Don't insert personal comments, provide opinions or defend the company and its actions. Your role is to gather information and stay objective. Review any noncompetition or nondisclosure agreements he or she may have signed. Gather or verify that all company property and material has been returned. Document the exit interview.
Most companies develop an exit interview form that is completed by the interviewer.
Here are a few tips for how to handle strong emotions. Never argue with an employee to justify a termination decision. Be courteous, confident and firm. If an employee asks what he or she can do to get the decision reversed, inform him or her that the decision is final. Employees might respond that the termination will cause hardship to themselves and their families.