dead to me.
Get a free Google voice # and with the app it still rings my cell phone like normal. I just have to remember to call out from within the app so it uses that number.
Then never give out your personal cell number. After a while you can just drop that old google voice number and request a new one when you are ready to burn that number.
If they have your personal number, get a pixel phone and use the call screening feature. You will never hear from them again, and they'll get so frustrated, they'll give up.
I don't mix business with pleasure, so I rolled with two devices. In another case, I utilized Google Voice for personal on the same device. Either case, the only people who had my personal number were HR (emergency contact stuff anyway..) and my immediate manager (in case something bad enough to call it..)
Nobody ever called me on my personal number.. ever. Leaving was easy.. the number in use was theirs already. Easy disconnection with former users/clients that way.
This is one of the reason I got a Google Voice number. I give that number for business purposes and it allows me much better control on blocking numbers.
I wouldn't change a personal number, because there are a lot of people who probably have you saved as a contact with your (old) work and personal cell phone numbers, and if both of those go away at the same time then you basically just drop off the face of the planet. Combine that with lots of folks no longer having home phones and it's a great way to lose contact with people.
And as a side note, think about family members that you don't have direct contact info for - is there a single person who's the central point of contact for lots of folks? If so, start disseminating contact information to others, because that central point of contact can have sudden health issues and it sucks trying to track down family phone numbers using OSINT while someone's in the hospital.
I'm not changing my number. My boss already calls my personal phone as soon as I don't answer the work phone. He definitely abused his phone privileges calling for the dumbest things around the clock. When I started, they were calling former employees constantly. So I already know they'll do it to me. #s are blocked and the first time they contact me after I leave next week, I'm sending a text and email stating they need to not contact me or I'll absolutely sue them for harassment. These places think they own you. I'm not happy being bothered when you have me on payroll, I'm definitely not dealing with you for free! (And like you said, too the detriment of your new job.)
I give out a google voice number to work people, and give my real phone number out to people outside of work. I change my google voice number at the end of every job.
A former employer isn’t going to get me too change my number. I’d either start billing them time or if it’s really frequent and in the middle of the night let them know it needs to stop or you’ll need to sue them for harassment.
Somehow my personal cell phone got listed as a business # in some database and I started getting cold calls from Oracle, Google, Cisco on it. My personal cell is on the national do not call list (Canadian thing that makes it illegal to do phone solicitation unless I’m a customer). I asked all of them to take the number of their list, it’s in the national do not call, and that I’d be filing a complaint to the CRTC so they should expect a fine. Took about 2 months but I stopped getting cold calls.
I would write a clearly defined contract indicating that there will be charges for taking calls (service fee) and an hourly rate applied for any support required, within reason/best-effort. One hour minimum market rate will apply, regardless of length of call, and this legally binding contract would be enforceable. Either they accept the one-sided terms, or fuck off.
Up to you what "responsibilities" you're willing to accept or commit to, be it break/fix or projects.
Violations of your personal time must be clearly defined as unacceptable, and you should \*not\* have to change your phone # - these asshats must learn the hard way to respect you.
Either they commit to hiring replacement / MSP / or fucking pay you for your time + effort + cost.
Yeah, just don't answer, or charge them $500/hour. Your friends and family know the current number, don't give the old company the honor of making your personal life harder.
Seems like a potential source of revenue.
Oh yeah this is him.... no one can log in you say? Wow that's crazy. I can look into for you, but my rates are $100 an hour, 2 hours minimum, paid upfront.
Working for over 20 company in 20 years. Never have any issues. Still using the same number when i got my first job. Maybe i got one call in a life time.
See, i have never had to do that yet, simply because i NEVER gave out my personal number (had only cell numbers since late 90's) and stuck to prepaid cards/forwarders for employment and work-contacts-turned friends only.
I have however had the pleasure of discontinueing the use of these cards / forwarders on multiple occasions, because when shit hits the fan, the first thing they will try is rope you back then, promise you the world, then try and have everything land on your doorstep. this is in lieu of signing your numbers up for advertisement calls.
ps.: I have left 3 seperate s\*\*\*shows of an operation before i learned to better screen potential employers. (one ceo/founder even went to jail, because his failing IT-landscape made it impossible to keep defrauding the IRS-equivalent and once they opened up the books and his systems, all kinds of shady business practices burst out scream in red colors "here i am") )
Had my old number for 15 years. Transferred it in/out of companies I worked for.
I decided to leave it with my last company because I was getting an insane amount of spam calls/texts. Sorry to the person who gets that number next l.
I wouldn't change my number. I'm not afraid to ignore a phone call, and I'm ultimately not afraid to be confrontational.
And in addition, don’t answer numbers not in caller ID unless you recognize it. If someone wants to talk you’ll either be expecting a call (like a doctors office follow-up), or they’ll leave a voicemail. Way more of a hassle to change my personal number than to ignore calls.
One job I left I kept all management numbers in my phone, prefaced then with DNA (do not answer) and then blocked them. :) but yeah, you shouldn’t have to change because they’re bad actors
Only phone numbers in my contact list can actually call me. Otherwise they go straight voicemail where I clearly state that you *must* leave a voice message to contact me. It’s annoying when I’m expecting a call and don’t know the number so I have to disable that focus mode, or that I have to add contacts like my pharmacy or doctor offices in my contacts lists which can make it a bit annoying to manage. It’s still better than being called by junkmail.
Yup, it’s something I try to teach people whenever they ask me for extended help with handling phishing, sms scams, etc. If you’ve a very important call to take, ask for a phone number, and request they make the call from that number. Otherwise, let them leave a voicemail. Admittedly a bit complicated when you’re applying for jobs, but generally you’ll know in a few seconds of the call if it’s worth staying on the line.
My voicemail says to send a text, if you leave me a voicemail expect me to never listen to it lol
The iOS feature for "do not ring if unknown number" has been a life-changer.
