What's the Purpose of an Exit Interview?

This article originally appeared on USA Today's Ask HR on July 31, 2018.

Q: What’s the real purpose of an exit interview? Can I politely decline to do an exit interview at the job that I’ll be leaving at the end of the month? – Anonymous

Taylor: As you leave your current position, your employer most likely offers an exit interview as a way to learn more about the reasons why you are leaving. 

Exit interviews can help company leaders understand and address potential business or workplace issues that you or others may have. 

At the same time, the interview enables you to raise awareness of problems without fear of repercussions. However, don’t view it as an opportunity to vent. You’ll want to share honest, but thoughtful and constructive, comments. 

In fact, this also is your chance to talk about what works well at the company. You can even recognize a manager or co-worker who you respect as a role model, high performer or leader.

The interview is likely to be conducted by an HR representative rather than a direct manager. This allows the departing employee to feel comfortable sharing information.

And yes, you can decline to do an exit interview. But I encourage you to do one. 

If you feel uncomfortable with a face-to-face exit interview, you may want to request a format that’s more comfortable for you such as a questionnaire. The same guidelines apply if you are commenting in writing: 

Be honest, thoughtful and constructive.