Exit Interviews: Why Are They Important?

Are you getting anxious about your exit interview?

When quitting a job, surviving the notice period and clearing up the belongings isn’t a problem. Having to go through an exit interview is what many people find unpleasant.

Still, the process doesn’t have to be negative. Continue reading to learn about the pros and cons of exit interviews.

We’ll also guide you through the typical questions and answers of the former process.

What Is an Exit Interview?

As the name implies, an exit interview is a process where an employer conducts a meeting with an employee. Of course, the latter is leaving the organization, whether voluntarily or involuntarily.

Exit interviews are one of the many types of interviews an employee can have within a company.

Typically, a member of the human resources department interviews the departing employee. That’s to put the employee at ease and guarantee honest responses.

What Is the Purpose of an Exit Interview?

The primary purpose of exit interviews is to gather feedback about the company. Those include the working conditions, employee experience, culture, and other valuable information.

That helps the organization gain insights to identify areas for improvement. As a result, they reduce the turnover rate.

Here are the main reasons companies do exist interviews:

For the Company to Learn How They Can Improve

Departing employees can give honest criticism and constructive feedback about their workplace. They’ll talk about the reasons that caused them to quit their positions.

Understanding those factors helps organizations take actionable steps to improve the work environment.

To Help the Employees Feel Like They’re Leaving on a Good Note

Exit interviews are essential even for employees that got fired from a job. That’s because it provides an opportunity for the former to express themselves.

Some managers even recommend other places and provide valuable advice. As a result, the employee might feel like they’re leaving on a good note.

And the termination decision was strictly business and not a personal attack.

To Convince the Employee to Stay

Convincing an employee to stay is another reason companies schedule an exit interview. The organization uses your feedback to address any issues that prompted you to leave.

However, don’t confuse exit interviews with stay interviews. The former aims to gather honest feedback about the company.

As for the latter, it aims to keep valuable talents, and HR schedules it earlier than the exit interview.

When Do Exit Interviews Happen?

Typically, exit interviews happen during the last week of an employee’s notice period. However, it’s best to inform them earlier to leave time for question preparation.

For those who got laid off, the interview is generally the day the company fires the employee.

Who Is Present in an Exit Interview?

Aside from the departing employee, an HR representative is present in an exit interview. A member of the management team can also attend the former process.

• Who Conducts Exit Interviews? A neutral third party usually conducts the exit interview. Those include an HR professional or one of the management team.
• Who Is Interviewed? The departing employee is the primary interviewee during the exit interview process. In some cases, the former can ask for a trusted current employee to be present.

What Happens in an Exit Interview?

During an exit interview, the HR representative uses the structured questionnaire method. The former involves asking direct, close questions.

That ensures the HR member collects valuable data from the employee.

What Will HR Ask in an Exit Interview?

The HR representative will ask a range of exit interview questions that target honest feedback. Ideally, the questions should cover the following topics:

• Reason for leaving: This includes questions about compensation, work-related challenges, and more.
• Work environment: Those include questions about the work experience. They may ask your opinion about your role and workflow, among other things.
• Management: You may also get questions about leadership. That includes your thoughts on the manager’s communication and support skills.
• Company culture: The employee can ask about your perception of the company’s values.

What Is HR Looking for in an Exit Interview?

An HR professional looks for honest feedback in an exit interview. They want to know your impression of the company.

Plus, they might ask about your suggestions for improvement. That can help the organization tackle any internal issues and reduce turnover rates.

Is an Exit Interview Compulsory?

No, an exit interview isn’t compulsory. That’s as long as your contract doesn’t specify that you must take part in the former process.

That said, don’t feel obliged to provide information you’re uncomfortable sharing.

Can You Decline an Exit Interview?

Unless your contract states otherwise, you can refuse to take part in an exit interview.

However, properly declining an interview is key to leaving on a positive note. You don’t want to lose future opportunities because you sound unprofessional.

Should You Accept an Exit Interview?

It’s generally a good idea to accept an exit interview if you’re in a good mental state. Here’s why:

• Give feedback:  Exit interviews are an opportunity to provide honest feedback. The former can prompt the organization to make changes. As a result, it helps enhance future employees’ working experiences.
• Get closure: Taking part in an exit interview can also be an opportunity to express gratitude. You can provide positive feedback about your colleagues and management. As a result, you get a sense of closure and leave the organization on a positive note.
• Build a solid network: Maintaining a good relationship with former employers can be helpful in future situations. Those include asking for references or reapplying for a position at the company.

Benefits of Exit Interviews

Here’s a detailed explanation of exit interview benefits:

Gives HR Important Information

Thanks to exit interviews, the human resources department can gather valuable feedback. That can include information about communication and managers’ leadership styles.

The HR team can also learn about competitors’ salaries and benefits. That helps the company identify who is poaching its employees.

Provides Insight Into a Company’s Unseen Problems

Departing employees can shed light on unseen problems. Through the interview, you can learn about the challenges that cause a high turnover rate. Such issues can include:

• Micromanagement
• Lack of engagement
• Excessive workload
• Inflexible working schedule

Gives Ideas for Employee Training

Feedback provided during an exit interview can help identify areas of development. Of course, the former leads to tangible outcomes.

For instance, employees continue to leave because of micromanagement. Identifying the problem helps the company address it immediately.

