HR Interview Questions And Answer

1 Tell me about yourself?
Answer=>

Start  with  the  present  and  tell  why  you  are  well  qualified for  the  position.  Remember  that  the key  to  all  successful interviewing  is  to  match  your  qualifications  to  what  the interviewer  is looking  for.  In  other  words  you  must  sell what  the  buyer  is  buying.  This  is  the  single most important strategy in job hunting.

So,  before  you  answer  this  or  any  question  it's  imperative that  you  try  to  uncover  your interviewer's greatest need, want, problem or goal.

To do so, make you take these two steps:

Do  all  the  homework  you  can  before  the  hr  interview  to uncover  this  person's  wants  and  needs (not the generalized needs of the industry or company)

As  early  as  you  can  in  the  interview,  ask  for  a  more complete  description  of  what  the  position entails. You might say: “I have a number of accomplishments I'd like to tell you about, but I want to  make  the  best  use  of  our  time  together and  talk  directly  to  your  needs.  To  help  me  do, that, could you  tell  me more  about  the  most  important priorities  of this  position?  All I  know  is  what  I (heard from the recruiter, read in the classified ad, etc

Then, ALWAYS follow-up with a second and possibly,  third question,  to draw out his needs even more.  Surprisingly,  it's usually  this  second  or  third  question  that  unearths  what the  interviewer is most looking for.

You might ask simply, "And in addition to that?..." or, "Is there anything else you see as essential to success in this position?:

This process will not feel easy or natural  at first, because it is easier simply to answer questions,but only if you uncover the employer's wants and needs will your answers make the most sense.Practice  asking  these  key  questions  before  giving your  answers,  the  process  will  feel  more natural and you will be light years ahead of the other job candidates you're competing with. 

After  uncovering  what  the  employer  is  looking  for,  describe  why  the  needs  of  this  job  bear striking parallels to tasks you've succeeded at before. Be sure to illustrate with specific examples of  your  responsibilities  and  especially  your achievements,  all  of  which  are  geared  to  present yourself as a perfect match for the needs he has just described.

2 What are your greatest strengths?  

Answer=>

You  know  that  your  key  strategy  is  to  first  uncover  your  interviewer's  greatest  wants  and  needs before you answer questions. And from Question 1, you know how to do this.

Prior  to  any  interview,  you  should  have  a  list  mentally  prepared  of  your  greatest  strengths.  Youshould  also  have,  a  specific  example  or  two,  which  illustrates  each  strength,  an  example  chosen from your most recent and most impressive achievements.

You  should,  have  this  list  of  your  greatest  strengths  and  corresponding  examples  from  your achievements  so  well  committed  to  memory  that  you  can  recite  them  cold  after  being  shakenawake at 2:30AM.

Then,  once  you  uncover  your  interviewer's  greatest  wants  and  needs,  you  can  choose  thoseachievements from your list that best match up.

As  a  general  guideline,  the  10  most  desirable  traits  that  all  employers  love  to  see  in  their employees are:

A  proven  track  record  as  an  achiever...especially  if  your  achievements  match  up  with  theemployer's greatest wants and needs.

Intelligence...management "savvy".

Honesty...integrity...a decent human being.

Good fit with corporate culture...someone to feel comfortable 

with...a team player who mesheswell with interviewer's team.

Likeability...positive attitude...sense of humor.

Good communication skills.

Dedication...willingness to walk the extra mile to achieve 

excellence.

Definiteness of purpose...clear goals.

Enthusiasm...high level of motivation.

Confident...healthy...a leader.

3 What are your greatest weaknesses?

Answer=>

Disguise strength as a weakness. 

Example:  “I  sometimes  push  my  people  too  hard.  I  like  to work  with  a  sense  of  urgency  and everyone is not always on the same wavelength.” 

Drawback:  This  strategy  is  better  than  admitting  a  flaw, but  it's  so  widely  used,  it  is  transparent to any experienced interviewer. 

BEST  ANSWER:  (and  another  reason  it's  so  important  to get  a  thorough  description  of  your interviewer's  needs before  you  answer  questions):  Assure  the  interviewer  that you  can  think  of nothing  that  would  stand  in  the  way  of your  performing  in  this  position  with  excellence. Then, quickly review you strongest qualifications. 

Example: “Nobody's perfect, but based on what you've told me about  this position, I believe I' d make an outstanding match. I know that when I hire people, I look for two things most of all. Do they  have  the  qualifications  to  do  the  job  well,  and  the motivation  to  do  it  well?  Everything  in my background shows I have both the qualifications and a strong desire to achieve excellence in whatever  I  take  on.  So  I  can  say  in all honesty  that  I  see  nothing  that  would  cause  you  even a small concern about my ability or my strong desire to perform this job with excellence.”

Alternate strategy (if you don't yet know enough about the position to talk about such a  perfect fit):

Instead  of  confessing  a  weakness,  describe  what  you  like  

most  and  like  least,  making  sure  that what you like most matches up with the most important qualification for success in the position, and what you like least is not essential.  

Example: Let's  say  you're  applying  for  a  teaching  position. “If  given a  choice,  I  like  to  spend  as much  time  as  possible in  front of  my  prospects  selling,  as  opposed  to  shuffling paperwork back at the office. Of course, I long ago learned the importance of filing paperwork properly, and I do it conscientiously.  But what  I  really  love  to  do  is  sell  (if  your interviewer  were  a sales  manager, this should be music to his ears.) 

