To get your dream job, you need a strong resume and technical skills, but you also need to be able to answer hard HR interview questions with grace. So, we looked for some of the hardest HR questions and got advice from experts on how to answer them. Continue reading to find out!
Why HR Interview Questions Are Important
The point of any HR interview is to figure out if the person is qualified for the job they are interviewing for. HR interview questions help the interviewer figure out if a candidate would be a good fit for the job. Every question is carefully thought out to get information that will either help or hurt a candidate’s chances of getting the job. In HR interviews, the most common questions are about a candidate’s past jobs, education, and skills.
How to Answer HR Interview Questions for Freshers
1. Can you tell me about yourself?
This is usually the first question asked in an interview, and it’s a way to get to know each other. In response to this question, you should briefly describe your education, work experience, and skills. You shouldn’t go into too much detail, but you should give the interviewer enough information to decide if you are a good fit.
Example Response:
Thank you for giving me the chance to say hello. I’m Aman, and I’m from the city of Meerut City in the state of Uttar Pradesh. I got my Bachelor of Technology from XYZ University in the CSE branch.
First, I’d like to talk about myself and my soft skills. I have a positive attitude, am smart, self-confident, and work hard. I’m good at the programming languages Java, C, and HTML, and I also know how to use HTML. I also know how to use MS Excel and web technologies well.
I like to dance, surf the Internet, play chess, and listen to music. I like to read news stories on my phone when I have some free time.
2. What do you do well?
When answering this question, you should focus on your strengths that are related to the job you are applying for. For example, say you want to work in customer service and are applying for a job. In that case, you could say that your strengths are good customer service skills, the ability to solve problems, and staying calm under pressure.
Example Response:
I am very good at managing my time, and I am organised, efficient, and methodical. I enjoy excelling at my job.
3. What makes you want this job?
Make sure to learn as much as you can about the company before your interview. Talk about why you are the best person for the job based on your skills and experiences.
Example Response:
It’s an honour and a privilege to work for a company like yours that has been around for a long time. As I learned more about the job opening you have, I realised that my skills match what you need. I can show off my technical skills and help the company grow by doing this job.
4. In five years, where do you see yourself?
This is a common question during job interviews. It checks to see if your long-term goals are in line with those of the company. It can also be used to see how hard you want to work.
Sample Example:
Over the next five years, I’d like to learn as much as I can through the company’s internal and external training programmes. I want to be a Technical Architect when I grow up. So, I’m looking forward to making different products that reflect the company’s mission and help make the world a better place while speeding up my path to becoming a Tech Architect.
5. Do you want to work extra hours or strange hours?
When you answer this question, you need to be very honest. Don’t make up a story or give up something important to get the job. If you don’t mind working extra hours, you could say this:
Example Response:
I know that extra work makes a difference in how the company grows, so I’m happy. If it means I can help the company, I’ll be happy to help.
HR Interview Questions and Answers for Experience
1. Why did you leave your last job?
When answering this question, be very careful. Don’t blame employers for their mistakes or say, “The pay was less or the job wasn’t well run.” You can say the following instead:
Example Response:
It’s a change on the job. I learned a lot at my last job, but now I want to try something new to broaden my views and learn a whole new set of skills.
2. How do you deal with pressure, stress, and worry?
It’s a common interview question to find out how you do when you’re under pressure.
Example Response:
I usually use my soft skills and stay calm when I’m under a lot of pressure or stress. To deal with work stress and pressure, I also work out and do things to calm my mind, like meditate.
Is there something that sets you apart from the other candidates?
You should answer this question in a way that shows off your best qualities and strengths. Talk about what makes you different from other applicants. Don’t be afraid to brag a little. After all, you want to show the interviewer that you’re the best.
Example Response:
I am different from the other candidates in a few ways. First, I have a lot of experience managing projects and working with different teams. I’m also very good at talking to people, which makes it easy for me to get along with clients and coworkers. Lastly, I really want to learn new things and take on new challenges.
4. Tell me about a time when you didn’t like how you did something.
This question could be asked for a few different reasons. One possibility is that the interviewer wants to know if you can take criticism and use it to get better. They may also want to know if you can admit when you’ve done something wrong and how you handled it.
