Seven Questions You Are Likely to Be Asked at Your Weekend Interview
You did it. You plucked up the courage to send a notification two weeks in advance. You are ready to get through your last few days of work, say goodbye to coworkers, and hit the road to greener pastures. You feel confident that you have gone through the hardest part of the process when suddenly HR will contact you to find out when you want to interview .
This post was originally published on the Muse website .
“What?” you think to yourself, “My exit interview? I thought I could just pack my desk and sneak right out of here. I do not want to retell my entire work experience! “
Yes, there is no doubt that field interviews can be a little unnerving. Leaving work was stressful enough. But do you need to be present at the meeting to explain all the smallest details of why you quit smoking? Well, that’s enough for you to breathe into a paper bag.
Do not worry! This need not be a cause for concern. In fact, it can be productive for both you and your employer. You just need to make sure you know what’s in store for you. After all, you want to go on a professional note, not an unprepared one, which ends with you turning this last meeting into an impromptu therapy session on the topic “Why I Hate This Job.”
So here are some questions you might be asked in your weekend interview. Whether it’s the first or tenth, the answers to these frequently asked questions never hurt.
1. Why are you leaving your current position?
As you might have guessed, this is probably the key question your employer wants to answer during their termination interview. What the hell made you want to pack your bags and hit the road?
You are asked about this for several reasons. First, your employer wants to determine if there was one event that precipitated your departure, such as an altercation with your manager or coworker. Second, he or she hopes to determine if there are any deficiencies in the position that need to be addressed before introducing a replacement.
Remember that one of the company’s key goals is employee retention . And your feedback is critical to achieving that goal!
2. Do you think you were prepared enough to do your job well?
Companies also want some inside information about how skilled employees feel, and this question is a great way to determine that.
It might seem a little odd to express dissatisfaction with a lack of preparation , useless technology, or a completely uncommunicative team. But keep in mind that disclosing all of this will actually help your employer become a better person in the long run.
Your HR department is not stupid. They know that you are leaving for some reason, and they understand very well that you have more than cute, sunny things to say about your work. So don’t be shy, honestly. Just remember that you also don’t want to be totally violent in your comments – burning bridges is never recommended.
3. What kind of relationship did you have with the manager?
Your working relationship with your boss has probably made the biggest impact on your day-to-day work life, which is why your company wants to know the good, the bad, and the ugly. What did your leader do well? How do you feel about his overall management style ?
Be prepared to also give some tips on how he or she can get better. It may seem counterintuitive to say anything negative about your supervisor, especially when the “never complain about your boss” rule has been ingrained in memory for years. But feedback is needed.
Again, just remember that you don’t want to get off the rails and start berating your boss. At the end of the day, most of your criticism will most likely be returned to that person. So, when in doubt, stay constructive.
4. What was the main factor that prompted you to accept this new job?
Of course, you don’t need to feel pressured to share all sorts of details about the position you are going for. However, you should be prepared to hear a few questions like this. Executives just want to get an idea of how they compare to other organizations in the same industry.
Perhaps the salary in your new job is much better and your employer needs to rethink the salary structure . Or maybe you really liked something about the corporate culture. Be that as it may, sharing this information helps your employer keep up with their competitors – which is undoubtedly important when recruiting new talent.
5. What did you like most about your job?
While the main goal of weekend interviews is to get constructive feedback, that doesn’t mean you won’t get a chance to highlight any positives.
In a typical weekend interview, you will be asked what aspects of your job do you like best. Whether it’s a specific job, your team members, or weekly happy hours, your company wants to know what made you look forward to coming every day. This knowledge helps your manager not only to continue to expand those positive qualities, but also to highlight the attractive traits when listing your position!
6. What did you dislike most about your job?
Here it is – the other side of the coin. It’s time to share these not-so-good aspects of your position.
Maybe you hated coordinating your monthly board meeting. Perhaps your boss was a complete intervening micromanager . Or maybe you think your entire department needs to be restructured to be more efficient and effective.
Now you have a chance to be honest and share the complaints you usually leave for muttering to yourself and drinking with friends.
7. What skills and qualifications do you think we need to look for when replacing you?
Who understands better than you what it takes to get your job done? Spoiler alert: none. You were the one who got the job done day in and day out. And, most likely, you did it well. So, your employer wants to know what qualities he should look out for when replacing you.
Perhaps the original job description emphasized that you need to be good at database management. But once there, you realized that the database was rarely touched by anyone in your office. It was an outdated call of duty that they shifted from description to description. Instead, you think that finding someone with strong organizational and multitasking skills is a much more important aspect to look out for. Trust me, your employer will appreciate (and use!) This information.
A field interview is really not a cause for concern. Think of it as your chance to have a valuable and honest discussion about the ins and outs of the position you are leaving. And, if you start feeling stressed, just ask yourself what is the worst thing that can happen. After all, they can’t fire you.
7 Questions You Are Probably Asked During Exit Interview | Muse