Exit interviews are a trap
I don’t think they are a trap. You can make constructive criticism without being personal. A lot of times middle management is implementing policy that it didn’t have a say in.At the end of the day, everyone is human, and most people are more concerned with handling their own problems than making life hard for others.And if the company has a functional business quality plan, they should be reviewing data from all the exit interviews on a regular basis (maybe quarterly or semi annual). You are just one data point. No matter how brilliant you think you are, they are going to be looking for major trends. Like, everyone made lateral moves for more pay, maybe our pay scales aren’t  competitive, or we aren’t recognizing success appropriately.The exit interview isn’t like pointing at the ship’s unmanned helm and letting the watch officer know the pilot has been in the head for 2 quarters.