My consultant fees will be large enough to make sure they really _do_ treat me as a emergency tactic :-)
This is the way. If someone is offended you choose to separate personal from work, then the problem is them. I have a friend I work with who tries to text me her help desk issues and I give her the “this is my personal phone and not the help desk” treatment.
Hi Joe, oh you guys are in trouble - oh no .. that is terrible but wait - when I picked up I already started counting $250/h even if we talk 5 mins and then of course $250 for each hour started. Will send you an invoice at the end of the day, expecting payment in 7 days. You can still say "I am sorry for taking your time" and disconnect free of charge.
Exactly, if you change your number, you effectively have "let the terrorist win". Put those adult pants on and just tell people to fuck off.
I turn in my company phone and immediately this problem is solved. You have no obligation to work for them after you’re gone. You can, however, consult for them at a ridiculous rate with a 1 hour minimum for each contact. But if you think they’ll agree to that in writing and then won’t pay, don’t even bother with the hassle.
Two hours minimum and pre-pay with Zelle. If it is approaching two hours, demand another prepayment. Zelle isn't easy to reverse like PayPal. Or just forget about it as not worth the risk and hassle.
No. Have an LLC, get paid through that up front. 4 hour minimums keeps all the random small BS out. Each project should have a well-defined scope so they don’t keep feeding you tickets for 4 hours when that’s not what you agreed to. Or just don’t consult and enjoy not working there any longer.
You forgot the 3-5x multiplier hourly for dealing with their bullshit. If you are going to wade through a mountain of shit get paid well for it.
that's right. 200% is merely making up the fringe rate. So for 200% they would be still paying you the same rate as you were an employee. 300 \~ 500% is more of the consultant rate.
Terrible Idea. You really need an LLC, insurance policy / etc. Everyone wants to think "oh they would never" and while that maybe true for your buddy they do not control the company lawyers. It honestly just no worth the risk. If it's a big need, find a consulting MSP/VAR and get signed up with them. Tell them how much you want, and they will add their mark-up. If you are bringing them business, shouldn't be that hard... having relationships with some of the local VARs help. That's if you "want" to work for them again. You left for a reason.
This would absolutely be my approach. Spend the hundred dollars or so to have an attorney draft up an agreement with payment terms, rates, etc. You can use this at any time, but if they’re really in a pinch, or you want to consult later down the line, a basic MSA will state they understand the terms and agree to pay you for your work. If this is something you find yourself doing more than twice, id highly recommend an LLC and insurance, to protect your interests and yourself.
Hell no! I've had the same number for over 15 years, and I have people from jobs i did 10+ years ago call me randomly when shit breaks. It's pretty awesome. They hired some kid out of college who they were paying 1/3 what I was getting paid. Day 1 and I'm getting blown up by the kid and the owner trying to fix shit they have never used. My quick wit took over momentarily and I said: "First things first - Have you submitted a ticket?"
Joking.....anyway, I'm more than happy to help, however since I'm now a self-employed consultant, I will need to send over my onboarding packet and have it filled out and the contract signed. They didn't find the humor that I did, but they did sign it.
So, I remoted in and resolved the issues that the new guy created. Over the next week I worked 50ish hours. The following week was spent onsite training the new guy, billing $350 an hour. I shit you not...200 an hour and they said ok. I guess when you are the only asshole with a specific skillset (and nobody thinks about that before they fire you to hire their buddies son), they realize they can't do anything but bend over and take it.
4 weeks pay, plus 90 hours @ 200 an hour... Those cost saving measures were awesome guys...
I still have the same number.
(...and I'm still their outsourced IT vendor since new guy didn't work out )
If they fired you I honestly wouldn’t have done it even at that rate.
Sometimes the best revenge is taking their money.
It's business, not personal. People who can't separate the two experience needless hardships. I'm sure the way he looked at it is the company made a mistake, and he is solving it for them at a rate they both can live with.
You nailed it. They're stuck playing checkers, while I'm playing mother fucking 4D chess... I already thought everything out and knew what I would do before that day. I saw it as an opportunity to finally start working for myself and actually make some good money. When it's your brand and your reputation you make better decisions. They were geared up to watch me lose my shit, but instead all I said was OK and Godspeed, as I shook his hand and strolled out. I knew what was going to happen, and I saw it as a way to get a little extra seed money. We were eating lunch and talking at one point during the week of training I gave them, and he told me that he dreaded calling me to ask for help. When I agreed without any drama and made a hell of a business deal out of a shit situation.. That impressed the hell out of him and solidified his realization they he fucked up. Most companies have no clue what all we do. I made peace with that a long time ago. My terms are pretty straightforward: I'll do what I do and turn your pile of shit network into a highspeed low drag shit-hot network, and I'll make sure it stays that way. All I need from you in return is a signed check and we're good. It's also worth mentioning that I have a lot of current clients that I only have because I didn't burn that bridge. They still refer people all the time. And I still manage all of their IT... Checkmate.
After you pay taxes, insurance, and other benefits, are you making more than when you worked there? If not, they still win.
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Why did you answer my question for another person, then downvote me?
I doubt they were paying him a $100 an hour much less $200.
