Starting and leaving · 5 min read
What should I say in an exit interview?
What exit interviews are for, how honest to be, what to say and avoid, sample answers to common questions, and how to raise serious issues safely.
The short answer
Be honest, specific and calm, and keep your future reference in mind. An exit interview is the employer's chance to learn why people leave, and constructive feedback can help the colleagues you're leaving behind. Focus on facts and patterns rather than personal attacks: what worked, what didn't, and what would have made you stay. Have a short answer ready for why you're leaving, usually the opportunity you're going to. If you're leaving because of harassment, discrimination or safety concerns, raise them in writing through the proper process, not only in a conversation. You can also decline an exit interview, or keep it brief, if you'd rather.
Key takeaways
- An exit interview helps the employer learn why people leave.
- Be honest and specific, but focus on facts, not people.
- Raise serious issues formally and in writing.
- You can keep it short or decline if you prefer.
On this pageWhat exit interviews are for
What exit interviews are for
Employers use exit interviews to find patterns in why people leave, such as pay, management, workload or lack of progression. Gallup's research suggests many people who leave say their manager or organisation could have done something to keep them. Your feedback can help the people still there, if it's specific.
Common questions and sample answers
| Question | Sample answer |
|---|---|
| Why are you leaving? | 'The new role gives me a chance to lead projects, which I couldn't see a route to here.' |
| What did you enjoy? | 'The team, and working directly with clients.' |
| What could we improve? | 'Clearer priorities. Goals changed often, which made planning hard.' |
| Would anything have made you stay? | 'A clear path to a senior role, and pay closer to market rate.' |
| Would you come back? | 'Possibly, for the right role.' |
What to avoid
- Personal attacks or gossip about colleagues.
- Vague complaints with no examples.
- Revealing confidential details about your new employer.
- Raising serious misconduct only verbally.
Raising serious issues
If you experienced harassment, discrimination, safety risks or wrongdoing, put it in writing to HR, ideally before your last day. Keep a copy. In the UK, Acas can advise on grievances and time limits for claims. In the US, the EEOC handles discrimination complaints. An exit interview alone may not count as a formal complaint.
Prepare in ten minutes
- Write your one-line reason for leaving.
- Note two things that worked well.
- Note two specific things that could improve, with examples.
- Decide what you won't discuss.
Illustrative example
Lina is leaving a customer success team after three people left in six months. In her exit interview she says she enjoyed the clients, explains that the team's targets doubled without extra staff, and gives two examples of the effect on customers. HR shares the theme with leadership, and the team gets a new hire the next quarter.
If you'd rather not take part
You can say no. A polite line works: 'Thanks for the offer. I've shared my feedback with my manager and I'd prefer to keep the exit process simple.' If there's a written survey, you can answer only the questions you're comfortable with. Some people choose to give fuller feedback a few months after leaving, by email to someone senior they trust, when it's less likely to affect references and more likely to be heard calmly.
Leave on good terms
- Finish or hand over your work properly.
- Thank the people who helped you, by name.
- Connect with colleagues on LinkedIn before you go.
- Ask one or two people if they'd be references.
Questions people ask
- Do I have to do an exit interview?
- Usually not. Most are optional. You can decline politely or ask to complete a written survey instead.
- Is an exit interview confidential?
- Often only partly. HR may share themes or comments with managers. Assume anything you say could reach the people involved.
- Can an exit interview affect my reference?
- It shouldn't, but people are human. Calm, constructive feedback is unlikely to cause problems. Personal attacks might.
- Should I mention pay if that's why I'm leaving?
- Yes, factually. 'The new role pays significantly more, and I couldn't see a route to that here' is useful information.
- What if my manager is the problem?
- Describe behaviours and their effect, with examples, rather than judging the person. 'I rarely got feedback, and goals changed weekly without explanation' is more useful than 'my manager was terrible'.
- Who usually runs an exit interview?
- HR, a manager outside your line, or a survey tool. In smaller organisations it may be your own manager, which is a reason to keep it measured.
- Should I mention where I'm going?
- Only if you want to. You can simply say you've accepted a role elsewhere. Don't share confidential details about your new employer.
- Can I give feedback after I've left?
- Yes. Some people send considered feedback by email weeks later. It's often calmer, and still useful.
Exercises are practice, not evidence of career fit or a qualification. How to read our guides and report a correction.
Sources
- Giving notice and notice periods · Acas
- State of the Global Workplace · Gallup
How this page is written
Sources support the factual background, not a guarantee that an exercise predicts career fit. Fictional practice material is labelled. Dates record content updates; no independent expert review is implied. More about OffLadder.