Tweet

Job Advice: How to Handle the Exit Interview

Guest post by: Elizabeth Freedman

Article Overview: The importance of leaving a good impression when leaving a job

Job Advice: How to Handle the Exit Interview

Planning to leave the office? Jump ship? Head on to greener pastures? Happens all the time. Here's what doesn't happen all the time: The Graceful Exit. When you consider the various ways you'll say goodbye to your current employer, don't overlook your exit interview. Consider: Before you walk into an exit interview, prepare. If you've never been through one of these before, know that from an HR perspective, an exit interview is a learning opportunity, giving your employer a chance to find out why you're leaving and learn how to fix things for next time. From an employee's perspective, these sessions may seem like a case of too little, too late, particularly if you're asked common questions like, "Why are you deciding to leave the company?" "Were you happy with your salary and benefits?" Don't take this opportunity to wing it or play it by ear or over share, have carefully thought-out responses to questions, so that you don't allow emotions or your less-than-loving feelings about your employer cloud your judgment.

• Why is it so important to prepare for an exit interview? If you think first impressions count, consider the last impression: It's forever! Think about it: With first impressions, you've got opportunities to make up for any blunders or mistakes you made along the way. But if your mistake is made right before you exit the lobby of your office building, it's going to be much harder to erase that image from people's minds. And the last impression of last impressions as far as work is concerned, is usually the exit interview.

• Here's why prep is really key: You may be tempted to unload, pour your heart out, or simply vent about what a witch your boss was. Don't do this: Even if the HR rep seems sympathetic, this is risky for you and your reputation. Bite your lip if you must, but don't, repeat, don't turn your exit interview into drama or a work-bashing session. Instead, answer questions politely and briefly, and leave. Don't stick around long enough to say something you'll regret. Leave on a high note, with your reputation and legacy intact. You never know - you may want to work for these folks again one day, so create a positive experience for yourself - and them - as you walk out the door.

Related Articles
  Conducting an Exit Interview
  Exiting Your Company Gracefully
  What Good Are Exit Interviews
  How to Use an Informational Interview to Get Hired
  Reduce Employee Turnover Costs
  The Importance of Exit Interviews
  What annoys me most about interviewees?
  A Strategic Look At Why You Should Develop A Business Exit Strategy Now!
  Preparing for a Job Interview
  What is Your Exit Strategy?
  The End Starts at the Beginning
  Keeping the Wolves at Bay: Media Training by Jonathan Bernstein
  Burning Bridges is for Arsonists
  How and When to Use Exit Interviews
  Ten Survival Strategy Tips For Hostile or Sensitive Interviews From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach
  Tackling The Truth Of Turnover
  Business Exit Planning - Can Your Business Survive If You Could No Longer Manage It Tomorrow?
  Ready, Aim, EXIT! Why Exiting Planning NOW Will Benefit Your NOW
  Telephone Interview Tips: How to Get Your Foot In The Door
  Creating Products the Easy Way: Interview an Expert

Article Tags: Exit Interview, Impressions



Related Forum Posts
Re: New forum - online businesses! - Thanks Evan for this great Interview and I will be pleased to be part of the new forum on online businesses!
Re: Run when you can, walk when you have to, crawl if you must; - Hmmm nice, never beg while crawling But also look up "Exit Strategies" We cannot always be right, nor can we control all matters of business.. Sometimes we have to get off the horse before it dies under us I can recall offering data service to banks, mortgage companies, and others before the data became available on the internet. Even though I had a better mousetrap, I was not ready for the glamor of the internet and let my system die a natural death
Question: What has been your biggest business challenge? - Regardless of the industry they may be in, it seems all small business owners and entrepreneurs face similar key challenges in growing their business and becoming as profitable as they would like. These can be grouped into the categories of "Time", "Team", "Money", and "Exit Strategy". What has been your most significant challenge, the one that seems to be your biggest hurdle to moving forward and achieving the level of business success (however you define that) that you would like to? If you could have one issue solved in your business, what would that be? Your insights are invaluable and I appreciate your honesty. Regards, Gavin
The Game Inventor's Guidebook - by Brian Tinsman, 2002 I checked this out of my local library today and its pretty interesting... didn't address what I wanted to know, which was how to actually design an online gaming system (indeed this doesn't cover online games at all), but for board games etc. it's pretty good. Here's the TOC: 1. How they diid it: Trivial Pursuit Magic, the Gathering Dungeons & Dragons Pokemon Trading Card Game Interview with an inventor Interview with a publisher 2. How the industry works 1. What's in it for you 2. How new games happen 3. Anatomy of a publisher 4. Markets for games 3. Games and companies you should know 1. Mass market games you should know 2. Mass market companies you should know 3. Hobby games you should know 4. Hobby companies you should know 5. American specialty games and companies you should know 6. European specialty games and companies you should know 4. Self publishing 1. What am I getting into 2. Before you print 3. After you print 5. Selling a game step by step 1. How to invent a game 2. Game design 3. Game development 4. Targeting publishers 5. Before you submit 6. Eight submission strategies 7. Contacting publishers 8. Protecting your property 9. What to do if they don't say yes 10. What to do if they do say yes! 11. The game industry's dirty little secret 6. Resources and examples Publishers and mnufacturers Distributors Brokers Game conventions and trade shows Industry publications Sample query letter Sample record of disclosure Sample licensing agreement Sample option agreement
Re: Question: What has been your biggest business challenge? - [quote="gcr1976a":1niq7gnj]Regardless of the industry they may be in, it seems all small business owners and entrepreneurs face similar key challenges in growing their business and becoming as profitable as they would like. These can be grouped into the categories of "Time", "Team", "Money", and "Exit Strategy". What has been your most significant challenge, the one that seems to be your biggest hurdle to moving forward and achieving the level of business success (however you define that) that you would like to? If you could have one issue solved in your business, what would that be? Your insights are invaluable and I appreciate your honesty. Regards, Gavin[/quote:1niq7gnj] The biggest hurdle for moving forward and achieving the level of business success for me is getting enough traffic to my website a day. There are many ways to do this, and there are many "perfect plans" out there, but doing so is a lot harder than it seems. That's why I must keep trying.


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

How to sell a business

Why SEO is important for your online success

Are You Too Good for Your Job?

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.