Exit Interviews

Once you have landed a new opportunity and have advised your current employer of your plans to leave the company, they may ask you to participate in an exit interview.  Not all businesses perform exit interviews however many are recognizing this as an opportunity for improvement.  Losing employees is costly for a business, especially someone who has a substantial amount of tenure with an organization.

When participating in an exit interview, remember, this is still a business conversation.  Sure, it’s going to be tempting to complain about your lazy co-worker or that silly policy about not being able to run to Starbucks on your morning break.  Not every place of employment will mesh with your ideal work environment, but that’s why you are leaving, to pursue something else that may make you happier.  The best thing you can do for this business is be honest, yet professional when expressing your grievances.

Another aspect of exit interviews is to understand if the information shared will be kept confidential.  Will your name be tied to this feedback you are about to provide or will this feedback be delivered in an anonymous medium? If you plan on using any one of your previous supervisors as a reference in the future, you will want to understand this portion of the interview before spilling your guts.

Some common exit interview questions may be, “What is your primary reason for leaving?” or “What would you change about your job?”  These kinds of questions should be answered professionally, and cite examples of how you believe the job could have been more fulfilling.  This could be by providing a process improvement suggestion or by giving constructive feedback about how your performance was evaluated.

Whether your reason for changing jobs is to be properly compensated for your skill set or because of a better location, benefits or better opportunities to advance your career, try to stay positive and professional in this interview.  Your feedback may benefit your current co-workers who you like and respect.  End on a positive note to secure your professional reputation with this organization.