The Positive Exit: Leveraging the Exit Interview for Mutual Benefit
The time has come to take that next big step in your career, but before you head out the door (or end that final Zoom), you will likely be asked to participate in an exit interview. Exit interviews are a way for employers to gather employee feedback and glean valuable information that they can use to help strengthen their company culture, as well as their employee retention efforts. In a nutshell, your departure serves as a learning opportunity for the employer. But it can be valuable for you too, as well as for your colleagues still working there, so taking the time to make it a constructive experience is good for all parties.
Exit Interview Preparation
First things first – let’s address the practical aspects. Exit interviews are not intended to make you nervous and shouldn’t cause a lot of anxiety or prep time. I often wonder why the triggering term “interview” was chosen for this process. Even though the main goal of the exit interview is to help the employer, this should really be a candid conversation. Fostering a mindset around open dialogue will make the exchange more beneficial to both parties. After all, you have nothing to lose as you’re already leaving the company.
Usually, you’ll know in your gut what key big picture themes from your experience to discuss. Take a few minutes to think through the most effective way to get those important topics across in a constructive manner. If you put yourself in the shoes of the employer, it’s easy to see that they are trying to get ahead of key issues, such as the main reasons for employee attrition. So having that framework in mind as you work on your answers will help ensure your feedback resonates.
On top of that, you can easily research exit interview questions in advance. While all companies are different, there are some common questions that nearly all will ask one way or another (What was the best part of working here? The hardest part? What are you proud of? Did you feel supported? What led to your decision to leave?), and taking a couple of minutes to research those questions is also a quick and practical way to prep.
Keep Your Answers Factual, Courteous, and Sincere
If there was ever a time to practice your diplomacy skills, the exit interview sure represents a good one. You may be tempted to speculate or provide feedback about that coworker you never quite got along with. But sticking to the facts and being respectful is key for a purposeful exit. Choosing your battles will also go a long way—don’t water down your meaningful feedback with petty issues. And just as it’s a good rule to research questions in advance to prep for what you want to say, spending a few minutes reminding yourself about what not to say is recommended as well. You’ll want to think about how to gracefully exit while keeping your personal brand intact.
Stay Positive and Use this Opportunity to Help Others
During an exit interview, you’ve got the ear of someone who cares, and often someone in senior management, so why not keep it positive? This is your chance to address the issues you observed while also offering your unique perspective on solutions. You may not be there to benefit from your own feedback. However, the colleagues you worked with still are and this is also an opportunity for employee advocacy. Why not do what you can to make it better for them? Wouldn’t you prefer to see the issues addressed for the good of your soon-to-be former coworkers?
You can also think about how your exit interview could contribute to the company’s diversity and inclusion goals. You may have a unique perspective on how the employer can advance its efforts in cultivating a more inclusive workplace. All your feedback rolls up to help strengthen the company culture and positively impact the employees.
In addition, especially in more niche careers, it’s a small world out there and you never know when you’ll be working again with employees from the company. You may even want to apply for a job there again in the future—all the more reason to keep things on the up and up as you leave.
As you leave your company, keep in mind that most employers are trying to run successful, prosperous businesses. Better yet, some are even trying to do right by their workers. Your exit interview puts you in the unique position to advocate for the employees still there while also giving you an opportunity for positive closure on one chapter as you move to the next in your career development journey.
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About the Author: Sara Jane Todd is a marketing and communications professional with 20+ years of experience across various disciplines and industries. Sara’s biggest passion is developing clear, concise, compelling messaging and branding—ensuring a consistent voice across all marketing touchpoints. She believes that same philosophy applies to how you market yourself.