Every candidate that passed through our recruitment agency in Singapore has probably prepared themselves adequately with information and tips on how to carry themselves in an interview.
However, just like how making a first impression can affect your chances of joining a company, the impression that you leave can impact the future of the company as well.
It is hard to believe that a single individual can influence change, but that is why in this article, we will be covering how employees can handle exit interviews in a way that is constructive instead of unproductive.
The Best Feedback to Give in an Exit Interview
No matter the reason, whether it be to pursue a better opportunity or dissatisfaction with your current work environment, an exit interview should not be used to vent out your emotions.
Having an outburst during the exit interview is counterproductive if the intention is for your concerns to be heard. The goal is to be constructive, provide facts to back your points while being both open and honest.
1. Reason for Leaving
As previously mentioned, being honest allows the organization to understand the reason why their employees are leaving. This also creates an opportunity to further discuss about relevant areas.
In your responses, keep these questions in mind:
Was your job well-structured and were you provided with the resources to fulfil the job?
The purpose is to address the setbacks that restricted you from carrying out your work efficiently. This could be a lack of budget or manpower, and it gives the organization an idea of the aspects that can be improved.
Did you find meaning and motivation in your work?
Depending on the response given, the organization can use it as a reference for other employees responsible for the same type of work. It allows them to re-evaluate if the role itself is generally enjoyable or fulfilling.
Did your manager provide adequate support and presented opportunities to showcase your strengths?
In a way, this can be seen as an assessment of your manager and whether there was sufficient assistance and opportunities given to help in your development.
2. Growth and Learning Opportunities
This would be the moment to reflect on the experiences throughout your journey with the organization. Take note of whether there was a clear career path laid out and the skills that you have gained.
Once you have collected your thoughts, highlight the areas of improvement that the organization should make for the overall experience.
This can also be an opportunity to share if you were consistently provided with constructive feedback, positive or negative, that allowed you to continuously improve and learn to perform better at your job.
3. Opinions on Management and Leadership
When asked about managers or leaders within the organization, recognize those that have shown good qualities and highlight those that were poor as well.
This information will help the organization understand the traits they should look out for to determine future managers and leaders. Similarly, it helps to identify managers that are disrupting a positive working environment.
If your manager is one of the contributing factors to you leaving, consider shedding light on the problem for it to be solved. That way, it can create better conditions for former colleagues and future employees.
4. Give Credit Where Credit is Due
The purpose of feedback should not solely be for criticism or improvement alone. It is just as important to commend the organization for areas in which they are doing well.
This can be anything from the positive aspects of your job to your team or the organization. For example, show appreciation for the benefits offered, the resources that supported your development, the culture, and so on.
5. Suggestions for Improvement
Opinions alone are not convincing enough to be acted upon or to initiate change. Once your viewpoints have been heard, try to support it with one or two areas for improvement within the organization.
Show genuine concern by addressing the top two factors that contributed to your decision for leaving, if applicable. An example of actionable suggestions would be a request for more competitive compensation with supporting data.
How Cooperation Negates Consequence
Leaving an organization due to negative reasons has the tendency to create unwillingness to cooperate. However, being silent is ineffective in bringing attention to what the organization should learn and improve for current and future employees.
Even if the feedback is negative, multiple instances of the same feedback creates more incentive for the organization to act on it.
The reason could be limited growth opportunities or a manager exhibiting unproductive behavior, but with enough employees raising the issue, it prompts the organization to take measures.
This is a much better approach for leaving a good impression with the organization, especially in this highly connected working world. Burning bridges will only bring more inconvenience to your career.
Take consequences into account, as word of misconduct during an exit interview can spread from HR to other employees. In the case of requiring a referral or potentially working with former colleagues, avoid such complications.
Proper Conduct in an Exit Interview
To summarize, make sure that the information you share is factual and specific to the factors that contributed to your decision to leave. The focus should be on the causes that are not influenced by personal emotions.
It would be helpful to have specific examples on hand, as the intention is to be a problem-solver and to provide appropriate solutions. The key is honesty but avoid behaving in a manner that will jeopardize your reputation.
If you still have doubts or are not confident, you can also prepare what to say before the interview. In doing so, it lowers the risk of speaking out of line or phrasing a response poorly.
Revisit this article if needed and align the appropriate responses with your own views. Make sure your intentions are clear, whether the aim is to improve conditions within the organization or to bring a serious issue to light.
Looking for more tips on how to conduct yourself in an interview? Check out the BGC Group blog for more information!
Read More: How to Ace Your Virtual Interview