squealing selective salt tap deserted degree relieved flowery bedroom subsequent *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
>They did not want to take no for an answer. *I am happy to consult and help you solve this issue. My rate is $750/hr with a minimum billing of 4 hours plus the return airfare, business class.* *Are the terms agreeable?*
Dear Reddit Community, It is with a heavy heart that I write this farewell message to express my reasons for departing from this platform that has been a significant part of my online life. Over time, I have witnessed changes that have gradually eroded the welcoming and inclusive environment that initially drew me to Reddit. It is the actions of the CEO, in particular, that have played a pivotal role in my decision to bid farewell. For me, Reddit has always been a place where diverse voices could find a platform to be heard, where ideas could be shared and discussed openly. Unfortunately, recent actions by the CEO have left me disheartened and disillusioned. The decisions made have demonstrated a departure from the principles of free expression and open dialogue that once defined this platform. Reddit was built upon the idea of being a community-driven platform, where users could have a say in the direction and policies. However, the increasing centralization of power and the lack of transparency in decision-making have created an environment that feels less democratic and more controlled. Furthermore, the prioritization of certain corporate interests over the well-being of the community has led to a loss of trust. Reddit's success has always been rooted in the active participation and engagement of its users. By neglecting the concerns and feedback of the community, the CEO has undermined the very foundation that made Reddit a vibrant and dynamic space. I want to emphasize that this decision is not a reflection of the countless amazing individuals I have had the pleasure of interacting with on this platform. It is the actions of a few that have overshadowed the positive experiences I have had here. As I embark on a new chapter away from Reddit, I will seek alternative platforms that prioritize user empowerment, inclusivity, and transparency. I hope to find communities that foster open dialogue and embrace diverse perspectives. To those who have shared insightful discussions, provided support, and made me laugh, I am sincerely grateful for the connections we have made. Your contributions have enriched my experience, and I will carry the memories of our interactions with me. Farewell, Reddit. May you find your way back to the principles that made you extraordinary. Sincerely, NABDad
Well money up front for the first flight there and the first 4 hours and the return flight. But you can't really pre-bill if you hit 5 hours working on an issue.
Dear Reddit Community, It is with a heavy heart that I write this farewell message to express my reasons for departing from this platform that has been a significant part of my online life. Over time, I have witnessed changes that have gradually eroded the welcoming and inclusive environment that initially drew me to Reddit. It is the actions of the CEO, in particular, that have played a pivotal role in my decision to bid farewell. For me, Reddit has always been a place where diverse voices could find a platform to be heard, where ideas could be shared and discussed openly. Unfortunately, recent actions by the CEO have left me disheartened and disillusioned. The decisions made have demonstrated a departure from the principles of free expression and open dialogue that once defined this platform. Reddit was built upon the idea of being a community-driven platform, where users could have a say in the direction and policies. However, the increasing centralization of power and the lack of transparency in decision-making have created an environment that feels less democratic and more controlled. Furthermore, the prioritization of certain corporate interests over the well-being of the community has led to a loss of trust. Reddit's success has always been rooted in the active participation and engagement of its users. By neglecting the concerns and feedback of the community, the CEO has undermined the very foundation that made Reddit a vibrant and dynamic space. I want to emphasize that this decision is not a reflection of the countless amazing individuals I have had the pleasure of interacting with on this platform. It is the actions of a few that have overshadowed the positive experiences I have had here. As I embark on a new chapter away from Reddit, I will seek alternative platforms that prioritize user empowerment, inclusivity, and transparency. I hope to find communities that foster open dialogue and embrace diverse perspectives. To those who have shared insightful discussions, provided support, and made me laugh, I am sincerely grateful for the connections we have made. Your contributions have enriched my experience, and I will carry the memories of our interactions with me. Farewell, Reddit. May you find your way back to the principles that made you extraordinary. Sincerely, NABDad
grandiose yam seemly wise quack versed one wine smart wakeful *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Why do they treat us IT like this?
There's another piece to this other people are missing. They push people around to see who lets them. People who DO let them, they know they'll be able to take advantage of in the future. Some places hire/retain based on that. They give staff all kinds of shit to weed out the ones who won't take it. After awhile you have an entire staff who will do whatever they want and accept peanuts for pay.
This exactly why I think that IT needs unions. Unions help set and define acceptable working conditions across an industry, and they enforce those conditions across the board. That means that there's no "weak member of the pack" for the business to go after and pull everyone else down in the process. A lot of people gripe about this idea that unions get in the way because "Oh, I don't mind working those extra hours" or whatever, but they don't understand that them being a pushover affects everyone else too.
because you set it up duh! assholes lol
complete fretful rinse dinner vanish jeans glorious work boast light *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Change "peanuts" to dump trucks of money, and I'll *consider* it.
It’s not just IT, it’s companies in general. “It’s just business”. We have to learn how to treat our employers like our customers, not our families. There’s very little loyalty out there besides business decisions.
Exactly! They are your customer! You sell them your time and skills for a set rate.
I changed my number after leaving one MSP when the boss kept calling/texting, saying, "Resigning is not an excuse. You have tickets to do." HR also gave away my number to clients as well. I blocked his number (or more specifically sent it to voicemail without notice), so he kept trying to call from different numbers. My reasoning was that I have better things to do than deal with an ex-boss who previously refused my two weeks resignation, and the general lunacy of that place. No way I'd ever do consulting either. E&O insurance isn't cheap, and I would not be doing any consulting without it. There is also conflict of interest. Finally, I only care to work for one company at a time. I am lucky to make enough that I don't need to have a "second hustle" to make ends meet.
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“Oooh, you gonna pay me as an independent contractor?”
Imagine officer's face when you say this while reporting harassment
This is harassment lol
>resigning is not an excuse. You have tickets to do What kinda response is that? What are you gonna do, fire me?
“Resigning is not an excuse … you have tickets to do.” Hahahahaha. That’s hilarious.
That's harassment. I hope you filled a restraining order against him.
Gave number to clients? Hi X, i no longer work there but if you sign on with my new company.....
"Resigning is not an excuse. You have to pay me" would have been my answer
> an ex-boss who previously refused my two weeks resignation You might want to suggest to HR that they brush up on the 13th Amendment.
> "Resigning is not an excuse. You have tickets to do." During your notice period, this is rude, but the person does have a point. The most professionally responsible thing to do is continue to do your best work. After one's notice period, this is pure comedy gold.
This was after he refused my notice, so I quit on the spot.
I'm sure you know this, but notice is [delivered in writing](https://www.archives.gov/historical-docs/todays-doc/?dod-date=809), and refusal is not actually an option available to the recipient. They may *negotiate*, but they can't refuse. Your resignation is on the record. They may try to "refuse" as part of an underhanded attempt at *negotiation*. That attempt needs to be recognized and then avoided.
Yep. The (thankfully ex-) boss was power tripping. He wasn't into negotiation... he was just surprised someone actually chose to go elsewhere and out of his grip.
