Top 20 questions You Can Expect During Your HR Interview (10 Mins Read)

In order to secure a job, it is important that you ace the HR interview first. Your performance in the interview with HR will determine how far you go in the entire interviewing process. The most common mistake which most people do is that they take the HR round for granted or take it very lightly.

They assume that they are smart enough and can clear the HR round very easily. But the fact is that a lot of preparation is required to ace the HR interview, so one should not take it very casually. The candidates who are really committed rehearse answering the tricky interview questions multiple times before going for the interview. This helps them immensely in responding to the questions confidently.

Here we list below, some of the HR interview questions which will help you to clear the round with flying colors. These are some very common questions which HR ask irrespective of the position they are interviewing you for. Alongside these questions, we have included some tips for interpreting the questions correctly and answering those perfectly.

Question 1: Introduce yourself or tell me something about yourself.

Answer: Usually, this is the first question that every HR asks in an interview. Actually, this is not only a way to just to start the interview session but also of assessing the communication skills, poise and the way of delivery of each of the candidates.

The candidate should not get into a mini speech about their childhood, studies, hobbies, likes, dislike etc. as it indicates that you are not the correct fit for the job.

You need to understand that your recruiter wants to know the real you and keep the conversation relevant and to the point only. So, it’s okay to digress for 30 seconds but you need to make sure that your side story doesn’t go on for any longer than that. You should talk about your current employer and job, tell them about some of your significant achievements and talk about some of your key strengths which they can relate with the job you have applied for. Finally, tell them how you are a fit for the job.

Question 2:  Why are you looking for a change?

Answer: If you are working somewhere, you will be asked this question. If you have already left your previous job, then the HR could ask you why did you do so?  In your reply, they will look for transparency and honesty. If you are currently employed, then HR will look for a solid ground and sound explanations of why you are looking for a new job.

Tell them something like although you enjoy your work in the current company, it’s culture and people make it a great workplace, however, you are looking for some new challenges and responsibilities. Further, let  them know that you have worked on various projects and have successfully completed those, but of late those kind of opportunities have become very rare in your current job.

Question 3: Why are you interested in this particular job?

Answer: A honest answer to this question will let them know if you are seriously interested in the specific role and the company or you are simply applying for any job which is available. Don’t answer this question casually or generalize your interest in the job.

You need to always mention the specific requirements of the job and explain how those perfectly align with your skills and strengths. You have to show your passion for the job and a deep interest in the company. You need to provide them the data and brief them on why you think this is the job for you and why you are a perfect fit for this particular job.

Question 4:  What are your biggest strengths?

Answer: This is one of the most common and important question. HR reads a lot in the answers to these questions. They look for an answer which would summarize your achievements, work experience and your strongest qualities that are directly related to the job for which you have applied.

Highlight the skills like taking initiative, self-motivation, ability to work in a team etc. Don’t show an over eagerness to handle the assignments or something like that which doesn’t come under the described job.

Question 5: What are your biggest weaknesses?

Answer: Everyone has weaknesses, so don’t say that you don’t have any. Also, stay away from the cliche answers like you are a perfectionist and expect the same from everyone, etc.

Say something like that your team thinks you are very demanding sometimes and drive them too hard. You expect your team me,mbers to start delivering right from the start and prove themselves too early. But now, you are getting good at motivating them rather than pushing them very hard.

Question 6: What are your hobbies?

Answer: It totally depends on you what you like and what are your hobbies but always have to justify your answer.

You can say like my hobbies are dancing, playing chess and listening to music. In spare time, I like to read the newspaper and love traveling too..

Question 7:  Have you ever experienced conflict with any of your co worker? If so, then how did you handle it?

Answer: This question is to assess how you handle workplace conflicts, as conflicts are inevitable at offices. You work with different kinds of people and you are bound to feel the friction with a few of them. HR wants to know if you are able to resolve the conflict without pointing fingers at anyone. The focus of your answer should be on the solution and your efforts must be to show a level of empathy towards your colleagues.

Say something like you had to meet a deadline on a project and you needed some input from one of your colleagues in order to finish the project. But as the deadline approached, your colleague wasn’t ready with the input which delayed your project. In order to understand what went wrong, you confronted your colleague privately. You found the solution to that problem and asked for an assurance from the colleague to be transparent in the future, so that both of you don’t have to face any similar situation again.

Question 8:  What do you know about this Industry and our company?

Answer: This is a wonderful opportunity to impress the interviewer. It aims to find out how much you about the company and the industry. Before you appear for the interview, do a thorough research not just about the company but also about the industry.

Your lack of research about the business, it’s culture and other such things can eliminate you faster than you can think of. The more you research, the more you can display your inclination to work with them.

Start with a short description of the industry and explain where the company stands among the other companies which are operating in that industry. Talk about their products, services and their mission..

Question 9: One thing which you like and dislike about your previous/current positions.

Answer: Give answers that are relevant and specific to the position for which you have applied. Don’t say things like it was very easy or there were great benefits. It might send wrong signals. Instead, be someone who values the same workplace qualities of  the company you are being interviewed for or else you can be the one who can make great teams with strong camaraderie. HR would prefer candidates with above likes and those who want opportunities on the cutting edge of technology.

While talking about the things you don’t like about your present or previous job, you can mention about the responsibility areas which are not connected in any way with the job you are applying for. If you have performed any undesirable task or have learned something from a bitter experience then you can talk about that. This will showcase that if required you can even do the tasks for which don’t really have any interest..

Question 10: What keeps you motivated?

