# Exit Interview Template > Creates exit interview question templates with themed categories for identifying retention issues, improvement areas, and actionable insights. Use when an employee is departing. - Skill: `reaperinvest/exit-interview-template` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add reaperinvest/exit-interview-template` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/reaperinvest/exit-interview-template/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Coding & Dev Tools - Author: reaperinvest (https://skillmd.com/u/reaperinvest) - Updated: 2026-09-22 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/reaperinvest/exit-interview-template --- # Exit Interview Template ## When to Use This Skill Use this skill when you need to: - Create a structured exit interview questionnaire - Build a system for capturing departing employee insights - Design an exit survey for employees who prefer written feedback - Analyze patterns from multiple exit interviews to improve retention **DO NOT** use this skill for termination scripts, layoff communications, or employee engagement surveys. This is for voluntary departure exit interviews. --- ## Core Principle EXIT INTERVIEWS ARE THE MOST HONEST FEEDBACK YOU WILL EVER GET — ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS AND ACTUALLY USE THE ANSWERS TO FIX PROBLEMS. --- ## Phase 1: Brief ### Required Inputs | Input | What to Ask | Default | |-------|------------|---------| | **Format** | "Live interview, written survey, or both?" | Live interview with written option | | **Interviewer** | "Who will conduct the interview? (manager, HR, founder, third party)" | Founder or HR lead | | **Company size** | "How many employees?" | 5-25 | | **Known retention issues** | "Are there recurring reasons people leave?" | Unknown — gathering data | | **Confidentiality level** | "Will responses be shared with the departing employee's manager?" | Aggregated themes only, not attributed quotes | | **Departing role** | "What role is the person leaving?" | General template | **GATE: Confirm brief before proceeding.** --- ## Phase 2: Design ### Question Categories Build the interview from these categories: 1. **Role and Responsibilities** — was the job what they expected? 2. **Management and Leadership** — relationship with direct manager and leadership 3. **Growth and Development** — learning, promotion, career path 4. **Culture and Environment** — team dynamics, inclusion, work-life balance 5. **Compensation and Benefits** — pay, perks, and total package 6. **Reason for Leaving** — the direct question with follow-ups 7. **Recommendations** — what would they change? ### Question Design Rules - Open-ended questions over yes/no — "What would have made you stay?" not "Were you happy?" - Maximum 15 questions for a 30-minute interview - Include 2-3 scale questions (1-10) for trackable metrics - End with a forward-looking question that leaves the relationship positive - Never ask questions designed to guilt the departing employee **GATE: Present the question list and wait for approval.** --- ## Phase 3: Build ### Deliverables **1. Interview Question Template** - Complete question list organized by category - Follow-up probes for each question - Interviewer notes on what to listen for **2. Written Survey Version** - Same questions adapted for self-completion - Rating scales added where appropriate - Estimated completion time: 10-15 minutes **3. Interviewer Guide** - How to set the tone (appreciative, not defensive) - Active listening prompts - What NOT to say (do not make counter-offers during exit interviews) - Note-taking template for consistent documentation **4. Data Tracking Sheet** - Log responses across multiple exit interviews - Theme categorization for pattern identification - Quarterly summary template --- ## Phase 4: Polish ### Analysis Framework After 5+ exit interviews, analyze for: - Top 3 recurring themes in reasons for leaving - Manager-specific patterns (are departures concentrated under one leader?) - Compensation mentions frequency (signals pay competitiveness issues) - Actionable recommendations that appear multiple times ### Retention Action Template Convert exit interview insights into a 3-column action plan: - **Finding** — what the data shows - **Action** — specific change to make - **Owner and deadline** — who does it and by when --- ## Example 1: Live Interview (30 minutes, 12 questions) Key questions: - "What prompted you to start looking for a new role?" - "On a scale of 1-10, how supported did you feel by your manager? What would have raised that number?" - "Was there a moment when you thought about staying? What would have tipped that decision?" - "If you could change one thing about working here, what would it be?" - "Would you recommend this company to a friend? Why or why not?" ## Example 2: Written Exit Survey (10 minutes, 8 questions + scales) Mix of 5 open-ended questions and 3 rating scales (manager support, growth satisfaction, overall experience). Includes optional comment boxes for sensitive topics. --- ## Anti-Patterns - **Manager conducting their own report's exit interview** — the departing employee will not be honest. Use a neutral party. - **Collecting data without acting on it** — if three people say the same thing and nothing changes, exit interviews are theater. - **Interrogation tone** — this is not a deposition. Create psychological safety for honest answers. - **Asking only about the negative** — include "What did you enjoy most?" to get a balanced picture and end positively. - **Skipping exits for small teams** — small companies lose the most from each departure. Every exit interview matters. --- ## Recovery - **Employee refuses exit interview:** Offer the written survey as a lower-pressure alternative. Respect their decision if they still decline. - **Employee only complains about one person:** Document it, but probe for specifics. Ask "Can you give me an example?" to distinguish legitimate concerns from personality conflicts. - **No patterns yet (first few exits):** Start tracking anyway. Patterns emerge after 5-10 data points. - **Departing employee asks to stay:** This is not the time for counter-offers. Thank them and redirect to the hiring manager for a separate conversation.