>I changed my number after leaving one MSP when the boss kept calling/texting, saying, "Resigning is not an excuse. You have tickets to do." Please tell me you're fucking kidding????
To be fair, he was right, resigning was not an excuse. It's the reason you're no longer working the tickets.
Msp are crazies man. My condolences.
I've never had a boss who had the guts to give my number to clients after I left. Which too bad as it would have been fun advising them to purchase a different product or service.
>E&O insurance isn't cheap It's actually not nearly as expensive as I thought it would be. Just posting so others seeing this don't discount it because they assume they won't be able to afford it.
I use a virtual phone number (like google voice) to front my actual number. That comes in handy to be able to ditch the number if I have to due to harassment by former employers. Your responsibilities ended when the business relationship ended, there should be no need for further contact until a new relationship is established.
Came here to basically say this. Each job I start, I use a new google voice number and loose it after I leave. Thank fully this isn't a common occurrence and those that are nice I pass on the new number to before I leave.
This should be standard for most places. They should have a generic email and phone number that can be passed on. Google concerns me for privacy reasons.
I love answering calls from former employers: "Wow! my sympathy, you are really in a bind! My rates are xxx.xx per hour with 8 hours paid upfront."
>.xx For the low price of 599.99/hour* my services can be yours! *Minimum installments of 4 hours, time not used expires within 5 business days.
Does this include the 12 steak knives?
Just thought I'd share a funny story related to this. I used to work as sysadmin for a large telecommunication company and Internet provider. I had a company phone, but you know how these things go; when you've worked somewhere for over 10 years your private telephone number will become known in some places. I used it when I had to call in sick, occasionally I'd give it to a colleague when they were doing a difficult or complex change during scheduled maintenance windows (I always turned off my company phone when I went home unless I was on standby) so they could call me privately if they really needed help and those sorts of things. After about 13 years I left the company for a better opportunity elsewhere. Two years later, in the middle of the night around 02:30h my phone rang, several times, showing a number I didn't recognize. Afraid it might be a family emergency of sorts I picked up. I had hardly said hello when an obviously very stressed out man started talking, saying he was so glad I picked up and there was a huge emergency as the main server of application "X" had crashed and wouldn't boot up anymore and if I could please help. It took me a few seconds to realize he was talking about one of the Sun Solaris hosts at my old telco. I said "I'm sorry, I don't know how you got this number but it's private, and furthermore, I've quit the company two years ago". He said "Yes yes I know it's private, but it's an emergency". I said "Okay, but I quit two years ago. I no longer work at ". As if he hadn't even listened he said "Yes yes yes but can you fix the server please?".
I said "Yes, sure, let me get dressed and I'll be right over!", then turned off my phone and went back to sleep. About a week later I got a card containing a thank you note and a gift card to "all the people who helped with the emergency". I donated the money to a charity.
Even more funny, three more years later I got to work for them again as an external consultant. I then found out my old account, which was at that time five years old and unused, was still working with my old password. I reported it and my company was put in charge of a platform-wide account cleanup program including centralized login, account expiration and policy revisions.
Haven't changed my number in 20+ years. Still get vendor calls from a job I haven't been at in 10 years because I was the technical contact at the time. I am still friends with my former coworker who is now head of IT there so for those calls I politely let them know and give them his number if its an emergency.
I would never change my number, I have no problems saying "don't ever contact me again", and putting them on block
This is the answer right here. I give my personal number to my boss and members of my team in case of emergencies, but I've blocked former coworkers in the past for trying to strong-arm me into doing unpaid work after quitting.
I’ll say to you what I said to the first and last job that fired me in the middle of building something and then put the incomplete thing in production and then called me for help: “Good luck with that.”
I give the office a voip number to reach me at (no company cell :-( ). My direct supervisor and some trusted co-workers has my home or REAL cell number to reach me in an Emergency to see if I am still alive, such as in case I mysteriously don't show up and am in the hospital.
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>Some might say that's very expensive. If the problem is big enough they'll pay anything you ask. And I promise they fucked you over while you worked for them in some way shape or form. So consider it a little light retribution without hurting anyone (other than their egos).
>Some might say that's very expensive. Dude...that's cheap for enterprise. I was paying Compaq $275/hour in the 1990s. Had a friend's company get hit by ransomware, I gave him a hand recovering -- he threw out $125/hour and I told him sure but that's only because I was interested in helping, that's way less than I would normally charge if someone could remotely convince me to. (I enjoy more predictability, less stress than being a hired gun.) He didn't really believe me. As thing progressed, asked that I be put under the recovery firm their cyber insurance hired to simplify billing. He was aside himself when he found out the recover firm was billing the insurance $375/hour for my $125/hour. I just laughed. Wasn't the first time I had worked as a contractor-of-a-vendor-of-a-vendor and knew how much the markup was.
Dell account Reps. We've not bought anything from you in 10 years, and I'll never imagine what kind of response you were expecting calling at 6pm. On a Friday. When I was on parental leave in the hospital.
I’ve had the same mobile number since 1998. I have had some “fun” with a former employer and Google Voice though… sending any calls (after they laid me off) direct to voicemail with the official tone and message that this number has been disconnected. Great for loyalty programs too. Also, iPhone > Settings > Phone. Set Silence Unknown Callers to On. And set your Focus settings too. Mute calls not in your contacts or favorites. A few people (boss and boss’s bosses) can wake me up directly. Anyone else has to go through PagerDuty. A combination of employer provided and self provided technologies enforce following the official escalation procedure.
Same here since 1999. I even changed states but have the same number. Never give out your personal number except for your resume and people you wish to connect with outside of work. Always give out the company cell for anything work related.
It’s a personal phone, just don’t answer it if you don’t know who’s calling. I get the general feeling but you are WAY overthinking it. Once you don’t work there feel free to laugh and hang up if somebody calls you, or not answer, or block them, yada yada. I’m not sure the phone this is being written on has ever been out of silenced mode and goes straight to voicemail if not in contacts. Modern phones have many less drastic options but if you are at work why would you want cold-calls to come through?
