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While recruitment activity has slowed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are still job seekers who are being offered fantastic new positions. If you’re one of them, congratulations! This may well mean that you find yourself in a video call with HR for an exit interview soon.
Volunteering your general feedback about your employer can sometimes be an uncomfortable experience, so if you’re asking yourself “how should I handle an exit interview?”, we’ve provided eight do’s and don’ts to help you prepare.
Treat this interview as you would any other and prepare accordingly beforehand. Google some sample exit interview questions that are typically asked and practise answering them. Regardless of why you’ve chosen to leave, it’s important to provide thoughtful answers that will help the company improve in the future.
You should remain professional right through to the very end. It will keep the door open for potential opportunities in the future and won’t diminish your chances of receiving a positive employer reference.
Try to highlight the positive aspects of the role you’re leaving, even if it’s been the worst job you’ve ever had. It can be anything from the benefits package to the office facilities. This will help to balance out any negative points that may become apparent during the course of the conversation. It also displays a high level of professionalism and awareness on your part.
When all is said and done, the aim is to leave the interview room on good terms. Make it clear that you are thankful for every opportunity the company has provided. Even if there is some resentment on your part, it’s better to leave on a positive note and have a clean slate for your new job.
Avoid discussing colleagues and petty grievances. In fact, avoid mentioning colleagues unless you’re specifically asked to do so. If it does come up, stay clear of slander and only provide reasonable examples that support a valid argument.
You can discuss your ‘suggested areas of improvement’ for the company, but it’s important to remain tactful in your approach.
Your interviewer will probably ask about your reasons for leaving. While you may be jubilant about leaving, it’s important to avoid boasting as it’ll come across as discourteous. Just keep it short and to the point. For example, if you’re excited that this move is a step up in your career (with a considerable salary increase), you could mention that the new position gives you more responsibility than your existing one.
Any good employer will be looking to improve the workplace using your feedback. As such, you’ll want to refrain from expressing sweeping statements with no rational explanation. They’re not actionable and don’t give off the best impression of you. While preparing for your interview, try to come up with suggestions for how certain situations could be improved in the future.
You’re probably familiar with the term, “if you have nothing good to say, don’t say it at all”? While this may be great advice in general, don’t apply it to your exit interview. Being unreasonably tight-lipped could be viewed as patronising and won’t help the process. The interviewer will respect your honesty as long as you keep it relevant to the exit survey questions being asked.
If you’re looking for a job, we continue to update our live job listings daily. Make sure to also check out our insights page for helpful resources to help navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.
Author bio: This article was written by Check-a-Salary[1] . Check-a-Salary provides insight on earnings collated across multiple sources for every position in the UK.
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