Four Elements of an Exit Interview with Your Supervisee

After building what we hope is a powerful, impactful relationship with your supervisee, there comes a time for intentional planning regarding the end of supervision. Sometimes the change is abrupt where planning isn’t possible. However, the ultimate goal is to support a supervision graduation that feels positive for both supervisor and supervisee.

Presenting the idea of an exit interview to a supervisee could sound something like this:

Supervisor: “I appreciate our work together and would like to ask you a couple questions on your experiences in supervision so that I may apply your feedback to future work with supervisees. Let’s find a time for that conversation and to answer any questions you may have as you wrap up your time here.”

Below are the four elements to cover in an exit interview with your supervisee:

1. Explore What Worked

Similar to an employee exit interview, it can feel empowering for a supervisee to be asked what worked well in their experiences with supervision. Additionally, as a supervisor, asking this question can provide clarity on what is working well within your leadership and supervision style.

Supervisor: “I wanted to start by asking you what has worked well in our supervision together?”

2. What Could Be Improved

Perhaps this questions feels more vulnerable in its ability to invite criticism into the conversation. However, it is just as important as asking what worked for your supervisee. Be prepared for the possible sting of constructive criticism by recognizing how it can help you improve your approaches in clinical supervision for further development.

Supervisor: “Thank you for sharing what’s worked for you. It’s equally important to ask you what you felt could have been improved in your supervision experience. Can you please share with me some ideas of what could have made it better for you?”

3. Confirming Client Care

Part of the exit plan is administrative in nature. Has your supervisee engaged call their clients appropriately around the transition? What needs to be done for clients who are being transferred versus discharged? What information needs to be communicated before your supervisee exits this role? Are all client files available for reference?

Supervisor: “Another piece of this meeting is to confirm the steps needed to close out your client files. Let’s review this checklist and determine any final questions you might have.”

3. Signing Off on Hours

A final administrative step would be confirming and signing off on your supervisee’s hours. Ideally, they’d come prepared with their hours so you can complete the paperwork immediately and have a copy on file. In a different scenario, your exit interview might include identifying a deadline for them to complete a required administrative step, such as transferring files or completing final notes on their transition sessions with clients ,before hours can be signed off as complete.

Supervisor: “Do you have your final records of your clinical hours for me to review today? I’d like to confirm that all the administrative duties are complete in order to sign off on these hours today.”

As you engage within your community as an empowered supervisor, it’s imperative that you define an exit interview process that supports closure for both you and your supervisee. We recognize this step can sometimes be overlooked and are excited to provide you with a checklist for closing out with supervisees, available for purchase at www.empowermentmodelsupervision.com/downloads

Written by Khara Croswaite Brindle, MA, LPC, ACS