Updated: 4 November 2026

Honest exit interview questions

This prompt writes twelve exit interview questions for an employee who is leaving, to get candid and useful feedback.

text-exit-interview-questions — chatgpt — 57 words

Write a set of 12 exit interview questions for an employee leaving a [ROLE] position at [COMPANY].

Group them into: reasons for leaving, the manager and team, growth and pay, culture, and what we should change. Add two follow-up prompts for vague answers and a closing script that thanks them and explains how feedback will be used.

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Have someone other than the direct manager run the conversation for more candid answers.

Get a better result

What you will get

Twelve questions grouped by reasons for leaving, manager and team, growth and pay, culture and what to change, with follow-ups for vague answers and a closing script.

Why it works

Exit interviews work when questions cover the real reasons people leave, so the prompt groups them into reasons, manager, growth and pay, culture and change. Follow-up prompts help with vague answers. Someone other than the manager, as the tip says, gets more honest replies.

Common mistake

The questions feel like a form.

Fix: Ask for a conversational tone and fewer questions if the person is short of time. Open questions get fuller answers.

Also watch for

People hold back. Say who will see the notes and how they are used. Candour depends on trust, as the tip says.
Nothing happens with the answers. Ask for a one-page summary template that groups themes, so patterns across leavers become visible.

Try a variation: make it a stay interview

Ask for questions for a current employee about what keeps them here, what would make them leave and what they want to learn next.

Still not right? Reply with this

Here are anonymised notes from this year’s exit interviews: [NOTES]. Give me the top three themes and one change that would address each.