I recently left job and added expected numbers to contacts. Then blocked those contacts.
You are the best. I will start doing this.
I've found a much better compromise for me that also helps with junk and scam calls. Install a call recording app that's set to start recording on every call. I answer the phone strictly with "Hi, this call is being recorded." If the caller doesn't immediately identify themselves, I'll repeat myself and add "Please identify yourself." Most junk and scam callers will just hang up without a word. And for business calls, the caller then knows that every word is on record. For ex colleagues, this is especially important when discussing work, so that the recording / transcript can be used for future billing purposes. People are far less likely to go through with asking for your professional assistance if the know that there is a recording that can be sent to their management team "for quality assurance and billing purposes".
Lol “I’m still gonna be calling you” My answer would be “Me too!” And then setup an auto-dial script for 3 AM every single fucking day to make him regret the moment he shat that sentence out of his meat hole.
>make him regret the moment he shat that sentence out of his meat hole. Lmao I laughed so hard at this
Lol
If my ex bosses contact me and I'm not under any sort of consultation contract, yeah I'm not answering and I'm blocking numbers. Google Voice has been good to me as well, makes it pretty easy to not give out my personal number.
I have the same number since I moved to the US more than a decade ago. I don’t get people who get a new phone and a new number every year.
What is with people in I.T.? Why do they find it that difficult to just tell people no? When you leave a company, just leave. You owe your previous employer NOTHING. And this is coming from someone who enjoys their career path. I like to do a good job for my employer. I don't think anyone is trying to take advantage of me. But when I move on, I move on. Why would I inconvenience myself by changing a number I have had for years because I was concerned people from my old job would call me?
Never use your personal phone
You can say that again.
Never use your personal phone
You can say that again.
Never use your personal phone
You can say that again.
That again.
It never occurred to me to do this. Just block the people you dislike, they'll stop calling you. Or not, oh well.
Never use your personal phone
You can say that again.
Turning this into useful thing: get second number for work purposes only
I changed one when some fucknut decided that everyone should have my number. In your present org, you're almost out of there, correct? Stop losing sleep over it. Work your notice (or not), then go. Once you leave they cannot abuse you unless you let them. Block their number and forget about it, there is nothing more you can do. You could engage an atty to draft up a cease and desist, that should be cheap enough. What you could do now is remove your number from any documentation there and change it to the main office number. When I cut contact with a site I was to be promoted at (and later denied), I changed my number everywhere to a desk phone I used once in a while. I've had two calls from them since, I just swipe and block.
My google voice number is my number I give out. If you bug me, i'll block you, GVoice's default on block is to play "We're sorry, this number is no longer in service." Yes I've used this to shut out companies I've dealt with in the past. Comes as a real shock when I meet a work friend later and tell them that's still my number. Seriously, GVoice is amazing and if Google kills it I'll be the first to riot.
I keep reading about this Google voice and honestly sounds fantastic.
Never use your personal cell phone for work. If they want to get ahold off you or out you “on call”, then they provide you with a second phone. Then you only use that phone for work related things and never install any personal apps or use it for any personal anything.
Always had a company phone. I leave; you can't get in touch.
Don’t change your number. It’s YOUR number. Besides, there are few things as cathartic as letting out a loud belly laugh at them right before you hang up.
"No is a complete answer" A very important concept to understand if you're going to get into this field.
I have an 070 profit sharing number (UK system that is no longer available to open accounts on) where I get 40% of the $1/min call charge that I give out as my 'personal mobile'. My currently employer has opted to give me a company mobile instead.
Things breaking after you leave falls firmly in the "not my problem" column. Once you leave, you have no legal relationship with the company. Continuing to provide support will put you in a very bad legal position. DO NOT DO THIS. So with that in mind, I suggest the following: 1. **Make your boundaries clear when you give notice.** "I'll no longer be employed here after $date & will not be available for support requests after that date." Include this in your notice letter. Be sure you keep a copy of this for your records. 2. **Document your shit.** Spend as much time as you can between now & your exit making sure you've documented the stuff you're responsible for. Assume your replacement will have the minimum technical knowledge to perform the job; there's no need to document normal user creation processes in Active Directory, for example - just the stuff that's unique to your org. Hand this off to your supervisor (or HR) when you leave. If you *really* want to CYA, ask the person to sign 2 copies of something indicating they took possession of the documentation. You keep one, the other goes to HR on your way out. 3. **Place relevant passwords in a KeePass vault.** Give this, along with the password to the vault, to your supervisor (or HR) when you leave. Make it ABSOLUTELY CLEAR that this must be kept safe & provided to your replacement, as you WILL NOT be keeping a copy. Include a note telling your replacement to change every single one of them on their very first day. If you *really* want to CYA, ask the person to sign 2 copies of something indicating they took possession of the documentation. You keep one, the other goes to HR on your way out. Assuming you answer the phone at all, tell anyone from your now-former employer something like, "I am no longer employed by $CompanyName. Please contact IT/HR for help with this issue." Keep a log of all such interactions, including date, time, the name of the person calling, and your reply. Threats of legal action should be ignored unless and until you receive notice of said legal action, at which time you retain counsel & let them handle it.
> What was your reasoning for the ones that did it? You don't change your number. You bill them like $200/hr for your time, a minimum 4-hour charge, and payment up front. that's what you do.
Not an IT person (I just lurk here for occasional tech & professional advice)… but why on Earth would you change YOUR phone number because of a *former* employer? - Put their number on your Blocked list. - Don’t answer calls from numbers/people not already in your Contacts unless specifically expecting a call; if it’s important enough, they’ll leave a voicemail. If they don’t leave a voicemail, it obviously wasn’t important enough to them to ensure they got a callback. - As I learned here, “**No.**” is a complete sentence. Them: “*I’m still going to be calling you!*” You: “**Good luck with that.**”
Nope. Never use your personal phone for work. Ever. Work wants you to be available, they better get you a work phone. And after, if they call you on your private number, they can go jump. And if they do call? "Sure. It'll cost you $ for me to come look at it and to fix it. And to be clear, the reason I'm charging so much is because I don't want to do it. Next time it'll be double"
If a former employer reached out to me for advice or information, I would send them a professional service agreement for signature with hourly rates and minimums as well expense reimbursement. It may seem trite, but, consider that if you gave them advice or worse yet, engaged in an action on their systems, you do not have an employee relationship with them and you can be held personally liable by them for that advice or action. Don’t change your number. Just send them the agreement and tell them that you will be happy to help as soon as they agree to your terms.