Answer:  Money and benefits motivate everyone, but don’t say that as an answer. Instead, let them know that you are extremely result oriented and you get the job done in the way you want it to be done which motivates you a lot. Tell them that things like working on a project, the buzz of working in a team, taking on new challenges, etc. motivate you a lot.

Mention things like working towards a goal, developing your skills, job satisfaction, the quest for personal development, excitement for new challenges and contributing to a team effort, etc. but do not ever mention materialistic things.

Question11: How will you add value to our products or services?

Answer:  HR wants to know if you are innovative and can think out of the box. It will let l them know if you can bring in new ideas to the job. You need to show some creativity in your response. You have to think about the potential problems that the company might be facing with their services and products and how can you fill that void with your unique skills and experience.

In response to the question, you can say that you have noticed that their products and services are all in English, which needs to be communicated in the native language too. You have to tell them how this can benefit in their appeal to a wider range of people and cover a larger area.

Question12: Why should we hire you?

Answer: In response to this question, you have to talk about your accomplishments and strengths. You have to tell them how you keep on motivating your team members with your excellent ideas and style of working. Refer to the incidents to them where you have successfully encountered challenges and have met the deadlines.

The response could be like you have the perfect combination of experience and skills required for the job. Let them know that you have strong problem solving and analytical skills which you have earned with experience. You are committed to delivering excellent results and add value to the company.

Do not say I need the job or money or that you want to work somewhere closer to your home. Do not compare your skills with other’s.

Question13: Do you think you are perfectly qualified for this job?

Answer:  Focus on the skill sets and experiences that you will be bringing to the position, if you are under qualified. Stay away from lengthy explanations which can offer real insights into your true motivations for looking for this job. Answer must be short and to the point.

On the other hand, it is not uncommon to seek a position which has lesser responsibilities where you can be a mentor to the younger generation and be a strong team player. So, it is obvious that they will count you as overqualified, but do not let them reject you on that basis. Let them know how your experience can count for the company.

Question 14: How compatible are you with different types of people?

Answer: Offices are full of a diverse background of people of different personalities. The interviewers would want to assess if you would get along with them well. Your answer should tell them that the kind of people you work with doesn’t affect your work, as you just focus on getting the work done perfectly.

Do not ever bad mouth your supervisors or colleagues. They will always be keeping their ears open for negative responses, but don’t give it to them. You should turn the negativity into positive answers.

Question 15: Do you prefer working alone or with others?

Answer:  HR wants to know if you can work with a team. If you say, alone, they might think that you are not a team player. You need to frame your answer in a way that they believe that you can work in a team and still handle your individual responsibilities. Before that you have to make sure if the job requires a team player or individual worker or both.

Say something like you like working with a team, as you think you can get more work done when everyone is taking part. However, you also enjoy working alone as and when needed, as you don’t need to be constantly reassured of your work.

Question16: What attracts you to this particular profession?

Answer:  You need to be very precise and specific, while you are answering this question,. You have to tell them exactly what inspired you to take up this particular profession or career path. But on the other hand, make sure you keep your answers short and to the point.

Don’t say that you picked the job because you thought it would be easy. Tell them that you chose this career path because you were fascinated or inspired by this particular domain or what you can achieve through it.

Question 17: Are you a go getter?

Answer: In order to answer this question, share an incident where you had to put in long hours in a project to meet the deadline. But, at the end, you successfully completed the task or the project on time which made you and your company look good.

Mention incidents where your supervisor appreciated you and you came up as one of the most reliable employees. Let them know that you are dependable and can get things done without any supervision and your, colleagues, boss and clients appreciate you for that.

Question18: Is there anything that bothers you?

Answer: The interviewer is trying to know what bothers you in regards to the people you work with or the job. If other people or their ideas bother you, still you shouldn’t say that in your reply. Tell them something like when people don’t deliver as per their commitment or do not meet the deadline, then it bothers you.

Question19: Are you willing to relocate?

Answer: Companies prefer candidates who can easily accept transfers and are always comfortable moving around. If you are ready for that, your chances of being selected are high. But you need to be honest with the answer to this question. If you are not comfortable with the idea of relocation, then say no.

Otherwise, it might be a reason for conflict later, if you say yes now and then deny later. It might even tarnish your reputation. So, if you can’t relocate, just say no. If you are a promising candidate, they will not let you go away for such a trivial matter, unless relocating is a major part of the specific job.

Question 20: Do you have any questions for us?

Answer: Don’t say no to this question. Often candidates say no in a lot of excitement and that’s a mistake. You need to remember one thing that you should always have some questions for HR. Having some strategic, smart and thoughtful questions will demonstrate your genuine interest in the job and the value you can potentially add to the profile.

HR usually prefers candidates who asks questions and takes the company forward and that can’t happen if you accept everything the same way as they are. So, in response to this question, you must voice your genuine concerns regarding this role. You can ask the HR what they enjoy the most about working there or what is the one thing you really need to keep in mind while working there or something like that.

Conclusion

HR interview is not just to know about you only but for you as well to know them. Through this round of interview, they wish to have a strong sense of actually you want to work for the company for a long term or you are only interested in securing the job. The positive response to these questions will help you to clear the HR round with flying colors. The response to the last question will confirm your genuine desire and your actual point of interest in the company. Each of these questions helps the HR to find out a lot of things about you. So, you need to be very careful, while answering these questions. Always, articulate your words carefully and accordingly.

Think well before you answer. Although, there are no wrong answers to any questions, still your answers can create a wrong impression about you. So, you should carefully go through these top 20 questions and their respective answers for acing the HR interview and securing the particular job.