One way to tackle that issue is to lay out that observation to the manager involved. The organization can also establish training initiatives. That’s to prevent that problem from happening again in other teams.

Is a Chance to Wrap Things Up

Leaving on good terms is crucial for anyone in the job market. That’s because the former helps you maintain a good professional reputation. Not to mention, it doesn’t hurt your chances of getting future job opportunities. An exit interview can help you achieve that.

Helps Make the Transition to the Next Employee Smoother

The valuable insights gathered in an exit interview aren’t only helpful for the company. They’re also important to the person taking over the departing employee’s position.

This information can help future employees avoid any pitfalls the exiting employee experienced. As a result, it leads to a smoother handover.

Disadvantages of Exit Interviews

While exit interviews pose several benefits, they still have some disadvantages. Those include:

An Employee May Not Want to Be Open and Honest

As you know, the primary reason for scheduling an exit interview is to gather feedback. The problem is that there is no guarantee that departing employees will be open and honest.

Even if the interview is confidential, they might still be hesitant to tell the truth. That might be because the employees want to avoid burning bridges with the company. Not to mention, they risk getting poor references.

In that case, the interview can be counterproductive. Consequently, it directs the company toward the wrong areas of improvement.

It May Be Tense

Exit interviews can be awkward or tense. That’s especially true if an employee is leaving on negative terms.

You can’t expect a terminated worker to provide constructive feedback. In that case, scheduling an interview can have no benefits; it’ll only waste both parties’ time.

Might Feel Like Too Little Too Late

Exit interviews can feel like the company’s last-ditch effort to keep its workers. It shows that the organization only cares when members are about to leave. That can be too late to rebuild trust with the departing employees.

What Do You Say in an Exit Interview?

Start by explaining why you are leaving the company. You can explain what you liked about the position. Then, offer specific, constructive criticism on how your employer can improve.

You can talk about management, mentorship, communication, and any other issues.

However, remain professional and respectful to avoid damaging your reputation.

Typical Exit Interview Questions

Here are the best interview answers to typical exit interview questions:

1. What Made You Look for Another Job?

Be honest and explain the motive behind leaving your job. It could be the compensation. Or, you feel you’ve outgrown the position and are seeking new challenges. Regardless of the reason, remain polite.

2. Would You Consider Returning to This Company, and, If So, Under What Circumstances?

You don’t have to get into details with this question, as it can be tricky. However, try to provide an answer that will leave the door open.

For instance, highlight how the company helped you gain skills and experience. Still, you’re looking for bigger career goals.

Then, mention that if there’s a suitable job offer in the future, you’d certainly consider returning.

3. Did Your Job Description Change Between When You Were Hired and Now?

Be specific and explain how your job evolved. The goal of this question is to update the job description. As a result, the company ensures the hiring of qualified candidates.

4. How Would You Describe the Ideal Replacement?

List the most vital skills for your position. For example, someone who is detail-oriented and can keep up with the workload.

You can also highlight the most important technical skills that the job requires.

5. Did Your Manager Provide What You Needed for Success?

Give an objective answer while, of course, keeping it positive. Talk about what you learned from your manager.

It doesn’t even have to be about skills. You can acknowledge the support you got, constructive feedback, and guidance.

Feel free to talk about the shortcomings, as well. However, avoid talking badly about your manager or any colleague.

6. What Did You Like Most and Least About Working Here?

Try to list more positives than negatives. For instance, you can specify 3-4 positive aspects. Those can include the work environment, benefits, tasks you found engaging, and so on.

Offer 1-2 areas of improvement and their solutions. You can talk about workflow or deadlines. Try to refrain from vague comments that might sound impolite.

7. Did You Feel Your Needs Were Met and Your Accomplishments Recognized?

It’s perfectly fine to state whether or not you got the acknowledgment you deserved. You can also take this as an opportunity to address the lack of resources and limitations.

8. How Could We Improve?

Provide constructive feedback and be specific about your suggestions. For instance, emphasize providing more training opportunities.

Talk about changes in policies that could improve the company’s culture.

9. Is There Anything That Could Make You Reconsider?

Briefly list 1-2 changes that would persuade you to stay with the company.

Aside from bonuses and benefits, talk about the issues that caused you to quit. The latter can include problems like downsizing the department.

10. Did You Discuss Any Issues With the Company Before Resigning?

Mention if you raised any concerns before resigning. Plus, explain whether the company has taken action to address your problems or not.

Even if the company took action, you can mention that you don’t feel they took the appropriate measures.

How Do You Survive an Exit Interview?

Prepare the answers to the common questions before the interview. That can help you relax and process your thoughts well. Try to list the positives first before addressing your dislikes. Plus, remain objective and stick to the facts.

How to Get Through an Exit Interview in a Toxic Workplace

Having an exit interview in a toxic workplace can be challenging. Here are some tips to help you get through the former:

• Stay professional and avoid personal attacks or criticism.
• Stick to facts and only talk about information relevant to the interview.
• Be specific and provide examples to support your statements.
• Stay positive and refrain from answering questions you don’t like.

Wrapping Up

Exit interviews can benefit both the company and the employee. They’re a great tool to gain valuable feedback about the organization.

As for the departing employee, they get to express their thoughts. Not to mention, you leave the door open for future opportunities.

Still, that’s only possible by interviewing respectfully. Have more questions? Let us know in the comments below!