8 Exit Interview Questions For An Internship (With Example Answers)

Oftentimes, employers conduct exit interviews with individuals after an internship to help them understand both the highlights and areas for improvement with the internship. It gives interns a chance to provide valuable feedback about the internship and offer helpful suggestions for future interns. If you’re completing an internship, reviewing the topics that employers may ask in the exit interview can help you familiarize yourself with the questions and prepare your answers. In this article, we discuss what an exit interview for an internship is and provide potential questions that employers may ask, with example answers.

What is an exit interview for an internship?

An exit interview is a meeting that employers have with interns upon completing an internship at their company. During the meeting, employers can gain insight into an individual’s internship experience. It also allows interns to give specific feedback on the internship position, such as whether it met their expectations and if they plan to continue working for the company.

Why is an exit interview important?

Here are several reasons why your exit interview after an internship is important:

• Gives insight into internship experience: An exit interview gives employers insight into the overall experience that interns have working with a company.

• Helps you secure a full-time position: Employers may use an exit interview to see how well you fit in with a company, and if they feel that you’re an excellent match for their company, they may offer you a full-time position.

• Identifies areas of improvement: You can identify areas of improvement within an internship program that may help the company or future interns.

Exit interview questions for an internship

Here are several questions that employers may ask you upon completing your internship:

1. How would you define our company culture?

Employers ask this question to learn more about their company culture from individuals who have a first-hand view of the company’s operations. Asking interns about company culture gives them a fresh perspective since long-term employees have more familiarity with the company. When answering, try to focus on the aspects of the company culture that you liked, while also giving feedback on any areas of improvement within the culture.

Example: “Overall, I would define the company culture as welcoming, positive, and hard-working. I noticed that management created a positive atmosphere by encouraging team-building among the interns and providing support for projects. However, I felt that management valued workers who stayed late and worked beyond their normal hours, which caused me to feel overwhelmed with work. I believe that focusing on a work-life balance would improve the company’s culture and boost employee morale.”

2. Would you recommend this internship to others?

Employers ask this question to gauge how many applicants they may have that apply to the internship in the future and to see if the internship is attractive enough for interns to tell individuals within their network about it. When answering this question, try to be clear and explain why you would or wouldn’t recommend this internship to others.

Example: “Yes, I would recommend this position to individuals within my network who have similar career goals to my own. I would not recommend this position to someone outside of your industry since it may not match the experience they’re looking for in an internship.”

3. Do you feel that management provided support throughout the internship?

This question allows you to give feedback on the company’s managerial style and gives employers a chance to examine how management interacts with interns. Try to provide your feedback positively, highlighting the positive aspects of management while suggesting possible changes that may improve their managerial operations.

Example: “I feel that management provided me with sufficient support throughout my internship. Oftentimes, I received emails from members of management checking to see my progress and asking if I needed any assistance. These emails were reassuring and helped me to feel encouraged continually during the internship. Though, it sometimes felt like management was distant from employees, especially in the afternoons. I believe it would be helpful for management to have some kind of comment box where employees can include comments, questions, or concerns to help the work environment feel more transparent.”

4. If you could change anything about the internship program, what would it be and why?

Employers ask this question to discover issues within their internship program, and interns can provide first-hand knowledge of the strengths and areas of improvement of the program. In your answer, try to provide actionable feedback that suggests changes to improve the program.

Example: “I believe that changing the software that interns use can benefit their performance and optimize their internship experience. Currently, the software that interns use is older and updated less frequently, though I feel that supplying the interns with newer software can help them work more efficiently and give them experience on up-to-date software programs. If there’s any extra money in the company’s budget, I suggest buying new software for interns to use or refurbishing older software to handle new programs.”

5. Do you feel that you received the proper training to complete your duties?

It’s useful for companies to know if they provide thorough training that prepares interns for their roles. Providing thorough training is valuable to new interns so that they understand their responsibilities. If you feel that the company didn’t supply you with enough training, it’s important to be honest and let them know about the specific areas that lacked training. This may help them improve future internship training programs and ensure that interns are well-prepared for their positions.

Example: “I do feel that I could have used more training before starting my internship. Since the class was one week long, it felt like the trainers rushed through the lessons, so there were certain topics that our training class missed. In the future, consider doubling the length of the training class from one week to two weeks so that trainers have time to cover all the topics, responsibilities, and duties involved with working at an internship for this company.”

6. What are your next career steps and how can we help you achieve success?

After completing an internship, you’ll likely pursue education or apply for a full-time job. Employers may want to help you achieve success in the next steps of your career path, so be sure to provide them with actions they can take to help you.

Example: “It would be beneficial if you could provide me with a letter of recommendation that lists the duties I completed during this internship, the progress I made, and the skills I developed. I can use this letter of recommendation in future applications.”

7. What was a time that you felt proud during your internship?

This question allows you to share a positive memory from your internship. You can share about your achievements in the position if you collaborated well with team members, or if you solved a difficult problem.

Example: “At the beginning of my internship, I was having trouble speaking with clients. I felt that I didn’t know the right information to provide them and I didn’t want to give them incorrect product details. I approached my supervisor for help and she provided me with the files containing correct information about products, which helped grow my confidence to speak to customers. I was proud of myself for reaching out for help and taking the necessary steps to improve my performance.”

8. Do you see a future at this company?

Your employer may ask this question to see if you’d like to continue working for this company. If they’re interested in offering you a full-time job, this question can gauge if you would accept the position.

Example: “Yes, I do see a future at this company. I feel that I’m a good fit with the company culture and I enjoyed collaborating with employees throughout my internship. I envision myself advancing in my career at this company and continuing to improve my skills throughout my time here.”

Tips to prepare for an internship exit interview

Here are some tips to help you prepare for an internship exit interview:

• Practice your answers: Before the interview, try to prepare your answers with a friend or colleague. It may be useful to meet with other interns who were a part of your internship program.

• Remain objective: Try to stay focused on talking about the company rather than individual members of management or specific employees.

• Ask questions: It’s useful to ask questions during your exit interview that provide feedback on your performance or the position.

I hope you find this article helpful.