This post receives all the relevant questions which asked while HR Interview. Many applicants rejected from HR interview due to lack of knowledge and practice. This tutorial will attempt to describe all related questions with examples.
Q1. Tell me about yourself.
Ans. Assume, you are sitting in front of interviewer and s/he asked about yourself and you are trying to explain about yourself as per below explanation-
Hi,
Good Morning Sir/Madam or Name,
Thank a lot for providing me with great opportunity to introduce myself in front of you.
My name is Dharmendra Sahu.
I have completed my Engineering from XYZ college, City Name.
We are XYZ members in my family including me.
My father is a serviceman & my mother is a housewife.
My hobbies are listening to music.
My weakness is to trust people easily. Also, Sometimes I faced issues due to my emotional behavior.
My short-term goal is to get a good job and a long-term goal is to obtain a good position in an organization.
That’s all from me.
Thank you.
Also, you can explain about strength and hobbies and say something positive in weakness.
Q2. Why do you want to leave your job?
Ans. There is no right answer to this question, only wrong ones. You don’t need to make book out of this answer, just something short and positive is best. After all, it really does not matter to the interviewer, as long as you don’t say something foolish.
The point here is to convey to the interviewer that you are not leaving because you are mad, tired, bored, overworked, underpaid, or job hopping, just that you are leaving your job on because.
“I do enjoy working at my current job. The culture and the people make it a great place to work. But I’m looking for more responsibility with new and fresh challenges. I have worked on and successfully completed several projects, from start to finish during the past two years. Currently, advancement opportunities are scarce at my current job.
Examples:
- There isn’t room for growth with my current employer and I’m ready to move on to a new challenge.
- I’m looking for a bigger challenge and to grow my career and I couldn’t job hunt part time while working. It didn’t seem ethical to use my former employer’s time
- I was laid-off from my last position when our department was eliminated due to corporate restructuring.
- I’m relocating to this area due to family circumstances and left my previous position in order to make the move.
- I’ve decided that is not the direction I want to go in my career and my current employer has no opportunities in the direction I’d like to head.
- After several years in my last position, I’m looking for an company where I can contribute and grow in a team-oriented environment.
Q3. Do you prefer working with others or alone?
Ans. Basically, the interviewer is asking if you are a team player. If your answer is with others, then the interviewer will think you can’t work alone and if you answer alone, then the interviewer may think you have some personality issues working with other people.
Your response needs to show that you can work well in a team atmosphere and still shoulder individual responsibility, as well. Before you answer, make sure you know if the job requires you to work alone or not.
Examples:
“I enjoy working alone when necessary as I don’t need to be constantly reassured of my work. But I would prefer to work in a group as I believe much more work can be accomplished when everyone is pulling together.”
“It depends on the task. When it comes to brainstorming, teams produce great ideas with multiple input, and teams can highlight people’s strengths. But I certainly enjoy working on my tasks as an individual as well, since in many ways it takes the ability to work alone for the team to fully succeed.”
Q4.Why should I hire you?
Ans. This is tricky questions and you have to explain in a proper ways as given below –
- Sir, I have strong analytical & communication skils, as well as I, have persued diploma in excel which this position suites, So sir I think it will better for you to select me.
- Being a fresher, I don’t have any practical experience but if an opportunity is given to me then I will put my 100% effort for the growth of the organization as well as myself. For all that I need an opportunity to prove myself.
- Sir,
I have experience in this particular field and have learned a lot from my previous job. The things that I have learned so far will be used for the benefit of your organization. Apart from this, I’m a person who wants the task assigned to me to be completed on time with good quality and excellence. And I hope I can be a better choice if you could select me so that I can prove myself in this organization. And also people must also have the analytical skill and effective communication skill in order to cope up with the business clients in such case I have more experience in handling a situation. I would be happy to work hard and smart for the success of the company. Thank You.
Q5. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Ans. You’ll find many books and articles that advise you to “turn a negative into a positive” by sharing a supposed weakness that is actually a desirable quality in an employee. A few examples:
• I am too much of a perfectionist.
• I work too hard sometimes.
• I care too much about my work.
Clever idea. At this point, though, it’s an old trick and the interviewer sees right through it. She has seen many candidates try the same song and dance. In fact, this approach will likely make her think you are hiding something.
Q6. Why did you resign from your previous job?
Ans. Start by thanking the previous company for providing great learning experience and helping you enhance your skill sets. Then mention that there were no further learning opportunites in the company and you felt you needed more responsibility to showcase your talents in the most optimal way.
Examples:
- I resigned because there were limited opportunities for advancement and I wanted to further my career.
- To be honest, the position wasn’t a fit and I decided it made sense to resign and to refocus my career path.
- I resigned because the position required me to be on-call evenings and weekends and it was difficult to arrange child care on short notice.
- I resigned from my job because I am interested in a new challenge and an opportunity to use my skills and experience in a different capacity than I have in the past.
- I resigned due to family circumstances, however, I have regained the flexibility I need to work effectively in a full-time job.
