5 Ways to Tackle Your Exit Interview Like A Pro

5 Ways to Tackle Your Exit Interview Like A Pro5 Ways to Tackle Your Exit Interview Like A Pro Whether youre leaving your job on good terms or bad ones, chances are an exit interview will be part of the process. Even in the best of circumstances, these meetings can provoke anxiety about what to say, what not to say, and how to make sure youre leaving with the best possible impression . In the worst scenarios, it can be tough to balance the desire to be honest about your work experience and the reasons youre leaving without throwing anyone under the bus. After all, you never know who you might cross paths with again in the future.To make the process easier, we talked to top HR pros to get their best advice on how to stay calm, cool, and collected throughout the process.1. Remember the purpose of an exit interview. In the end, the exit interview isnt really about you, and its important to be aware of that before going into one. Exit interviews typically take place for the employers sake, not the employees, explains Dina Amouzigh, Peoples Operations Manager at the online healthcare portal CareDash . The purpose is to get information and feedback based on the employees experience or context for their ultimate decision to separate, she adds. This is the most important thing to keep in mind heading into the meeting, since ultimately the company youre leaving stands to benefit from your intel, not the other way around. Remember, you dont have to share anything youre uncomfortable talking about, and you definitely shouldnt use the meeting as an emotional outlet to let out frustrations you feel about your time at the company. 2. If youre nervous, prepare ahead of time. I highly recommend writing down notes to plan what you want to say, advises Jude Miller-Burke , Ph.D., business psychologist and author. If you expect it to be highly charged, practice out loud. Reinforce to yourself that you will maintain boundaries and not succumb to your strong emotions. Writing in a journal beforehand is a good way to sort out your thoughts, she adds. Seeing this meeting as an opportunity for you to practice self-management , a skill critical to success, may decrease your stress. Having a friend to call after the meeting can be a helpful debriefing.When it comes to positive feedback, get into the nitty gritty. You want to be sure to share specifics about what (or who) made the work experience positive, says Laura MacLeod, LMSW, HR expert and founder of the From The Inside Out Project . Points to highlight include how you learned and grew as a professional and what youll remember and why, she adds. These topics give the human resources department important information about how they can continue to promote a positive work environment and who is having a beneficial impact on other employees. In other words, youre paying it forward by highlighting what the company youre leaving got right. Even if you had a horrible experience at a comp any, experts unilaterally advise against throwing another person under the bus during an exit interview. Its just not the time or the place. That being said, there are ways to let HR know about the real motive behind your departure. I believe there are ways to be honest and retain your professionalism , says Miller-Burke. Speak in general terms and never identify people you are angry with. It is fine, for example, to express that the workload was more than any one person could handle, if done in the right tone, she says. Its also okay to say something like, I think managers should get more training in active leadership , but its best to avoid statements like, Tom was the worst boss Ive ever had.No matter how awful your experience was, its important to mention at least one positive during your final conversation. Find something that you honestly feel was positive, recommends MacLeod. This may be tough, but it is important to demonstrate your professionalism. You are able to see a nd acknowledge that there were benefits and opportunities there, despite the way things turned out.