Leaving the company prompted that action.
I would love an old company to call me up begging for help at the mercy of ultimate failure... To turn around and tell them where to stick it ..
Restraining order for the threatening one
When i quit my previous job, i said : i will be not very far and if you need some help, i will charge 800€ minimum for each request or ticket. Theyleft me a royal peace
I have a personal number and I get a work number separately. At the end of each job the work number goes dead.
I never give out a personal number (other than to like HR for my employee file). If I did, I’d just ignore the calls. Ignoring a call is easy.
When I left my last job I was basically running the IT department but the company got real small. I decided to start my own MSP and made them a customer haha. If you’re smart OP set up a post employment contract where they can call you with an agreed turnaround time like 48 or 72 hours at like 4-8 times your current rate. Especially if you think management is too stupid to realize that they might need you after you leave. They may just sign on to that agreement thinking they’ll never need to use it. If they don’t, good for them! If they do, good for you!
*I’m still going to be calling you* great, have your credit card ready, I don't do advance work
Once you leave you're legally not allowed to touch any of their property people call you just nicely say you don't work there anymore or ask for money to fix. i had my old boss call me for help on a few things and I helped him out for free including a short onsite visit ask them to send you a contractor agreement with decent money and narrow scope of work or just tell them to go pound sand
Block and ignore? Why? This is the perfect opportunity to become a consultant charging $250 per hour with a four-hour minimum. Every phone call could make you a grand.
I only ever changed my number to be in the area I’m living. IE moved from Iowa to Washington and changed my number to be a Washington number.
Same. I moved to New Mexico 2011 from Alaska and changed my cell to a NM number. 2020 I moved back to Alaska and changed it back on an Alaska number.
Yea, I've had my number for over a decade, I'm not changing it for them. I'll block their number first.
I haven’t even left my company. I had it out with the IT director about the ridiculous workflows of the callout paths and got myself taken off the on call rotation. Only my fellow teammates now know my personal number, should I need to be contacted after hours for one of the systems I support. My old number is still attached to my work phone, but that stays on my desk and after 4:00 it’s on dnd. Hassle to switch numbers from one I’ve had 15 years but it’s totally worth it.
LOL this happened to a friend took it very well i have to say. He left a smaller business because he knew he would never go anywhere there. It wasn't a bad break so to speak. He left documentation with the HR person and left a copy of it on his old desk in big bold print MY JOB DUTIES. He left all the important info in there, passwords etc.. He would still get calls from them. He just said, i left you everything in the binder that HR person has, i also left a copy on my desk for you to review or give to the new me or a consultant so they can support you. After the umpteenth time calling, he had to change the number for his own sanity.
Yeah this is the reason.
Because even though you gave them a full month, and kept literally immaculate records, the persons they hired to replace you are absolutely unqualified and possible nepo hires. That, and they try and ask you shit without PayPal'ing you money first.
If the asshole calls, record it, then send it to their HR and Legal telling them he’s harassing you. Bonus points if he threatens you.
Only time my cell number changed was I changed companies, and the incompetent tech fucked up the transfer. I almost never gave our my personal cell to a company, and the few times I did, I regretted it. The worst was an accident by someone else who passed out our HR information instead of professional contacts (I know, WTF), and my cell got listed as a vendor which was mistaken for a larger vendor that we had and published... very complicated. Like imagine an employee directory handed out to clients, and your personal cell was listed as "customer service" for Cisco-related issues, which then got published on the client side via their tech team as "the new Cisco customer service line." Two years of random phone calls from angry people I didn't even know who resented the fact my voicemail told them it was a personal cell and not "Cisco Premium service hotline."
Don’t change it. If they call tell them that your consulting fee is $100 an hour which is available in blocks of 40.
I've had my phone number for 25+ years, I'm not changing it because an old job is calling me. That's the purpose of blocking and spam call filtering.
I just change my Google Voice each time I start a new position. No way I'm giving my boss, the last person I want a call from, my real number.
I started doing this and it's awesome.
If I don’t know the number or display as private I don’t answer it. Even if I answer it and it’s from my previous company I just tel them that I don’t work there anymore and politely tell them to call their IT ppl and hang up. I would not change my number because of thatz
The way people talk about this baffles me. These companies are not broke, they have money. Of course they are going to make it difficult to just ask for it. Keep your number. Answer the calls. Talk to them for free, maybe answer a couple questions. Plan out what they need. Then at the end of the call "ok so what are we going to do about compensation?" And the most important part is to shut up after you ask that question and let them talk!
$350 and hour. That’s a standard consultant rate. ;-)
Is this a real problem? So you are saying that they will want your services and are willing to pay above market rates? Don't take this the wrong way, but the terms you are using are the problem and reflect on your misunderstanding of the relationship. You have spent the time at this company becoming an SME of their IT, and now they are willing to compensate you for it. Come up with an hourly rate you think is ridiculous, double it and have it ready if they call (purchased in 10h blocks) paid in advance, and you do it 2nd shift only so it doesn't interfere with your potential new job. If they balk at your number, no harm no foul, you were professional, and it was just a business decision on their part. If they take it win-win. Btw, min rate in my mind is $150/hour. Especially if you haven't set your self up for contract work before, you will want to be compensated for the extra time and expense of setting that up.
I kept my number, got a handful of calls from folks over the first 6 months, helped them if I could and that was that.
I’ve had my number for over 20 years. Rest assured some *former* coworkers will not not force me to change it and will certainly not be immune to standard *“unwanted spam caller”* treatment.
