Even though this may seem like a good opportunity to sound off and tell someone all the frustrations you've held back for years, it isn't the time. Having mixed emotions when leaving a company is common, but it's important to keep most of those thoughts in check and to yourself.

This doesn't mean you can't offer critical observations. In fact, straightforward, thoughtful comments will be appreciated and reinforce your professionalism, but total candor that will accomplish little constructive purpose should be avoided.

Here are some tips that will help you handle an exit interview the right way.

Anticipate the questions you may be asked. Most often, a human resources representative will conduct an interview with you. Some companies, however, provide a list of questions for you to fill out and return. Most questions are open-ended and designed to get you to fill in the blanks as much as possible. Following are some examples:

• What is your reason for leaving?
• Do you think you were treated fairly by the company? Why or why not?
• Were there aspects of your compensation you felt were inadequate? If there were, please explain.
• Are there any circumstances under which you'd like to return to the firm?
• Did you enjoy the working conditions? If not, what steps can be taken to improve them?
• Were employee contributions adequately recognized by management? If not, how can this be improved?

Determine what you'd like to say. Before stepping into the exit interview, ask yourself several questions and decide which areas you'd like to address.

• Is there anything to gain from pointing out my boss's perceived deficiencies? Chances are your manager is there to stay, especially if he or she has been at the company for several years. Also, most likely the human resources manager already knows his or her strengths and weaknesses. When discussing your supervisor, make sure you point to specific actions that you feel can be corrected, and avoid making comments that are personal in nature.
• Who could my comments damage? Keep in mind that while you may think you're cracking a joke with an off-the-cuff comment about a colleague's quirks, your words could be taken out of context. It could make you seem petty or even cause trouble for the person. It's best to limit your comments to those you had a positive opinion of, or, if you're asked specifically about someone you did not admire, speak about challenges related specifically to the person's work performance.
• Do you think your constructive criticism will be implemented and help change the corporate culture? If the company is receptive to its employees, and you feel that someone may change a policy due to one of your suggestions, by all means offer your ideas. The information provided by departing employees during exit interviews doesn't usually fall on deaf ears, as many people think. In fact, more than three-quarters of executives polled in a recent survey by our company said they act on feedback gathered during these discussions.