Summary:
An exit interview is a meeting between a company representative and the employee who is leaving. They offer the company the chance to do a reality check against their employment policies and offer you the opportunity to address any issues you may have.
The lowdown
They are normally done face to face and often follow a questionnaire format so that the responses can be mapped against the responses of other people who have left. This allows the company to pinpoint aspects that might be common complaints or themes and work on solutions.
You can give as much or as little feedback as you wish to any question you are asked.
Typical questions
Here are a few that are often asked:
- Why have you decided to leave?
- How do you feel about the organisation generally?
- How is the communication between departments?
- How could the company change things to improve the working environment?
- What do you think about the working hours, facilities, conditions etc?
- They may also ask you what you would change if you could
Why bother?
Its OK to be a bit freaked out about opening up. Most people fear that saying anything negative will mean they don’t get a good reference or just isn’t worth the effort.
Exit interviews can benefit the people you are leaving behind by highlighting how things could be improved.
Don’t be scared to attend but it is not compulsory to do so.
You do have the chance to help change things for the better so why not go for it. If you are constructive in how you deliver the messages, you just might be able to make a difference.
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