Q7. What is the most enjoyable part of working in a company?
Ans. You can answer this question by saying that team work and individual contribution are the two things that you enjoy most while working in a company. Plus you can also mention that excelling at work and getting the right experience is the key to success.
“What did you like least about your last job?” is something of a trap when it comes to interview questions, because your interviewer is asking for a negative answer. If you haven’t given the subject some thought, you may blurt out something about your boss or the company, and talk yourself right out of a job.
If you’re asked “What did you like least about your last job?” in an interview, be sure to keep your answer honest, but incorporate a positive angle if possible. One of the purposes of this interview question is to find out if you’re going to be satisfied in the job for which you’re interviewing. If you were dissatisfied before, you may be dissatisfied again if the circumstances are similar. Here’s how three different candidates might answer this question:
Answer No. 1: “I didn’t have enough challenges. After a while, all the projects became repetitive. I thrive on challenge.”
Interviewer’s thoughts: A lot of the tasks here are repetitive. What makes this candidate think he will like it here any better? Will we be able to keep him challenged?
Answer No. 2: “Lack of stability. After three company acquisitions, I had five bosses in three years. I couldn’t take it any longer. What I am looking for is stability in a job and company.”
Interviewer’s thoughts: While our company is stable now, there are no guarantees about the future. This guy sounds like he may have some burnout and flexibility issues.
Q8. Why do you want to work for our organization?
Ans. This is the question where your prior research and homework about the company will come in handy. You might have already learned about the vision and mission of the company. Here is where you relate your long term career goals to those of the company. You can also talk about the job profile and help them understand your enthusiasm and passion about the domain you are stepping into. Showcasing your commitment to work is key at this step.
It is the greater privilege for anyone to work in a reputed company like yours. When I read about your company I found that my skills are matching your requirements where I can showcase my technical skills to contribute to the company growth.
It would be a great privilege for anyone to work in a reputed company like yours. Being a fresher, I think it would provide me an excellent platform to build my carrier and to learn as many things as possible.
To achieve Professional Growth and meeting challenges while being resourceful and innovative where I can utilize my practical exposure and academic achievements to the development of your esteemed organization and thus improve my career.
Q9. Describe a situation when your work was criticized?
Ans. Answer this question by simply mentioning that you take criticism as a positive thing and don’t really get depressed or feel low. Instead, you try learn from your experiences—good and bad—and improve further and work to the best of your ability and knowledge.
Examples:
- Till now I didn’t came across any highly criticism during my work, however I done some mistakes in my work but I didn’t think any bad about that, because I believe that mistakes makes us perfect. I would also like to know about feedback of my work and I will take it as a positive. I always try to improve myself from time to time and not to repeat mistakes again and again.
- I never give a chance to get criticized form my higher officials or employers. I complete work without any mistakes or any problems which is assigned to me. If the situation comes I never feel any bad about criticized and I will use this mistake as to improve in which I am not good.
- Yes, sometimes I get criticized but I will take it as positive way and learned many things from that and I will trying to reduce the same mistakes in future.
- Yes sir, there are some situations which my work was criticized but quickly I find solution for that and improve it with unique work. By this I will also get appreciations too for my faults.
- In my first job once I was criticized by my manager and it was my first job. As a fresher I took it in a positive way and concentrated more on my work. As a result I got improved in my work and gain more experience and knowledge in my work which is useful in my future.
Q10. Are you a team player?
Ans. Yes, you’re a team player. Never say no. Describe an experience that displays that you are a team player.
Examples:
“I have worked with others, as well as independently, and have been successful in both positions. Some jobs require teamwork to get things done more efficiently while other tasks are individual and can be completed by one person.”
“A team environment is efficient and productive, which I understand and appreciate. I have the ability to compromise, be respectful of others, and be a good listener as a team member. I can be a leader, when necessary, but can also be an equal player on the team if the job calls for it.”
“I tend to do well in a team setting because I can relate to others well, have a professional demeanor, and understand what it takes to get the job done. I can help delegate tasks, compromise, and fulfill any role on the team that is needed. I am flexible in working independently or on a team, as needed by the task at hand.
Q11. Have you ever had issues with any previous employers?
Ans. This is a trick question. They are testing you to see if you’d ever speak bad about an employer/colleague. Say “no”.
Examples:
- Separate the personal from the professional. If you left a job because of a personal disagreement or issue, don’t bring it up in your interview. Work is work, and no matter how much we identify what we do with who we are, I want to know if you can maintain your professionalism in my company. Bringing a personal issue into an interview, even if you feel completely justified, is a red flag. Keep me focused on what you are capable of doing as a professional, and the ways you can help my organization.
- Don’t bad-mouth your former boss. Yes, I have heard this more times than I care to mention. “My boss there, she was a total B*****” or “He was so horrible I can’t believe anyone still works there.” Speaking badly about a former boss makes you look unprofessional, and does not help make that situation better. Here is the basic logic from the recruiter’s desk: What happens if you don’t like your new boss? People are people, and managers often make mistakes, too. When you spend significant negative energy talking about a former boss, I anticipate you could feel the same way about your boss anywhere. Stay professional and keep it respectful.
