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Ten Reasons To Skip Your Exit Interview

This article is more than 6 years old.

Dear Liz,

I quit my job today.

Our CEO called me ten minutes after I gave notice to my boss, the VP of Product Management.

The CEO told me "You're a high-profile player and your departure will be a loss to our company."

I wish I could believe him but if I am such a key player, why didn't the CEO or his direct reports listen to me when I told them what the company is doing wrong hundreds of times, politely and persistently?

They didn't want to hear my input, but now that I'm leaving every VP except one (the VP of HR) has told me confidentially that my observations are right on target and that the CEO is realizing he has to make big changes.

The VP of HR wants to exit interview me. I have no interest in going to that meeting. I never saw eye to eye with our VP of HR and I know she wants to pump me for information that she doesn't possess herself.

How do I get out of the exit interview without outright refusing to talk to her?

Thanks,

Brad

Dear Brad,

Congratulations on making your move!

Don't stress about the exit interview. Simply tell your VP of HR that you're not in the right place to share feedback right now. Tell her that if you have any thoughts to share down the road you'll be in touch.

If she has forms for you to fill out, you can stop by her office and complete the forms whenever it's convenient for both of you.

They say that feedback is a gift. If you thought your feedback would do any good you might be happy to share it, but experience has shown you that your input was never valued before. Why continue to waste your breath?

Skip the exit interview. An exit interview can be a prelude to character assassination. Sadly, I have see it happen. In that scenario, you go to the exit interview and describe in painful detail a list of leadership and strategic missteps.

Suddenly you cease to be a high-profile departure and a major loss to the company, and are re-categorized as a whiner and complainer whose absence will only help the company.

People in fear do not want to hear what they're doing wrong, especially from a quitter like you!

Here are ten reasons to skip the exit interview.

1. Anything you say can be used against you. It wouldn't take much for your leaders to decide that the reason you shared negative feedback with them is that you are a second-rate employee and they're better off without you. People can be petty. The negative reputation you acquire through your honesty at the exit interview could dog you for years.

2. If they want your consulting advice they can hire you as a consultant and pay you top dollar for your input.

3. There is no benefit to you in attending your exit interview.

4. You do not owe the company your parting observations.

5. You are mature and professional enough to know when your feedback is welcome and when it isn't.

6. If your CEO really valued your opinion he would have met with you himself.

7. You don't like or trust the person who wants to exit-interview you.

8. You cannot remotely imagine your HR VP's scribbled exit interview notes leading to the thoughtful leadership conversation they warrant much less being implemented.

9. You have better things to do during your last days on the job than to rattle off a litany of problems your leaders don't want to acknowledge.

10. You don't feel like going to your exit interview. That's reason enough to skip it!

Your CEO made it crystal clear that he's better at saying the right things ("You're a high-value player and we're sorry to lose you") than doing the right things.

From this moment forward, save your valuable input for people whose actions demonstrate that they want it and deserve it!

All the best,

Liz

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