What are the thoughts on exit interviews? Unnecessary? Helpful? Not really wanted?

16 Comments

1. AnonymousMarch 26,2025 at 1:59PM UTC

   My husband got laid off from the company we both worked at in 2006. He was laid off, it wasn't his choice to leave but HR did exit interviews. He basically told them to f off in the interview and they pretty much stopped doing them after that. I think they're a waste of time unless the company is truly interested in feedback as to how they could change to retain more people, but they're usually not.

2. AnonymousMarch 26,2025 at 2:58PM UTC

   Feedback after your tenure has nothing to do with you or your future. It's supposed to help the former employer improve. I think if they cared, they would send surveys to employees throughout the year. It's like getting a counteroffer. I always say, don't take them, it doesn't help you it helps the employer. Same with exit interviews. It doesn't help you it helps the employer.

3. AnonymousMarch 26,2025 at 3:45PM UTC

   No one really cares what an outgoing employee has to say. Normally it's a big eye-roll.

4. AnonymousMarch 28,2025 at 1:01PM UTC

   Yes exactly

5. AnonymousMarch 26,2025 at 4:41PM UTC

   This really is going to vary be individual company. Some see value, some don't. The organizations I have worked for, the exit interviews have been useful, helpful, even eye opening at times.

6. AnonymousMarch 26,2025 at 5:14PM UTC

   They are not really effective. The company is just making sure you are not planning to sue them. They don't really take any of tge details seriously.

7. Mich.Fr.March 26,2025 at 5:18PM UTC

   It's a total waste. Nothing is going to change. Management doesn't care. Employee leaving is either going to say whatever they want to feel better about leaving or play nice to not burn bridges. No need to waste anyone's time.

8. AnonymousMarch 27,2025 at 12:21PM UTC

   Most of the companies I've been with could not care less about departing employee feedback and those companies are just checking a box by doing exit interviews. I'm sure there are a few that do care, but it is a missed opportunity for most.

9. AnonymousMarch 27,2025 at 12:35PM UTC

   An organization’s approach to exit interviews is a reflection of their culture. They will get honest valuable feedback from departing employees who feel it’s important to provide feedback because it will be valued. That is earned by the culture the employee experienced during their tenure.

10. AnonymousMarch 27,2025 at 1:02PM UTC

    I did one for a job I recently left and part of my feedback was that the expectation I had for the title turned out to be totally misaligned with my actual experience participating as a member of the team. The initial recruitment for my replacement was for someone at the same title but I have just seen it readvertised with some small tweaks but also a title change. So they may have responded to my feedback (or the market may have told them something).

11. GirlBossanova934974March 27,2025 at 1:29PM UTC

    I think exit interviews once had value when we had real HR departments staffed with trained HR reps who reported directly to senior management. Nowadays, it is a giant revolving door at most companies and HR just processes the exit and onboarding paperwork. The HR reps in many cases were just a few weeks or months ago, not even working in HR. So the value is now NIL. And it is about to get even better when the economy improves and employees run for the exits from so many companies.

12. Tina MorenoMarch 27,2025 at 2:38PM UTC

    There’s definitely a big difference between what companies can do and what they’re required to do—and unfortunately, some still operate at the bare minimum. Exit interviews, when done thoughtfully and intentionally, can be incredibly valuable tools for organizational growth. But they can also be performative if the feedback isn’t taken seriously or if the process lacks trust.

    The real benefit of an exit interview comes down to how it’s done and why. If the purpose is just to check a box, people will sense that, and you won’t get honest, constructive feedback. But when a company truly wants to understand why people are leaving—especially when they ask in a way that invites candid, emotionally neutral responses—it can lead to meaningful insight and even positive change.

    Ideally, exit interviews should be conducted by someone in HR (not direct managers or leadership from the employee's department) to help reduce bias and make the departing employee feel safer sharing honest feedback. They should also ask consistent, open-ended questions and make space for both feedback and appreciation.

    It’s unfortunate that your exit was perceived in such a negative light—especially when you didn’t behave that way. That alone says something about the internal culture and how leadership may be projecting or avoiding accountability. You deserved a proper closing conversation that respected your professionalism.

    Bottom line: exit interviews can be helpful—but only in organizations that are mature enough to listen, reflect, and evolve based on what they learn.

13. vivienneMarch 28,2025 at 1:06PM UTC

    Done correctly they are very useful, this includes the interviewer has received relevant training and questions. However, many people will not tell the truth about their experience and why they are leaving out if fear of repercussion.

14. Marcia SmithMarch 28,2025 at 2:46PM UTC

    My feeling is that they are not helpful to the person leaving - and there is a very real risk of retaliation and problems when background checks are conducted. Personally, I say "screw em" - if the organizations really cared about how they treated their employees, then that would have been evident before I left....

15. AnonymousMarch 28,2025 at 3:50PM UTC

    They are useful from both sides if truth is spoken. If you are leaving a role after some level of tenure and have constructive criticism to share do so professionally and with a way to preserve your references from there. If you have harsh criticism recommend to write out what you are feeling, then share it with some suggestions on how to fix. It can be good for you too if the reasons for your leaving are less than optimal as you won't be taking baggage into your new home. Never badmouth anyone if you can help it because it won't help you.

16. Coach Nancie Kay ShumanMarch 30,2025 at 4:17AM UTC

    I have only had one exit interview in my career. I found that it was a list of questions which were aimed at making the company look good. When I didn' tanswer the questions the way they wanted me to (Was this the best job you have ever had?), they stopped the interview and asked me to just play along. Um, no.