HR Interview Questions and Tips to Handle it
Most Frequently Asked Questions:
1. Tell me something about yourself.
You should answer this question by giving a brief overview of your education, work experience, and skills. You should not go into too much detail, but you should provide the interviewer with enough information to determine if you are a good fit.
2. Tell us about your strengths and weaknesses.
This is one of the tricky but very commonly asked fresher interview questions. You need to be very careful while answering this question. While stating your strengths, focus yourself around qualities required for the job. In-depth knowledge about a subject, being a keen learner, good time management, leadership qualities, team spirit can be some of the strong points that you can state.
Everyone has some weakness or the other. So, when it comes to discussing your weakness during an interview, it won’t be appropriate to say that you do not possess any. It might make you seem arrogant. Hence, when asked about your weakness, select something that doesn’t hamper your chances of getting the job role.
3. What is your objective in life?
Focus on career-oriented goals such as enhancing technical skills, increasing your knowledge base, working on the weak points, inculcating leadership qualities etc.
4. why are you interested in this job.
Be sure to do your research on the company before you go in for the interview. Talk about how your skills and experiences make you the right candidate for the job.
Sample:
It’s an honor and a privilege to work for an established company like yours. As I researched the job opening you have, I realized that my abilities align with your requirements. Through this job, I can showcase my technical skills to help the company’s development.
5. Can you tell us about your biggest achievement in life?
. Your biggest achievement in life could be an academic accomplishment, extra-curricular achievement or some personal feat that you consider praise-worthy. However, in order to play safe, you may restrict yourself to any of the previous work-related achievement during your last internship.
6. What was the most challenging decision you ever made?
You can mention a situation where you made an informed decision in spite of the difficult situation. It could be selecting a difficult elective subject at college and excelling at it, dropping a year after school for cracking an exam, choosing between sports and studies etc.
7. How have you planned to achieve your career goal?
A well-planned career goal reflects clarity of mind. You can thus spell out your short-term and long-term career goals and paint a rough picture of your performance expectations, biggest achievement in your career, job satisfaction etc.
8. Where did you see Yourself in last 5 years.
. It is meant to assess your long-term goals and whether they are aligned with the company’s. It can also be used to gauge your ambition and determination.
9. What are your Hobbies.
Share any hobby that you might be into. Painting, creative writing, coloring, reading about your role model or learning a new language, you may mention anything that actually interests you. But it is best to ensure that the hobby you state doesn’t interfere with your work life.
10. Who is your role model and what have you learned from him/her?
It could be your parents, sibling or teacher. However, if your role model is one of the famous personalities, make sure that you have researched him/her well. You must know their success story, what sets them apart from others and which quality inspired you to follow them.
11. How flexible are you regarding overtime?
Do not tell a fake story or make a compromise to get the job. If you are comfortable with overtime working, you could say this
I understand that putting extra effort impacts the company’s development, so I’m happy. If it means I’m contributing to the company, I’ll be glad to contribute.
12. Tell us what you know about our organization.
This question also judges your preparation level for the interview. So thorough research about the company and its work will come in quite handy for you to deal with such questions. Also, it shows your seriousness regarding the job.
13. Tell us three things that are most important for you in a job?
Keep some attributes such as professionalism, honesty, work-life balance, career growth on your fingertips to answer this question well.
14. In case of a disagreement, how do you handle the situation?
since disagreements are a part of life, you can state an example from any personal experience you might have had. Be it a disagreement with your parents or college authorities, make sure to highlight your positive role while tackling the situation. Stick to qualities such as problem solving attitude, patience, rationality etc.
15. How do you handle stress, pressure, and anxiety?
Sample:
Under pressure and stress, I usually utilize my soft skills and handle every situation calmly. I also perform physical exercises and mind relaxing activities like meditation to deal with work stress and pressure.
16. Why do you think, you are the right candidate for this job?
It is recommended that you avoid comparing yourself with other candidates and focus your attention on your own positive points. You can state examples of situations where you used your acumen to solve a prevailing problem or resolve an issue. The key is to be confident but not boastful.
17. What is your salary expectation?
If you are a fresher, you may be applying at entry-level jobs. Hence, due to the absence of experience, you may not be able to clearly state your salary expectations. However, to get an idea, you can research the salary ranges of various positions in the market. This way if asked about your salary expectations, you can say that you expect the salary as per the latest industry standards. Try to leave scope for negotiation. Depending on the situation, you may also ask the average salary of a beginner in the company and then take a call accordingly.
18. Do you have any questions for us?
This is the time when you can ask your questions from the panel. Don’t shy away from asking your role and responsibilities if hired. You may also inquire about the company culture, work timings etc.
Additional Questions for experienced Candidate:
1. Why did you leave your last job?
Avoid blaming employers for their mistakes and stating that “Salary was less or poor work management.” Instead of this, you can say that:
It’s a professional shift. I’ve gained much from my last job, but now I’m seeking new challenges to expand my perspectives and gain an entirely new set of skills.
2. Is there anything that makes you different from other candidates?
Say about the things that make you stand out from other candidates. Don’t be afraid to brag a little bit – after all, you want to show the interviewer that you’re the best.
3. Tell me about a time when you were not satisfied with your performance?
One possibility is that the interviewer wants to understand if you can take feedback and improve upon your weaknesses. They may also be looking to see if you can admit when you have made a mistake and how you coped with the situation.
4. Tell me about a time when you experienced difficulty at work while working on a project?
They are looking for a pattern of behavior, so they want to know about a time when you had difficulty with a project. They will also want to see how you combated that situation and what you learned from the experience.
Have a look on Interview Etiquette and Resume Writing, provided in our page
Use the Comment box- To ask questions and to give professional answers to the candidates.
Wishing you all the best as you embark on this exciting journey.