In the words of Jerry Seinfeld, your manager sounds like a "bad breaker-upper." Exit interviews are not supposed to be a time to grind an employee down with brutal questioning, nor a time to put an employee down with derogatory comments.
It makes far more sense for management to use these interviews as an opportunity to learn about the employees' perceptions of the company and the reasons for wanting to leave. These interviews can provide management with an excellent opportunity to gather valuable data that can lead to reduced turnover.
Although you have the option of avoiding the exit interview altogether, it is possible that much of the talk that you have heard about these interviews is exaggerated. And, if you enter this interview expecting the worst, you are actually increasing the likelihood of a disaster.
You should go to the session, listen to what your manager has to say, and then use a calm and businesslike approach to provide some specific feedback on the company and on this session if warranted. Let your final act with the company be a class act.
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