Example Response:
When I was put in charge of a project and missed the deadline, I wasn’t happy with how I did. I felt like I had let down my team and was very upset. I learned that it’s important to make goals that are realistic and talk to team members when there are delays.
5. Tell me about a time when you were working on a project at work and ran into trouble.
The person interviewing you wants to know how you deal with problems. They are looking for a pattern of behaviour, so they want to know about a time when you had trouble with a project. They will also want to know what you did to deal with the problem and what you learned from it.
Example Response:
A project to rebuild a website was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. The client had very detailed and specific needs, and they changed their minds about what they wanted all the time. This meant that a lot of changes had to be made, and it was hard to keep the project on track. The client was happy with the end result, but the whole process was very stressful.
Things to remember during an interview with HR
- It’s important to remember that an HR interview is a chance for both you and the interviewer to learn more about each other and the company. So, there are a few things you should keep in mind during the interview.
- Be respectful: Be professional and kind to everyone you meet during the interview, from the person at the front desk to the person who is interviewing you.
- Dress right: Look like a professional. Don’t dress too casually, and make sure everything you wear is neat and clean.
- During HR interviews, recruiters will try to see how flexible, honest, eager to learn, and hardworking you are, among other things. During the interview, make sure to show that you have a good attitude.
- When answering questions, you should always try not to talk for too long. Make sure your answers are clear and to the point.
- During an interview, if you don’t understand a question, you should ask the interviewer to explain it so you don’t give the wrong answer.
Conclusion
This article gives a list of the best questions and answers for HR interviews. By getting ready for these questions, you can walk into your interview with confidence and be ready for anything. Be ready for your upcoming HR interview, and best wishes from the Simplilearn Team!
Some of our students also asked
1. How should I get ready for the interview with HR?
- To get ready for your interview with HR, you should:
- Research the company you’re interviewing with and, if possible, the person who will be interviewing you.
- Read the job description and make sure you understand everything it says.
- Look over your resume and be ready to answer questions about it.
- Make sure to speak clearly and point out all the things that make you a good candidate.
2. How do I answer the HR question in an interview?
It’s not hard at all to answer a question about HR in an interview. Here’s how to do well in the HR interview:
- Research the company, the job description, and the duties of the job.
- Dress well for your interview, because first impressions are very important.
- Make sure to go over your resume and sum up the most important points.
- Talk about your wins and successes.
- Make sure to point out the skills you have that make you a good fit for this job.
- With these points, you should be able to easily answer the questions HR will ask you.
3. What is being asked in HR interview?
At the beginning of the hiring process, a person who works in human resources does the HR round. This is the first step in making sure you are the right person for the job. During the HR interview, you will be asked things like general information about your previous jobs, your core skills, qualifications, weaknesses, and how much money you want to make.
4. What are some tough questions for an interview?
Tricky questions are often open-ended questions that help people figure out how you would handle a certain situation.
Here are some examples of questions that are hard to answer:
- What are some of the things you do badly?
- Why are you interested in working with us?
- In five years, where do you see yourself?
- Why are you leaving the company you work for now?
- Why did you stop working for a while?
- Tell me about a time when you did something wrong.
- What do you have to offer that others don’t?
5. What do you do badly?
There is no easy way to answer this question, but there are ways to talk about your skills without making it sound bad. The best way to answer this question is to pick a skill that doesn’t have anything to do with the job you’re applying for and then talk about what you’re doing to fix it. People’s most common weaknesses are impatience, trying to do too many things at once, putting things off, being hard on themselves, being a perfectionist, etc.
6. What are the five hardest questions to ask in an interview?
The 5 hardest questions in an HR interview are:
- Describe yourself.
- Tell me about a time when you did something wrong and how you fixed it.
- Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a difficult co-worker and how you did it.
- Why are you leaving the job you already have?
- Why are you looking for this job?
7. What are some tricky questions for an interview?
Tricky interview questions are ones that are meant to stump you or make you think before you answer. Most of the time, these questions are asked to find out about the applicant, such as their communication skills, soft skills, ability to work with others, how they deal with stress or conflict, etc. One of the most common tricky questions is, “What are some of your weaknesses?” Tricky questions have no right or wrong answer, so make sure you answer them as best you can.