Have you got an exit interview coming up and you are not sure what to expect? I have collected some top tips below on what questions you could expect and how to answer those to leave a great impression on your former employer.
What is an exit interview?
It is an opportunity for your employer to gather feedback from you regarding the job role, the organisational culture, and your experience of working for them. You might have an exit interview when you complete an internship, leave a job, or become redundant. The organisation will seek suggestions on what they can improve to make the role and the workplace more attractive to future employees. Exit interviews normally take place face-to-face or virtually.
Many people believe that exit interviews are only beneficial for employers, not realising that these conversations can have lots of benefits for the person moving on to a new job. The meeting could help build stronger relationships with the company and to advance the employee’s career prospects.
If you have enjoyed working in your role, you might envisage returning to the organisation in the future and working in a different role. In the interview, you could express your intention to return to them and contribute to their success. A well-structured interview will allow you to reflect on your work experience, what you have learnt, the skills you have developed, and ask questions about future opportunities. In effective exit conversations, hiring managers would listen to your answers carefully as well as take some notes. They would make you feel comfortable so that you can share some useful feedback on your experience. They would also highlight the confidentiality of the meeting.
However, not all employees may feel comfortable participating in exit interviews. If you have had strong personal reasons for leaving or if you have some difficult feedback to share, you might wish not to participate. In such cases, the human resource department needs to respect the individual’s decision and not pressure them into taking part. HR could, however, provide anonymous feedback surveys to complete.
What questions could I expect?
Although every interview is different, there are some general questions which are likely to come up:
Reasons for leaving
- Why did you decide to leave the organisation?
- Is there anything we could have done to prevent you from leaving?
Your experience
- How did you find your job role?
- If you could change anything about your role, what would that be?
- How did you get along with your colleagues and your line manager?
- How would you describe the organisational culture?
- To what extent have you felt supported?
- What support would you have liked to receive?
- What was the most valuable thing you have learnt?
- What have you found most challenging in your role?
Future-oriented questions
- In your opinion, how could we improve the role in the future?
- Would you consider working for us in the future?
- Would you recommend the organisation to others? If so, why?
Strategic questions
- What do you think are the biggest opportunities for us?
- What do you think are the biggest risks for us?
- How could we further develop the culture to make it more attractive to future applicants?
How to answer the questions
Employers are aware that exit interviews can be uncomfortable for those leaving the company. During the interview, it is important that you come across as approachable and professional even if you find the situation slightly challenging.
You might be tempted to use the conversation to let out steam and to share the frustrations you experienced. It is a good idea to prepare carefully for the questions. Try to be as objective as possible and provide fact-based feedback (not emotional).
Example: Why did you decide to leave the organisation?
‘I decided to leave because I felt that there were limited opportunities for growing my career and stepping into more senior roles. I am in the early stages of my career, and it is important for me to quickly progress in the field. I did not see a clear career path ahead of me.’
Example: If you could change anything about your role, what would that be?
‘Although I enjoyed working in the role, I would have liked to see more opportunities to develop my career. It would have been helpful to have regular 1-2-1 meetings with my line manager and talk about how I could take on more projects and how to receive a promotion.’
Example: To what extent have you felt supported?
‘Generally, I have had sufficient support to perform my job. However, I would have liked to take part in more training sessions and courses to expand my skills and knowledge of the industry. I would have been very interested in attending some industry events and conferences and networking with colleagues from the sector.’
How to give constructive criticism?
An exit interview could allow you to share some constructive feedback and make a positive difference to future employees. Make sure not to criticize people personally or say bad things about your colleagues or managers. Your feedback should focus on what the organisation can do to develop and provide better support for people.
If you need to address some conflicts in the conversation, try to be non-judgmental and avoid blaming others. It is essential that you avoid generalised and broad language and making assumptions about others. Do focus on specific instances to provide evidence for your points. Instead of using emotional language, try to be factual and focus on what could be improved.
What not to say?
It is best not to boast about your new role or the organisation you will be working for. Do stay away from making a comparison between the company you have worked for and the one you are joining. Do not share petty comments and maintain a professional attitude throughout the conversation.
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