Exit interview tips

Learn the basics:

• What exit interview is: When an employee resigns, one or more members of his company’s human resources (HR) department might meet with this individual to ask him questions, complete a questionnaire, or both.

• Purpose: According to its stated purpose, a company gathers data in order to improve working conditions and retain employees. But, a secret purpose might be to help employers to avoid costly litigation (law suits) by disgruntled employees. Consequently, your comments and the notes the HR representative takes during your exit interview might be used against you if you sue your former employer.

• Must you participate?: No, it’s within your rights not to do so. Most employers will respect your decision. But, some employers might resent that you didn’t participate and place an adverse or negative notation in your personnel file or records.

• Should you participate?: Again the decision is up to you. Some career advisors think that you should do so—even if an exit interview wouldn’t help you, only your soon-to-be former employer. Other counsellors advise against participating because they don’t think that these interviews are useful to employers and, more importantly, can pose risks to the employee who’s leaving. Risks include “burning bridges” (alienating people whom you might need to work with in the future), information falling into the wrong hands, and an employer using this interview against you if you sue the company. You need to assess whether the benefits of participating in an exit interview outweigh its associated risks.

Company’s purpose in doing exit interview: If you opt to participate in an exit interview, consider your company’s motivation(s):

• Improve their workplace and retain talent

• Gather information to use against you if you sue the company

• Both of the preceding purposes

Your purpose in participating in exit interview: Your objectives might include one or more of the following:

• Leave your former company on good terms: In other words, don’t burn any bridges. Don’t badmouth your former boss or colleagues. Don’t complain excessively about the company’s culture, processes, or procedures.

• Convey why you’re leaving: In general, even if your soon-to-be-former company is a horrible place, you don’t want to say that during your meeting. Instead, it’s almost always a good idea to emphasize the positive—that, overall, your experience was fine, but that you have an opportunity you can’t pass up.

• Make suggestions: If you must say something, make sure your comments are specific and brief. And be sure you convey these thoughts diplomatically. For example, you might say, “While ABC Company might enhance opportunities for training and development, overall, I benefitted from the courses and other programs in which I participated.”

Anticipate questions and how you’d respond: Here are several key categories of exit interview questions that are often part of this process:

• Why you’re leaving

• What you liked/didn’t like about your job

• What you received from your company, including feedback, reviews, training, pay, benefits, supervision, help meeting your career goals, etc.

• Your suggestions for improvement, including company policies and procedures, the workplace, etc.

• Your feelings toward this company (i.e., from company’s perspective, might you sue?), such whether you’d consider working again for this company, whether you’d recommend this company to others, and whether anyone discriminated against you.

• What your new company offers that this company doesn’t, including whether you’ve investigated a transfer.