exit interview
Exit Interview: the conversation HR has with you on your way out, meant to find out why you are leaving before you shut the door behind you.
In plain English
"So, what finally made you put in your resignation?" the HR woman asked, pen ready, smile professional. Chidinma paused. Did she say the truth, that her manager took credit for her work twice and never once said thank you, or did she say the safe thing, "better opportunity"?
That conversation is the exit interview. It happens after you have resigned but before you have fully left, usually with HR rather than your direct manager, and the stated goal is honest feedback the company can use to fix whatever is pushing people out the door.
In practice, it is a mixed bag. Some companies genuinely use the answers to improve pay, management style, or work conditions. Others file it away and nothing changes. A Nigerian banker leaving a Lagos firm for a fintech startup might use the interview to mention that salaries have not moved in three years while workload has doubled. Whether anyone acts on that is another matter entirely.
The tricky part is honesty versus self preservation. You may need a reference from this company later, or you may cross paths with these colleagues again in Nigeria's fairly small professional circles. So people often soften the truth, praising the team, mentioning "growth" as the reason for leaving, and saving the real grievances for their WhatsApp group of former colleagues.
For someone relocating abroad, say a Nigerian nurse moving to the United Kingdom's NHS, the exit interview is also a chance to leave cleanly, tie up pension details, and confirm your final pay comes correctly, because a messy exit can complicate references and paperwork you might need for years.
Tunde resigns from a Lagos logistics company. In his exit interview, he mentions the long commute and stagnant wage honestly, but keeps his complaints about his manager vague, since he may need a reference from the company in two years.
Questions people ask
Is it compulsory to attend an exit interview?
Usually not by law, but many companies expect it as part of a smooth handover, and refusing outright can feel awkward if you may need a reference later.
Should I be completely honest in an exit interview?
Be honest but measured. Focus on patterns and facts rather than personal attacks, since you may need this employer's goodwill again someday.
Does the exit interview affect my final pay or documents?
Not directly, but it is a good moment to confirm your last salary, pension contributions, and any outstanding entitlements are settled correctly before you leave.
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