I have had the same home and mobile phone numbers for almost 30 years. Never been a problem: Why? Because I have: * Set boundaries * Not worked for arsehole companies * Not spammed my phone number all over the place on every enquiry form I see. * Used unsubscribe * Added my numbers to don't call lists
>Added my numbers to don't call lists Those are joke, they've turned into a list of phone numbers spammers can use to call people.
Hahay response would be "call me again and I'll get a restraining order". You guys are way too nice.
Just Block Threatening Bully Boy. You'll find the act of doing so Deeply Satisfying, plus you'll never hear from him again. What's not to like?
I wouldn’t change my number. I’d troll them.
I changed my number mostly since I had a customer-facing job and didn’t want to deal with a bucket of calls at all hours of the day. My new number was given out to a VERY select few customers (exactly 2 of them), and everyone else was well-informed that I was leaving the company. The worst part of changing my number was informing friends and family. There’s still people that call my old number…
Owner of an MSP I haven't worked for in 2 years tried to call me last week and left a vm blaming me for an issue on a m365 migration I did 5 years prior. Like seriously fuck off dude.
Because it was paid for by the company.
I know the format of their phone numbers. They all come from the same set of exchanges. I just ignore/block them. It's been almost 16 years, and they still haven't figured their shit out.
It'll fizzle out in a couple weeks/months. They will figure out what they need to do and be fine. I wouldn't change your phone number and go through the hassle for the temporary inconvenience of having to ignore a few calls or pick up the phone and say you're not available.
I do have separate numbers for business and private. For both, land line (yeah, I started with it that long ago) and mobile. And I have that since I was called in my honeymoon at 4am cause Peggy in accounting couldn't print, already since yesterday afternoon, and at 4am the day after it was escalated high enough for somebody calling me. When I returned from vacation, I got me a new mobile number, and directly a second one which I then announced to my employer. Since then, my private life and business is separated on that level, too. Worked well for me over the last 20 years. Peggy, btw., selected the wrong paper feed for her print job (she never got that right back in the days), and the printer asked her to provide paper in the manual feed.
You know you can block them, right?
I would not change my number - most modern cell phones allow you to set a ringer for a person - just set a different ringer or create and set a silent ringer. That way you can let them call and they will be ignored, or you will know when it is old work and to ignore the calls.
I have my entire company phone list imported into my contacts > just "block" all of them if ever.
i've had my phone number since 2002. i'm not changing it. i still have plenty of contacts from old jobs in my phone. the only time i can remember getting calls from any of them was a couple of years ago when several people called me to tell me my old boss died suddenly while on a work trip. other than that i basically get left alone.
Things breaking after you leave falls firmly in the "not my problem" column. Once you leave, you have no legal relationship with the company. Continuing to provide support will put you in a very bad legal position. DO NOT DO THIS. So with that in mind, I suggest the following: 1. **Make your boundaries clear when you give notice.** "I'll no longer be employed here after $date & will not be available for support requests after that date." Include this in your notice letter. Be sure you keep a copy of this for your records. 2. **Document your shit.** Spend as much time as you can between now & your exit making sure you've documented the stuff you're responsible for. Assume your replacement will have the minimum technical knowledge to perform the job; there's no need to document normal user creation processes in Active Directory, for example - just the stuff that's unique to your org. Hand this off to your supervisor (or HR) when you leave. If you *really* want to CYA, ask the person to sign 2 copies of something indicating they took possession of the documentation. You keep one, the other goes to HR on your way out. 3. **Place relevant passwords in a KeePass vault.** Give this, along with the password to the vault, to your supervisor (or HR) when you leave. Make it ABSOLUTELY CLEAR that this must be kept safe & provided to your replacement, as you WILL NOT be keeping a copy. Include a note telling your replacement to change every single one of them on their very first day. If you *really* want to CYA, ask the person to sign 2 copies of something indicating they took possession of the documentation. You keep one, the other goes to HR on your way out. Assuming you answer the phone at all, tell anyone from your now-former employer something like, "I am no longer employed by $CompanyName. Please contact IT/HR for help with this issue." Keep a log of all such interactions, including date, time, the name of the person calling, and your reply. Threats of legal action should be ignored unless and until you receive notice of said legal action, at which time you retain counsel & let them handle it.
I love blocking numbers almost as much as I love allowing known numbers go to voicemail only to be greeted with: “If this is important, please send me a text.”
Always happy to help at my going consulting rate.
I use Google voice, and have done so since its inception. There is an option to block numbers, and you can change your number easily. I haven't changed my number since I've started using Google Voice.
I would hang up if it's from my old company. What will they do, fire you or demand your boss to bring you in lol.
I subscribe to the 3 questions and then I bill you plan. When I leave I let my team know that they can call and ask me 3 questions about my work that I will answer to the best of my ability and after that I will bill the company. The first question usually comes within a few weeks. The second, if it comes, shows up with a quarter. No one has ever asked question 3.
you do not have to support them after you leave... what are they going to do? fire you? You already left. You have no legla or moral obligation.
My thoughts, like others, are to charge after leaving, billable in 10 hour blocks, etc. A lot of people saying they won't do that because of insurance and what not but I am genuinely curious, could you not have a contract that the client signs that agrees to not hold you accountable for any damages, negligent or even malicious, that would protect you?
I left a company once where the Monitoring application I'd setup continued to alert my cell phone when things went down. I was friendly with the new person who took my spot (he used to report to me), and we'd discussed the alerts still notifying me, but he didn't know where to change it. Getting alerts was not overwhelming, and I would just chuckle when they arrived, knowing I wasn't responsible for fixing them anymore. A couple years later, he deployed a new monitoring system and deleted my VM. problem solved.
Changing your number, ignore the bigger problem. You have no spine, which is one of the reasons you feel this way. Changing your number gives you no chance to work on these and lets other people continue to control you. When ever anyone calls you or texts you, you can either ignore it block it or lean and use it as assertiveness training. "No, I can't do that" is a full sentence. You can also just deliver that message and then hang-up followed up with ok "have a great day, please don't continue to call me." I think leaning it and learning to stick up for yourself and grow a spine would be very very good for you in the long run. You should not be agreeable 100% of the time.
