Question:
I’ve resigned and now my HR person wants to meet for an exit interview. What is an exit interview and how do I prepare for it?
Answer:
Great question! An exit interview is a short conversational exchange between Human Resources and a departing employee. These conversations serve 2 purposes. The first is to give HR an opportunity to remind the departing employee of any continuing obligations (non-competes, etc.). The second is to gather information about the departing employee’s personal experience with the corporate culture and their reasons for leaving. The idea is that HR will use this data to make cultural adjustments and tweak compensation packages, resulting in improved satisfaction and retention rates. Unfortunately, even companies with the best intentions rarely use this data in any meaningful way and, instead of becoming opportunities for the organization to engage in self-reflection, exit interviews often become opportunities for the departing employee to taint the goodwill and rapport they’ve worked so hard to establish during their tenure.
For this reason, I almost always recommend politely opting out. Remember, you don’t owe anyone a conversation. Ever. Really, you don’t.
The undeniable truth is that the departing employee has nearly nothing to gain and lots to lose in the event their constructive feedback isn’t well received. While it’s generally a good idea to opt out of exit interviews regardless of how positive one’s experience has been, this recommendation holds especially true in instances where there is a lot of emotion entangled in the employee’s departure.
So, how do you politely decline an exit interview? Try an email response like the one below.
Hi <HR PERSON’S NAME>,
I must decline your offer to engage in an exit interview. While I genuinely appreciate the invitation to discuss my feedback, I do not have anything I’d like to share at this time. If you’d like to have a conversation with regard to off-boarding procedures or continuing obligations, I’d be happy to schedule a time to speak. Thank you again for the opportunity to work for [COMPANY NAME]. I consider it a valuable experience.
Sincerely,
<YOUR NAME>
If you are uncomfortable declining and you do decide to move forward with the conversation, keep it light and positive. Do not offer any praise unless it’s genuine, and do not offer any criticism no matter how terrible your experience may have been. Expect to be asked about why you’re leaving, the compensation you’ve been offered by your new employer, and anticipate that you’ll be asked to provide feedback on your team and manager. If you’re not comfortable answering a question just say “I’m not comfortable answering that” or “I’d like to keep that private.” Let HR do the majority of the talking and, if you’re one of those people whose departure is drenched in emotion, practice some deep breathing and take comfort in the fact that you’re outta there. No matter what your experience may have been, this company is no longer your problem.
Congrats on the new job and keep going. You’ve got this, friend!