31 Intern Exit Interview Survey Questions to Improve Programs

Supervisor & Mentorship Evaluation Survey

If a manager gets high marks from interns, word will spread quickly on campus. The intern supervisor survey peels back the curtain on the quality of supervisor guidance, day-to-day mentorship, and feedback loops. Whether the mentorship relationship made interns feel empowered or ignored, this survey reveals the truth.

Why & When to Use

Deploy this survey right after a reorganization or when feedback from interns varies wildly by team. It helps HR pinpoint where mentorship training could make the biggest difference and which supervisors are exceeding expectations.

• Best after leadership changes or manager rotations
• Use findings to enhance mentor onboarding programs
• Valuable for supervisor and mentor performance reviews

This type of mentorship feedback drives continuous improvement for both managers and their interns.

Sample Questions

1. How clearly did your supervisor communicate expectations and deadlines?

2. Rate the accessibility of your mentor when you needed help.

3. What feedback mechanisms worked best for you?

4. Did you receive regular, actionable performance feedback?

5. Share one thing your supervisor could improve to better support interns.

A thoughtful mentorship feedback survey can spotlight which supervisors need support and which should be applauded. With these insights, companies can level up their management training and make sure every intern’s mentor is a superhero—cape optional.

Effective intern exit interviews should include questions assessing supervisor communication, mentorship quality, and support, such as: "Did your supervisor provide clear expectations and goals for your internship?" (poll-maker.com)

Skill Development & Learning Outcomes Survey

A great internship should be a launchpad for both hard and soft skill development. The skill development survey digs into what interns actually learn—and if the company delivered what it promised. For STEM-heavy roles or programs touting “real-world learning,” this is your go-to evaluation.

Why & When to Use

It’s smart to use these questions whenever your program’s main promise is growth. This survey captures not just what new skills appeared, but also how clearly learning goals were communicated.

• Ideal for STEM, finance, consulting, or rotational internships
• Essential after launching new training modules or courses
• Use to align future learning resources and workshops

The results help you understand if you’re growing digitally savvy, creative, or collaboration-ready talent.

Sample Questions

1. Which new technical skills did you acquire during your internship?

2. How effectively did the internship help you improve your communication skills?

3. Were learning goals outlined at the start and revisited throughout the term?

4. What training resources were most valuable?

5. Which additional skills would you have liked to develop?

Intern learning outcomes shouldn’t be left to chance. Companies that get granular about skill gains—backed up by intern voices—win respect both inside and outside their industry.

Organizational Culture & Workplace Environment Survey

The first day at any new job is always a culture shock, and internships are no different. The intern culture survey measures whether your organization’s environment is as inclusive and welcoming as your job postings promise. This survey helps you understand if interns felt belonging, psychological safety, and alignment with company values.

Why & When to Use

If your leaders care about diversity, inclusion, or remote culture, make this survey a must at the close of every internship cycle. The feedback can fuel improvements to both in-person and hybrid experiences.

• Crucial for companies tracking diversity metrics
• Valuable if retention is a strategic KPI
• Use after implementing new hybrid or inclusion policies

By targeting these factors, you get an inside look at how your culture actually operates, not just how you hope it does.

Sample Questions

1. Did you feel welcomed and included by full-time employees?

2. How aligned are the company's stated values with your lived experience?

3. Rate the psychological safety you felt when sharing ideas.

4. How did remote or hybrid policies impact your sense of belonging?

5. Describe one cultural strength and one area for improvement.

A straightforward workplace environment check benefits everyone—leaders, employees, interns, and ultimately, the brand. When you know where you stand culturally, you can craft a workplace future interns can’t wait to join.

Intern exit interviews are crucial for gathering feedback to enhance future programs, with key questions focusing on overall experience, support received, and company culture. (indeed.com)

Logistics, Resources & Administrative Support Survey

Ever tried to start a new job without a laptop, desk, or clear onboarding process? Not fun. The intern onboarding survey and logistics feedback questions tackle the all-important behind-the-scenes factors that make or break an intern’s first impression.

Why & When to Use

If you’re scaling your intern program to new sites or after updating your HRIS or onboarding, this survey is a game-changer. It helps you iron out the kinks so all interns start strong.

• Deploy after every significant administrative process update
• Especially key when launching programs in multiple locations
• Use to assess the clarity and efficiency of onboarding steps

The right resources and support raise the quality of every internship, regardless of location or function.

Sample Questions

1. How smooth was the onboarding and IT equipment process?

2. Rate the clarity of your compensation, benefits, and time-off policies.

3. Were workspace and tools adequate for your responsibilities?

4. How responsive was HR to your questions or concerns?

5. Suggest improvements to orientation or administrative support.

With honest administrative support feedback, small hitches can be turned into success stories. Interns appreciate when their logistical struggles are taken seriously—and that appreciation boosts retention down the line.

Employer Brand & Future Engagement Survey

The secret sauce for building your talent pipeline? Understanding if interns are singing your praises—or cautioning their friends to avoid your company. The employer branding survey gets to the heart of whether they’d return full-time, recommend your internship, or act as a brand ambassador.

Why & When to Use

This survey matters most when you track intern-to-offer conversion rates or rely on past interns to recruit the next great cohort. The insights improve everything from campus marketing to alumni events.

• Essential for growing your corporate ambassador network
• Use after each cohort for year-over-year tracking
• Critical for companies aiming for higher offer conversion rates

Prioritizing talent pipeline feedback means you’re always looking to the future, never settling for the status quo.

Sample Questions

1. How likely are you to accept a full-time offer from us if extended?

2. Would you recommend this internship to peers? Why or why not?

3. Which aspects of our employer brand most influenced your perception?

4. How did this internship shape your long-term career goals?

5. What additional engagement opportunities would interest you as an alum?

By focusing on intern Net Promoter Score, you catch early signals about your reputation. This feedback paves the way for smarter recruiting, better programs, and a brand reputation that makes top talent flock to your door.

Best Practices: Dos and Don’ts for Intern Exit Interview Surveys

Getting intern feedback is an art and a science—but mostly it’s intentional design. Survey best practices ensure your questions yield clear, honest, and actionable data, not just a pile of lukewarm ratings. Let’s break it down, so your efforts hit home every time.

Dos

• Keep surveys short—10 to 15 questions max for optimal completion rates

• Ensure anonymity to get blunt, useful feedback

• Always time surveys for the intern’s last week—close enough to remember details, distant enough to be candid

• Tie every question to internship KPIs or program objectives

• Use simple, jargon-free language for every question

• Pilot questions with a small group before rollout

• Follow up with a “thanks” message and close the feedback loop with visible changes

Don’ts

• Never combine exit surveys with a performance review—interns should feel safe being honest

• Don’t ask leading or loaded questions (“You loved your perks, right?”)

• Skip superfluous questions unrelated to learning, culture, or future interest

• Avoid only collecting numerical data—open-ended questions add context

• Never overlook mobile optimization for survey platforms

Quick Tips

• Choose survey platforms that deliver great UX on all devices

• Test different subject lines to see which yields the highest response rates

• Share summary results (internally) to show you value intern voices

Great intern exit surveys lead to program transformation. Listening closely means you’ll evolve faster than the competition. Now is the perfect time for HR teams to transform feedback into action—your current and future interns will thank you!