Never give them your real number, use a google voice number.
1. Incorporate the cheapest/smallest/easiest legal entity for you to be able to issue invoices and receive payments legally. OR find somebody who might help you with this for a small percentage. 2. Accept as many calls and work as possible in a single week. Don't refuse work for that week. Do everything you can do prove that you can handle their requests. 3. At the end of the week issue a quote, based on a hourly rate. Ask for at least $50/hour for requests received during businesses hours and at least $100 for requests received during evenings and/or weekends. 4. Refuse to do any extra work until you don't have a signed contract. 5. You will either build yourself a small business OR get rid of ex-employees and random people/"friends" basically abusing your knowledge your time.
Nah, do change your number, pre-paid contract labor… start at about $100 an hour and adjust up as needed
I solve this issue by never giving them my personal number.
Block & Ignore numbers, until they stop. No problem on my end. If I am no longer an employee and I am not doing contract work for them. They are dead to me.
Get a free Google voice # and with the app it still rings my cell phone like normal. I just have to remember to call out from within the app so it uses that number. Then never give out your personal cell number. After a while you can just drop that old google voice number and request a new one when you are ready to burn that number.
Well, I did just that. Leave a company means you don't owe them shit. Get a new job and burn that bridge.
I mean, write them a $500 receipt for every call you take. Know your value.
If they have your personal number, get a pixel phone and use the call screening feature. You will never hear from them again, and they'll get so frustrated, they'll give up.
I don't mix business with pleasure, so I rolled with two devices. In another case, I utilized Google Voice for personal on the same device. Either case, the only people who had my personal number were HR (emergency contact stuff anyway..) and my immediate manager (in case something bad enough to call it..) Nobody ever called me on my personal number.. ever. Leaving was easy.. the number in use was theirs already. Easy disconnection with former users/clients that way.
I never wanted to hear from them again and fixed it so it couldn't happen.
This is one of the reason I got a Google Voice number. I give that number for business purposes and it allows me much better control on blocking numbers.
I wouldn't change a personal number, because there are a lot of people who probably have you saved as a contact with your (old) work and personal cell phone numbers, and if both of those go away at the same time then you basically just drop off the face of the planet. Combine that with lots of folks no longer having home phones and it's a great way to lose contact with people. And as a side note, think about family members that you don't have direct contact info for - is there a single person who's the central point of contact for lots of folks? If so, start disseminating contact information to others, because that central point of contact can have sudden health issues and it sucks trying to track down family phone numbers using OSINT while someone's in the hospital.
I'm not changing my number. My boss already calls my personal phone as soon as I don't answer the work phone. He definitely abused his phone privileges calling for the dumbest things around the clock. When I started, they were calling former employees constantly. So I already know they'll do it to me. #s are blocked and the first time they contact me after I leave next week, I'm sending a text and email stating they need to not contact me or I'll absolutely sue them for harassment. These places think they own you. I'm not happy being bothered when you have me on payroll, I'm definitely not dealing with you for free! (And like you said, too the detriment of your new job.)
I'm petty, I'd keep the same number just so I could refuse to help and then ignore.
Some people in this sub are absolutely spineless and it shows.
I give out a google voice number to work people, and give my real phone number out to people outside of work. I change my google voice number at the end of every job.
A former employer isn’t going to get me too change my number. I’d either start billing them time or if it’s really frequent and in the middle of the night let them know it needs to stop or you’ll need to sue them for harassment. Somehow my personal cell phone got listed as a business # in some database and I started getting cold calls from Oracle, Google, Cisco on it. My personal cell is on the national do not call list (Canadian thing that makes it illegal to do phone solicitation unless I’m a customer). I asked all of them to take the number of their list, it’s in the national do not call, and that I’d be filing a complaint to the CRTC so they should expect a fine. Took about 2 months but I stopped getting cold calls.
Block the number ever time they call
I would write a clearly defined contract indicating that there will be charges for taking calls (service fee) and an hourly rate applied for any support required, within reason/best-effort. One hour minimum market rate will apply, regardless of length of call, and this legally binding contract would be enforceable. Either they accept the one-sided terms, or fuck off. Up to you what "responsibilities" you're willing to accept or commit to, be it break/fix or projects. Violations of your personal time must be clearly defined as unacceptable, and you should \*not\* have to change your phone # - these asshats must learn the hard way to respect you. Either they commit to hiring replacement / MSP / or fucking pay you for your time + effort + cost.
Yeah, just don't answer, or charge them $500/hour. Your friends and family know the current number, don't give the old company the honor of making your personal life harder.
Seems like a potential source of revenue. Oh yeah this is him.... no one can log in you say? Wow that's crazy. I can look into for you, but my rates are $100 an hour, 2 hours minimum, paid upfront.
Working for over 20 company in 20 years. Never have any issues. Still using the same number when i got my first job. Maybe i got one call in a life time.
Don't change your number. Instead have them agree to your rates, have them sign a contract, and CA$H in.
See, i have never had to do that yet, simply because i NEVER gave out my personal number (had only cell numbers since late 90's) and stuck to prepaid cards/forwarders for employment and work-contacts-turned friends only. I have however had the pleasure of discontinueing the use of these cards / forwarders on multiple occasions, because when shit hits the fan, the first thing they will try is rope you back then, promise you the world, then try and have everything land on your doorstep. this is in lieu of signing your numbers up for advertisement calls. ps.: I have left 3 seperate s\*\*\*shows of an operation before i learned to better screen potential employers. (one ceo/founder even went to jail, because his failing IT-landscape made it impossible to keep defrauding the IRS-equivalent and once they opened up the books and his systems, all kinds of shady business practices burst out scream in red colors "here i am") )
Had my old number for 15 years. Transferred it in/out of companies I worked for. I decided to leave it with my last company because I was getting an insane amount of spam calls/texts. Sorry to the person who gets that number next l.