Screening interviews with HR personnel are an important part of the hiring process. A candidate’s progress will be determined by the making or breaking in the HR round interview questions. Henceforth, one should always make sure that they are thoroughly prepared for what is about to come their way.
The following rounds make up the employment selection process, particularly in India:
- A written examination
- A Group Discussion Round
- Interview with a panel of experts on a one-on-one basis
- Interview for a technical role or a specific position with the specific team or department
- HR round interview questions and answers
As a candidate, you will be expected to give a quick introduction, respond to a few HR interview questions about your job function or career path and discuss the salary, benefits, perks, deductions, rules and regulations and so on with HR.
Basic Introduction HR Interview Questions:
1. Why do you want to apply for this job?
Although a basic question, it is a pretty vital one. It is intended to assess the candidate’s interest in that particular position. Candidates must demonstrate that submitting this application was a deliberate decision on their side.
2. Please introduce yourself.
This tends to be the most important but the most basic HR interview question in terms of answering. For answering this type of question, one should always start in a relaxed and confident manner. The response must be succinct, concise, and to the point.
Company-related HR Interview Questions and Answers:
1. What are your salary expectations?
Similar questions asked in HR interviews concern other “technical” parts of the job, such as the willingness to travel or relocate or the ability to stick to a shift schedule. This question is asked by HR experts to ensure that they are not conversing with a candidate who has unrealistically high wage expectations (or who is generally unable to meet the demands of the job).
2. Where were you working before this, and why did you leave?
The candidate should answer this question in a general manner and should mention that they want to increase their skill sets and would want to take on new challenges. You should also mention that growth is very important and that growth is the only option while working.
3. Define yourself in one word
Describing yourself in a specific word or a phrase makes you look spontaneous and direct. Focused, curious, rational, go-getter are some of the words that can describe you.
4. Tell us about your blind spot.
By asking such twisted questions, the employer wants to know about your flaws. But instead of revealing your real flaws here, one should always give a general response by stating that you are not the only one with a blind spot and that employees should help each other improve themselves and their blind spots.
5. How do you motivate yourself?
You should always choose your motivation source from a professional or someone whose values and morals are high. State the facts that success gives you a sense of satisfaction and also a ray of hope that you will be able to make a difference in someone’s life.
HR Interview Questions and Answers:
1. Do you have any references?
For this question, there can only be two answers, either YES or NO.
2. Differentiate between the group and a team
UNITY is the only difference between the two. A group can be numerous people coming together for no specific goal, whereas in a team, two or more people have a common goal to achieve.
3. What is your management style?
Your managerial style can never be fixed. It will always change with the situation and the environment. Contingencies should be allowed while working because nobody is perfect, but time constraints should also be maintained.
Situational HR Interview Questions and Answers:
The guide’s realistic interview question spans a wide range of soft abilities. You can be asked about your unique employment skills. The talents required for the job are always mentioned in the job posting.
For answering situational HR interview questions, one should always keep in mind the method of
PROBLEM >> SOLUTION >> BENEFIT
The answer should include the following points:
- A difficulty you faced in your life
- The solution you applied for that difficulty
- What advantage that solution gave to your organisation?
If all of these points are kept in mind, you and your employer will see how apt you are for this job.
1. Give an example of a situation where you colluded with a co-worker who was difficult to work with for a particular project.
Here you can give an example from the co-worker’s personal life and explain why it was challenging to work with him, and once you got to know him in person, you realised how easily you could gel up. It would help if you never demeaned anyone while giving an example as it showcases you on the wrong foot, and this would not bring you across as a good team player.
2. Describe a situation where you felt that your job was not satisfactory. What did you do to amend it?
When you are a new employee in any organisation, answering such scenario-related questions demonstrates spunk. For example, if your business is online and a client is facing issues related to online ordering, you could fix the issue with the technical department and handle the issue in the customer service area.
3. What is your proudest professional achievement?
When it comes to responding to recruiter interview questions based on situations, understanding when to pause can be quite difficult.
An example of such a question can be that you showcase what revenue you brought to the company but do not show what you earned from it. Always play from the company’s side rather than your own.
Behavioral HR Interview Questions and Answers:
These types of HR interview questions basically showcase your problem-solving potentiality. They provide information about the candidate’s personality and abilities to the employer. When asked a question from this category, the candidate should be able to narrate a specific story wherein his skills, confidence and ability to behave in a particular situation is shown.
- Take time before answering.
- Think about your answer
- Prepare well before
- Take a look at the job description
- STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method
1. Give an example of a time where you handled a difficult situation.
By asking this question, the employer wants to see how the candidate will behave or react and face a certain difficult position. You can give an example of a situation where you had solved a difficult problem successfully or one where a mistake was made when in a situation but you learnt how to overcome that and also learned something from the same or learn a better way of doing the same thing in a different manner.
2. Give an example of how you set your goals.
By answering this question, the candidate will highlight his ability to plan or set a goal for the future to the employer. The candidate can plan and outline a particular goal showing how he can achieve it and how he can go about it with maximum utilisation of his resources.
3. Give an example of a goal you failed to achieve
From this question, the employer wants to know how the candidate would deal with disappointment and failure to achieve something. They also want to know when you decide to quit a particular thing or see that this thing does not work.
