What Is an Exit Interview?

When an employee resigns, offboarding tasks begin. And one of the tasks every business should have on its to-do list is holding an exit interview.

What is an exit interview, and why is it important to get feedback from departing team members?

Vickie Krolak, SPHR, SHRM-CP, Senior HR Business Partner at iHire, broke it all down for us.

Exit Interviews 101

What exactly is an exit interview?

“An exit interview is a final meeting you have with a departing employee to get their feedback on your company,” said Krolak. “Understanding why someone is leaving helps you identify ways to improve, and to also retain the team members you still have. Note that exit interviews are for employees who are resigning, and not for team members who are leaving due to a reduction in force or termination.”

Additionally, exit interviews demonstrate that you value the insight of your employees – even when they’re on the way out – and help strengthen your employer brand.

“A few things to keep in mind are that these meetings should always be optional, and your employees must feel comfortable sharing honest feedback if you want your exit interviews to be effective,” Krolak added. “And that requires having a trusting and collaborative company culture and strong sense of psychological safety among your team members.”

In our 2025 Talent Retention Report survey, “toxic or negative work environment” and “poor company leadership” were the top reasons (aside from “other”) employees selected for leaving their last job voluntarily.

Yet on the other hand, “personal reasons (health, family issues, etc.)” and “received an offer for a job that better aligned with their career goals” were the top reasons employers told us they heard from their employees when they resigned.

“If your departing employee isn’t open to telling you the real reason why they’re leaving or how your workplace can improve, that could signal a bigger problem,” Krolak said.

Common Exit Interview Formats

Krolak shared quick tips on how to conduct an exit interview and exit interview formats to consider using.

“Exit interviews are typically held on the employee’s last day or as close to it as possible. Have an HR team member or neutral third party, not the employee’s direct manager, conduct the interview so you get candid feedback,” Krolak advised.

These one-on-one conversations can be held in person or via video chat if you have a remote workforce. If the employee doesn’t have time for a meeting, getting their feedback via email is an option as well if they’re open to it.

“Face-to-face exit interviews, even if you’re connecting virtually, are best. It’ll be easier to effectively steer the conversation and ask insightful questions if you have additional cues from facial expressions and body language,” continued Krolak. “Also, aim to limit these interviews to 30 minutes or so and do not record them. It’s fine to take notes so you can summarize later, but being recorded could cause them to hold back.”

Finally, let the employee ask questions as well.

“They might have lingering questions about their final paychecks or how to return equipment, for example,” Krolak said. “If you aren’t sure about something on the spot, let them know you’ll find the answer and follow up.”

Effective Exit Interview Questions to Ask

What should you ask in an exit interview?

“Ask a variety of questions about the employee’s specific role as well as their thoughts on their team and your company as a whole,” Krolak recommended. “You can also get their opinion on things like your benefits and perks.”

For example, you could ask:

“What prompted you to look for another opportunity?”

“How would you describe your relationship with your manager and team members?”

“Did your position align well with your skills and experience?”

“What suggestions do you have for us for improving our [company culture/benefits/career paths for employees/etc.]?  

“Do you feel you had the tools, resources, and working conditions to be successful?”

“What was the best part of your role here?”

If the employee doesn’t want to answer a question, it’s an exit interview best practice to respect that and move on.

“Again, use cues from their body language to determine whether or not you should ask clarifying questions on a topic or move on to the next one,” said Krolak. “You don’t want the employee to feel challenged or in the ‘hot seat’ at any time during the exit interview.”

Steps to Take After the Exit Interview

Another one of the most important exit interview best practices to follow is to actually use the feedback you receive.

“Notes from exit interviews shouldn’t just be filed away after the meeting and never looked at again,” Krolak said. “Take what your departing employees share to heart, and find ways to use their suggestions and improve your workplace. That could be training your managers on a certain topic, diversifying your benefits package, ensuring employees have clear career paths, or adding more flexibility where possible.”

Additionally, ask the same or similar exit interview questions every time an employee resigns so you can get consistent feedback and see how things change, identify patterns, or spot trends.

Exit interviews are a great way to get constructive employee feedback and maintain a positive impression on departing staff. Add exit interviews to your offboarding strategy to make your organization stand out as a great place to work!

Get more advice from Krolak and our HR pros in our Resource Center, or schedule a free consultation today for personalized guidance and support for your unique HR needs.