HR Questions With Answers

Most Popular HR Interview Questions With Answers

While it is impossible to know exactly what you will be asked during a job interview, there are a number of generic questions that most companies will ask you.

Tell Me About Yourself
It's one of the most frequently asked questions in an interview. Your response to this request will set the tone for the rest of the interview.Prepare a script that includes the information you want to convey. Begin by talking about past experiences and proven success:

I have been in the customer service industry for the past five years. My most recent experience has been handling incoming calls in the high tech industry. One reason I particularly enjoy this business, and the challenges that go along with it, is the opportunity to connect with people. In my last job, I formed some significant customer relationships resulting in a 30 percent increase in sales in a matter of months.

Next, mention your strengths and abilities:

My real strength is my attention to detail. I pride myself on my reputation for following through and meeting deadlines. When I commit to doing something, I make sure it gets done, and on time.

Conclude with a statement about your current situation:

What I am looking for now is a company that values customer relations, where I can join a strong team and have a positive impact on customer retention and sales.

Practice with your script until you feel confident about what you want to emphasize in your statement. Your script should help you stay on track, but you shouldn't memorize it -- you don't want to sound stiff and rehearsed. It should sound natural and conversational.

I have been in Customer Service/Retail for the past five years. During these years I have realized that everyone in the company must be sales-focused. I’ve been trained to, providing outstanding support to the sales team and to our customers. Without sales, the rest of use would not have a job. I look forward1 month ago. I look forward to helping you drive sales in any way possible." I maintain a high level of professionalism; I’ve acquired the ability to multitask
duties with a great level of volume and accuracy.

What Is Your Greatest Weakness?
The fastest way to make a good interview go bad is to avoid questions posed by the hiring manager. The one question candidates love to avoid is, “What is your greatest weakness?” Most candidates are quick to respond with superficial answers such as “I’m a workaholic” or “I’m a perfectionist.” Not only are those responses boring, but they are also predictable answers interviewers are used to hearing. So much so that an interviewer’s comeback line often is, “That doesn’t sound like a weakness. Now why don’t you tell me about a real weakness?” Ouch. What an uncomfortable position to be in.

You should select a weakness that you are actively working to overcome.
Example : I have had trouble in the past with planning and prioritization. However i'm now taking steps to correct this. I just started using a pocket planner, then show them your planner and what you are doing and how you are using it. Talk about a true weakness and show what you are doing to overcome it.
The principle is : Don’t mention a weakness without knowing the solution. Everyone has weaknesses. To recognise this and have a solution is what makes the difference. Most people are lazy and not willing to go the extra mile to find an answer. Excuses don’t get the job done.
Technical Person: “I am a technical person and I realise that my people skills may not be as strong as other people. In order to overcome this I have been reading people skills books because I know I need to improve.”. You better be telling the truth though.

This will also be considered a good reply; “I’m sure I have short commings, but no one has ever enlightened me to them nor have they ever interfered with my productivity or work.”

Answers excerpted from various sources for greatest weakness :

I get bored easily - and expand on it by saying I like to keep learning. If you’re working in IT, its a good weakness to have. Employers usually want people who keep learning. So always think if it in those terms as well.

My inability to show my true potential in job interview like this one.

I know that’s a common interview question but I admit I really don’t know how to answer it. I do my best at work, but like everyone else, I make mistakes. I learn from my mistakes and move on. [Be ready for the next question which may be to give an example of a mistake from which you learned something]

Well, I can look a bit serious at times, but it’s only because I tend to get very involved in my work.” But the curve ball is this: “I don’t think I have any weaknesses that would affect my ability to perform well in this job!”

Always pause and say ‘this question always throws me because, while i know i am not perfect and realise that from time to time there may be areas that i need to work on or improve I cannot think of anything that i would consider a weakness’

Why do you want this job?

I want to be part of a nationwide company that is a well respected and a quality security provider as an alternative to the larger security firms. In recent years this company has grown from 300 to over 1000 employees in fifteen states. I definitely would like to be apart of something like that.

When I read the mission statement on your Web site about giving back to the community, I felt really inspired. I was also impressed with the facts about your growth in the past three years with three new locations, and a 40 percent sales increase. That's really something to be proud of. I think it would be rewarding to be a part of a company that is such a leader in their industry and in the community.

Are u a team player ?
Almost everyone says yes to this question but its not just a yes/no question, you need to provide behavioural examples to back up your answer. A sample answer, yes am very much a team player infact I have had many oppurtunities im my wok school and athletics to develop my skills as a team player. For example on a recent project ....

Emphasize team work behavioural examples and focus on your openness to diversity backgrounds.Talk about the strength that the team is above the individual and note that this question may be similar to questions around how you handle conflict within a team so be preapared.

Why should we hire you?
This is one of the most difficult questions in the interview process. However, it is a good question, especially if you are competing for a position against people who are equally qualified. To answer this question, describe how your skills can be valuable to the company. Not only will you want to direct the towards your accomplishments, but you will also want to demonstrate your personality and desire. Explain that you are impressed with the history of the company, and you want to play a role in the success of the organization. The easy answer is that you are the best person for that job and dont be afraid to say so but then back it up with whats specifically diffrentiates you.

Example: When I read your ad, I couldn't have imagined a better match for my skills and experience than this job. Now that I have spoken with you, and learned more about your needs, I'm even more certain that I'm the right candidate. I know that I can hit the ground running and exceed your expectations because of my experience with...Long-term, I can see myself taking some additional training over the next few years, and applying for a more senior position here once I have the right combination of experience and education.

Example: You should hire me because I am the best person for this job, I realise that there are likely other candidates who also have the ability to do this job but i bring in addtional quality that makes me the best person for the job, my passion for excellence. I am passionly commited to produce truly world class results. Let me give u some examples.

Example: I can be an asset to your organization because ...., I'm a team player and work well with others, site an example when u worked within a team. I am capable of getting the job done, and willing to go the extra mile. I also have the desire to further develop myself as an employee to enable me to do the best job. Let me give u some examples...

I believe I am qualified because I’m no stranger to hard work, I’m punctual and always go above and beyond to get the job done, and I work well with others or alone and am very helpful. I also have experience working in a Call Center and have also done Telemarketing before.