MBA HR Interview Questions:
1. Tell me about your strengths and weaknesses
One should always answer such HR round questions with complete integrity. One should also never lie about a skill or a trait they do not possess. Whereas, when talking about your flaws, only mention two or three weaknesses and talk about the ones not related to the job profile. Do not forget to mention that you are working on improving these flaws with time.
2. Is money more important for you than work?
Always mention that work comes first for you as employers want that their company should grow, and this should not lag just because money is a priority.
3. What is your aim?
The answer to this question must be very concise. You should demonstrate that there is a vision in your mind about yourself and where you want to be. They should feel confident after hearing what you have to say, and you should come across as confident enough.
4. Are you a team player?
The employer wants to know whether you can, as an employee, collaborate with others and tackle the issues head-on. They should feel confident enough in hiring you for their team and that you will be able to contribute to the organisation, both individually and as a team member.
5. What do you do when criticised?
You should demonstrate to your employer that you are okay with accepting constructive criticism and feedback, which will help you grow. They should not feel that you are unable to accept feedback of any form.
Frequently asked HR Interview Questions and Answers:
1. What do you know about this company?
This is one of the most crucial questions asked in an HR interview. The employer asks and wants to know if you have applied for this job knowingly or unknowingly. To excel in such a question, one should do thorough research on the company’s whereabouts, developments, and work culture.
2. Do you have any doubts for us?
By asking this question, the interviewer is giving you the opportunity to clear your doubts about the company. When asking questions about the company, it demonstrates that you want clarity for yourself before working for the organisation.
3. Can you work in shifts?
If you do not have any issues with working late at night, then you should be clear about it and should mention that I am comfortable waking up at night and so I will not have any problems with the shifts.
4. Why should you be hired over someone else?
It would help if you always highlighted your strengths while answering such questions and should mention that you would be devoted to this job and complete everything on time.
5. How do you work under pressure?
One should be completely aware of the nature of the job and the position he has to work for, but should also mention that working under pressure would not make him nervous but would promote him to work even better.
6. Tell us something you do not like about your previous job.
While answering this HR round interview question, always mention the fact that while starting your previous job, you got a lot of opportunities and factors which promoted growth, but then it started downgrading, and as a competitive candidate, you like growth and would want that to happen continuously.
7. Your current salary is pretty good, but I can offer a lower grade pay than your current one. Would this be okay with you?
Sometimes money does not play that big a role as growth and change do. If you are changing your job, the type of organisation, their work culture and how much you can grow as an employee matters the most. Every employee wants a certain growth and compensation for their work.
Some general HR Interview Questions and Answers:
1. Please rate your communication skills
Communication skills are essential for any organisation. If you can understand and comprehend what is asked of you, it can take you a long way. Above average communication skills are always in demand for any job.
2. Do you have any references?
You can answer by mentioning your references, provided you have any.
3. Is it okay if you are asked to relocate?
This is a question which is your decision and can be answered the way you want to have it.
4. If you become a manager, what would be the most important thing?
The most important thing for a manager would be to keep his team members happy and complete whatever assignment they have.
5. Would you be willing to travel?
One should always give an answer in an affirmative tone if he needs the job.
6. Why is there a switch between so many jobs in your profile?
Sometimes the employer might think that too many changes in your job are a sign of unreliability, but one should turn it in a positive way and state that job changes can be because of higher growth prospects.
7. Why are you not employed yet?
Always try to answer this HR interview question positively by saying that you had received a lot of prospective employment in the past but could not go further with them because they did not match your particular job profile.
8. What will be your decision if you are provided with a job which has a higher pay grade than this one?
You can reply to this question by saying that the growth potential of the job matters to you rather than the money part of it.
9. Tell us something about yourself apart from your resume.
While talking about yourself, you could highlight some personal achievements or extracurricular activities that you have done.
HR Questions and Answers for Experienced Professionals :
1. How would you lead a team?
You can lead any team if you know how to communicate well. You can say that you are familiar with leading a team and mention that you possess all the traits required to lead.
2. What kind of management style do you possess?
One can not have a fixed management style. It will always change according to the working style and environment.
3. How can you demonstrate ethical values as a leader?
Honesty and transparency would be the two factors responsible for leading a team successfully.
4. When will you be able to start?
If you do not have any prior obligations of working somewhere else, you can always say that you will join immediately.
5. Define your short term goals?
Your answer should always be aligned with the prospects of the job you have applied for.
6. What makes you happy?
A commitment towards your job should be showcased through this answer. You can also mention that time well spent either with your family or at your workplace makes you happy.
7. Differentiate between confidence and overconfidence
Confidence should come when we are able to do a job correctly, whereas overconfidence can be a state where you know beforehand that the job will be done correctly no matter what.
8. Have you ever thought of starting your own business?
You can answer this positively by saying that it is your dream to start a business, but the skills required to do that have not yet been gained by you.
9. How can you improve a current product or service?
You need to be creative while answering such an HR interview question and have a plan set aside for this.
10. Define your dream job
A job that keeps you busy, motivated and growing can be defined as your dream job.
11. What do you dislike about your co-workers?
Always answer this HR round interview question in the affirmative by saying that you tend to be positive and work together as a team with your co-workers.
12. How would you cope with stress?
Always state that managing stress is not a difficult job, and if it ever occurs, it would not hamper your productivity.
13. Do you want to be feared or liked?
State that being respected is more important than any other thing.
Conclusion :
Being prepared beforehand and having good knowledge about the company will always make you excel in the position you are applying for.
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