Short and sweet of it, I used to work as a manager/supervisor at a prior company that had us build various applications for them. I was there close to twenty years! In any event last year the company started struggling and things took a dive (upper management bickering, stock holders upset with the company, vision of company was no longer valid, competitors eating us alive, etc). One of my senior software engineers left prior to my departure and I eventually left as well.

I was able to quickly find a new home and a great place to work. Initially the old place kept asking me questions (I had to keep my phone number due to personal reasons) that were work related. It got to the point where each day they were asking 1-2 questions even after I left the company for three months. I got tired of it and finally told them I could no longer assist because I had my own priorities.

A few weeks back I actually hired another engineer that also worked at that prior company we both worked at. He too was tired of all the bickering, politics, and fallout from the board of directors and the ceo's. In any event, I hired him and he too is now getting contacted with more of their questions.

Is there anything I can do to simply tell them to bug off? We have our own priorities and it is their problem now not ours!

Is there anything I can do to simply tell them to bug off?

Just stop answering their questions.

Nothing says "bug off" quite like not giving answers to repeated questions.

You've trained them to continue to rely on you for help. This is your fault. Time to un-train them.

Your options are (multiple choice):

• Tell them to stop calling




• Ignore the calls




• Block their numbers




• Offer to consult for an exorbitant rate




• Inform them you're going to request a no-contact order, if they find
  ways to go around your blocks or continue after you tell them to stop
  calling




• Actually request a no-contact order

The most effective way is to tell them you charge X per hour for answering questions, and they need to give you an address where to send invoices.

Having to explain your bill will stop most people from asking questions.

What I haven't seen anyone address is that you say while YOU have stopped taking the calls they're contacting your subordinate. He needs to show tough love with them and tell them to stop calling. You need to make it clear to him that your expectation is that he not work for other companies while on the clock with you -- strongly encourage him to get tough.

The other answers talk about different ways to essentially either tell them "no" or to threaten them directly either with billing or no-contact orders.

I think the simplest way is to just stop answering their questions. By answering their questions in the past you've essentially implied to them that its okay to bug you with questions because you've been helping them out for all this time.

Stop responding to their calls/texts/messages/whatever. If you ignore them and the volume of contact increases or does not go away- then it turns into harassment and you will have to consider either blocking them or taking further actions to prevent them from bothering you during work.

Most of the times, nothing beats the simplicity.

Refuse to help, just tell them you're busy. Say,

I'd like you to help, but I got work to do. (Yes, your work, which gets you paid).

If this calls keep coming, stop taking calls.

At some point of time, you have to learn to say "no". The sooner, the better.