Interviews with new hires are an expectation. We all know that once our application is accepted, we’re going to have to talk to management and HR people and impress them. Exit interviews are a little different and something you may not have experienced before. Here’s a quick guide on how to deal with exit interviews to get the best out of the situation
Can You Decline An Exit Interview?
Exit interviews aren’t something experienced in all companies. You’ll see them more in the corporate world, where people in more high-end roles move to different companies and new opportunities. So, it might come as a surprise when you’re invited to attend one after giving your notice to leave. The natural instinct for many will be to agree to the interview with some feeling of reluctance or trepidation. No one wants to have to go through this sort of formal meeting when they’re cutting ties with a company. An exit interview can prove to be useful in the long run because it can help you leave on good terms. You can express a level of professionalism right until the end that works in your favor for references or any future work related to the brand.
However, don’t feel as though you have to go through this process if you don’t want to. Once your resignation and notice have been accepted, you can fulfill your obligations to your role at that time, and that’s it. One way to get around this and to keep everyone happy is to explain your reasons for leaving in your letter of resignation. Rather than simply telling management you have another job lined up and are giving two weeks’ notice, you can go deeper into why you feel the need to move to another company and seek better opportunities elsewhere. You can do all this while still thanking the company for giving you your years of experience and other perks along the way.
How To Act In An Exit Interview
If you do decide to take that company up on their offer of an exit interview, it pays to plan ahead and consider what you’re going to say. We’ll look at some of the possible questions in a moment. What’s just as important, however, is your attitude when saying it. You have to walk a fine line in these situations where you’re both honest and respectful. Honest is important because that’s the only way that companies can learn and grow. The goal for them should be to use these exit interviews as tools for development. They can find out what it was about the role, the company set-up, or any other factors that caused you to leave.
That feedback could end up being incredibly valuable and help improve the work experience of others. Essentially, you have the opportunity to use constructive criticism and respectful feedback to ensure your successor gets a better deal. What you can’t do here is be overly blunt and rude about your time at the company. You can’t start telling your now former bosses what you really think of them, the salary offered, and what it was like working in their building in the form of an angry rant. You don’t want to burn your bridges entirely, especially if you end up needing a good reference from them in the future.
The best approach is to go into the interview with the intention of ending the professional relationship with a clean break and no misconceptions. It’s OK to point out that your new role has better perks and room for career progression. You can say that you feel you weren’t working to your full potential or being given room to grow. You can’t start attacking your bosses for holding you back or being stingy with resources. Remember that if you really don’t have anything nice to say to a boss you despise, just decline the interview politely and move on.
Questions You’ll Face In Exit Interviews
The right attitude will make all the difference when handling the different questions faced in exit interviews. It pays to read up on potential exit interview questions and answers and to practice your responses. A common theme is career aspirations and goals. Companies will want to know what your career goals were when you joined the company and how that compares to now. A lot may have changed in the last few years of working with the company. You might have wanted to progress into a managerial role with the potential for training programs three years ago. Now you have that experience, you might have a deeper hunger for something fulfilling higher up the career ladder. Your employer may also want to know what they did to help make that happen and what they could have done better. This lets you show your appreciation for any projects, training courses, or mentorships that got you to this point. It also means you can point out times they failed to encourage growth or if the ceiling for progression is too low.
Some questions will be fairly open-ended and light, such as asking about potential changes to the work environment. Others may feel more like a trap, such as asking what you think of the management and immediate superiors. Again, this is where that polite but firm approach can make all the difference. You can be honest and diplomatic so that you can help colleagues stay behind.
Are Exit Interviews Worth The Hassle?
If you have no interest in taking part in an exit interview, say no, write that detailed letter of resignation instead, and cut ties as cleanly as possible. This might be the best option if you really feel you can tow that line of respect and honesty. If you’re sure that bridge is going up in flames one way or the other, opt out. If not, use this opportunity wisely and leave on professional and positive terms. It could end up helping you with your career progression and making life better for those left behind.