The Non-Exit Interview

Have you ever done an exit interview when leaving a job? I've done a few and have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, it’s great that companies want to hear your story. And if they actually do something with those insights, even better. On the other hand, by the time you're chatting with HR, it's often too late for real change.

But, what if you flipped the script?

What if you did an exit interview with yourself before you decided to leave? Not the rushed "I'm stressed, I'm moving on" conversation you might have with a partner or friend. But a real, honest reflection.

One that would help you go a bit deeper and allow you to ask yourself:

• What's actually working?

• What isn’t?

• What have I outgrown?

• What, if anything, would need to change for me to stay in this role or find something internal?

Full transparency, I’ve never actually done this myself, so I don’t have any qualitative data about the experience and how it might pan out. But this idea of self-reflection before getting to that final straw could be super powerful. Because, when it comes down to it, leaving a job isn’t just about running from something (though that certainly plays a role), It’s also about pivoting to something more aligned.

What would your exit interview tell you?