- Keep your emotions in check. It’s true, leaving a job on bad terms is inevitably emotional. Usually you feel angry: you had a right to leave, they can’t treat you like that, etc. Those feelings bubble up when we begin to talk about a negative work experience. I have even had interviewees cry in these conversations. Before you go into the interview, practice speaking with a friend about why you left your job. Keep your answer professional and respectful. The emotions are inevitable, but don’t let them control your future opportunities.
- Always steer the conversation back to a positive. If the interviewer asks the right questions, you may have to talk about some negative former employment experiences. Don’t dwell on the negative. Focus on the things you learned in that situation and the skills you built in that position. The ability to bring the conversation back to a positive point says something about you as an applicant: in spite of hard times, you have a great attitude!
Q12. In terms of salary, what are you looking for?
Ans. This question really depends upon the work environment of the job you are going for. In some, you are expected to give your number and at others, they expect you to be more polite. If they seem to want an answer, give a large range. And, be sure to find the average salary range for that position online so that you can quote the right amount.
A#1 – “I was making $60,000 at my last job, plus bonuses. I would be expecting at least that and a 15-20% increase.: (This is not a good answer)
A#2 – “I’m sure whatever you offer will be a fair amount for a person with my qualifications. Salary is not the most important factor to me. I’m looking for opportunity.”(This is a somewhat weak answer)
A#3 – “I really need more information about the job before we start to discuss salary. I’d like to postpone that discussion until later. Maybe you could tell me what is budgeted for the position, and how your commission structure works.”(This is the best answer)
Q13. If hired, how long would you expect to work for us?
Ans. This is also a tricky HR question so you have to be more careful before answer this.
Don’t give them a real timeline unless you really want to disclose it. Say something generic like, “For as long as the employer feels I’m doing a good job.”
Examples:
- As a young graduate it has been always my dream to be a part of your company. So if I am selected, it will be my pleasure and I assure that I can give you my best. And if you recognize my work and potential, I will be there with you always as long as you want me to stay in this company.
- I would like to work for your company till I and the company are mutually satisfied with my work and performance.
- I am steady sort of person, I do not like changing jobs as far as possible. If the challenges are as great as I feel from this interview and I make good progress in the organization, it should be a long term commitment
- I have already heard about the company and the friendly work environment. I know its going to be a pleasant place to work with. I am looking out for the long term career here. I want to grow along with the company and continue till my retirement.
- I would like to work here till my talents are best utilized for the companies growth, if the company still needs me then there’s no way of quitting it, but I’m not thinking of how long to work here since this would be my first company to work for I need to give my best performance on my work so that under any circumstances the company must not lose me.
Q14. What motivates you to do a good job?
Ans. This is one of those tough interview questions where your answer will depend on your background and experiences.
No, it’s not money. (Even if it is!) Try something like “to become better at what I do”, “to learn something new”, or “feeling good about a job well-done.”
Examples:
- I’m very results-driven. Doing a good job and achieving the desired end result is my primary motivation. While I enjoy working on a project on my own, I’m particularly motivated by the buzz of working in a team. It’s very rewarding working closely with others who share the same common goal. I like to take on a challenge; I like to rise to that challenge as part of a concerted team effort – and I naturally appreciate it when my boss compliments me for a job well done.
- I have always been fond of achieving goals, especially if I can achieve those goals faster and more efficiently than anyone, including myself, expected.
- I enjoy seeing both my department and my company benefit greatly from high quality work.
- My goal within any company is to move up to greater levels of responsibility, and I am motivated to perform my current job to the best of my ability in order to reach those goals.
You get the basic idea. If you are asked a question about what motivates you, you should focus on qualities that reflect highly on your character. Motivation caused by the potential for growth, or the ability to reach goals, or the fun of challenging yourself are all great answers to any questions about motivation.
Q15. Do you have any questions for me?
Ans. Just as the question states, the interviewer wants to know if you have any questions. They are also looking for preparation and initiative; they want to see if you took the time to formulate well thought out questions pertaining to the job and the company. This is the make or break portion of the interview.
Yes! You must always have questions prepared! Have at least six, since some of them could get answered along the way if you and the interviewer get caught up in conversation. Have a mix of general and specific questions related to the position.
Candidate ask some question which are listed below:
- Can you tell me more about the day-to-day responsibilities of this job?
- What do you think are the most important qualities for someone to excel in this role?
- What are your expectations for this role during the first 30 days, 60 days, year?
- What is the typical career path for someone in this role?
- What are the next steps in the interview process?
Author Note*
Obviously these are the Most Common Interview Questions, but this varies depending upon your field. If you’re applying for a Software Engineer position, they may ask you about Software projects. Same goes for a position in the food industry and etc. Be sure to brush up on specialized questions as well.
GOOD LUCK!
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