Exit Interview Tips After You Quit Your Job

Changing jobs or careers can be both an exciting and intimidating experience. While a new opportunity can be a major milestone in accelerating your career, you need to wrap things up where you are currently before you can fully move on. That usually means having an exit interview with your former employer.

Here are five helpful tips to remember when preparing for an exit interview to ensure you end things on a good note and leave the door open for valuable relationships in the future.

1. Plan ahead

It is very unlikely you will have an exit interview immediately after you give your notice that you are leaving. So once you find out when your exit interview will be held, take some time to reflect on your time with your employer and make a list of things you enjoyed, did not like, and what suggestions you have that can help your former employer improve.  Prepare a list of these things so you can communicate them as necessary during the interview.

2. Remain Professional

Even if you hated the job you are leaving with your heart and soul, you need to do your best to remain professional and treat your exit interview like it was a formal meeting.  This means avoiding personal attacks on the employer and your superiors. Do your best to keep all feedback constructive and provide specific examples. This will do a great job in helping you leave the door open for recommendations and avoid burning any bridges.

3. Offer Solutions

Smart and savvy employers use exit interviews as a way to learn from exiting employees what problems these employees may have had that contributed to their departure.  In turn, this will help uncover potential fixes to better retain talent in the future. Offering helpful solutions as you are leaving an organization demonstrates your commitment to that organization’s success and your willingness to contribute constructively, even after leaving.

4. Show Appreciation

As previously mentioned, showing appreciation means that you will need to resist any instinct to insult an organization you may have detested. Remaining professional during an exit interview often requires that you show appreciation, even if you do not want to.  Do your best to acknowledge any guidance or mentorship that you received from colleagues or supervisors.

5. Wrap Up

It is likely there will be unfinished projects or assignments on your plate when you leave. Such is the nature of work. If you are unable to tie up all your loose ends, make sure to inform your interviewer of key deadlines and projects you were involved with to assist them in putting together a transition plan to keep things moving. If you really want to leave a lasting impression, prepare a transition plan that lists all items you were working on, and also who was working with you on these items, and leave that list behind for your interviewer and whoever will be taking over for you.

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