Tell  me  about something  you  did  –  or  failed  to  do  – that you  now  feel  a  little  ashamed  of  ?As with  faults  and weaknesses,  never  confess  a  regret.  But  don’t  seem  as  if you’re  stonewalling either.

Best  strategy:  Say  you  harbor  no  regrets,  then  add a principle  or  habit  you  practice  regularly  for healthy human relations.

Example:  Pause  for  reflection,  as  if  the  question  never occurred  to  you.  Then  say  to  hr,  “You know,  I  really  can’t think  of  anything.”  (Pause  again,  then  add):  “I  would  add that  as  a  general management  principle,  I’ve  found  that the best  way  to  avoid  regrets is  to  avoid  causing  them  in the first  place.  I  practice  one  habit  that  helps  me  a  great  deal in  this  regard.  At  the  end  of  each day,  I  mentally review the  day’s  events  and  conversations  to  take  a  second look  at the  people and  developments  I’m  involved  with  and  do  a double  check  of  what  they’re  likely  to  be feeling. Sometimes I’ll  see  things  that  do  need  more   follow-up, whether  a  pat on  the  back,  or  maybe  a five minute chat in someone’s office to make sure we’re clear on things…whatever.”

“I also like to make each person feel like a member of an elite team, like the Boston Celtics or LA Lakers  in  their  prime. I’ve  found  that  if  you  let  each  team  member  know  you expect  excellence in  their  performance…if  you  work  hard to set  an  example  yourself…and  if  you  let  people  know you appreciate  and  respect  their  feelings,  you  wind up  with  a highly  motivated  group,  a  team that’s  having fun  at  work because  they’re  striving  for  excellence  rather than  brooding over slights or regrets.”

3 Why are you leaving (or did you leave) this position ?

Answer=>

(If you have a job presently tell the hr)

If  you’re  not  yet  100%  committed  to  leaving  your  present post,  don’t  be  afraid  to  say  so.  Since you  have  a  job,  you  are  in  a  stronger  position  than  someone  who  does  not.  But  don’t  be  coy either.  State  honestly  what  you’d  be  hoping  to  find  in  a  new  spot.   Of  course,  as  stated  often

before,  you  answer  will  all  the  stronger  if  you  have already  uncovered  what  this  position  is  all about and you match your desires to it.

(If you do not presently have a job tell the hr.)

Never  lie  about  having  been  fired.  It’s  unethical  –  and  too easily  checked.  But  do  try  to  deflect the reason from you personally. If your firing was the result of a takeover, merger, division wide layoff, etc., so much the better.

But  you  should  also  do  something  totally  unnatural  that will  demonstrate  consummate professionalism.  Even  if  it  hurts  ,  describe  your  own  firing  –  candidly,  succinctly  and  without  a trace  of  bitterness  –  from  the  company’s  point-of-vi ew,  indicating  that  you  could  understand why it happened and you might have made the same decision yourself.

Your  stature  will  rise  immensely  and,  most  important  of all,  you  will  show  you  are  healed  from the  wounds  inflicted  by  the  firing.  You  will  enhance  your  image  as first-class  management material  and  stand  head  and shoulders  above  the  legions  of  firing  victims  who,  at  the slightest provocation, zip open their shirts to expose their battle scars and decry the unfairness of it all.

For all prior positions:

Make  sure  you’ve  prepared  a  brief  reason  for  leaving.  Best  reasons:  more  money,  opportunity, responsibility or growth.

The "Silent Treatment"

Like  a  primitive  tribal  mask,  the  Silent  Treatment  loses  all it  power  to  frighten  you  once  yourefuse to be intimidated. If your interviewer pulls it, keep quiet yourself for a while and then ask, 

with  sincere  politeness  and  not  a  trace  of  sarcasm,  “Is there  anything  else  I  can  fill  in  on  that point?” That’s all there is to it.

Whatever  you  do,  don’t  let  the  Silent  Treatment  intimidate you  into  talking  a  blue  streak, because you could easily talk yourself out of the position.

3 Why should I hire you?
Answer=>
By  now  you  can  see  how  critical  it  is  to  apply  the  overall strategy  of  uncovering  the  employer’s needs before you answer questions. If you know the employer’s greatest needs and desires, this question  will  give  you  a  big  leg  up  over  other  candidates  because  you  will  give  him  better reasons for hiring you than anyone else is likely to…reasons tied directly to his needs. 

Whether  your  interviewer  asks  you  this  question  explicitly or  not,  this  is  the  most  important question  of  your  interview  because  he  must  answer  this  question  favorably  in  is  own  mind before  you  will  be  hired.  So  help  him  out!  Walk  through  each  of  the  position’s  requirements  as you understand them, and follow each with a reason why you meet that requirement so well.

Example:  “As I  understand  your  needs,  you  are  first  and foremost  looking  for  someone  who  can manage  the  sales and  marketing  of  your  book  publ ishing  division.  As  you’ve  said  you  need someone with a strong background in trade book sales. This is where I’ve spent almost all of my
career,  so  I’ve  chalked  up  18  years  of  experience  exactly  in  this  area.  I  believe  that  I  know  the right  contacts,  methods,  principles,  and  successful  management  techniques  as  well  as  any person can in our industry.”

“You  also  need  someone  who  can  expand  your  book distribution  channels.  In my  prior  post,  my innovative promotional ideas doubled, then tripled, the number of outlets selling our books. I’m confident I can do the same for you.”

“You need someone to give a new shot in the arm to your mail order sales, someone who knows how to sell in space and direct mail media. Here, too, I believe I have exactly the experience you need.  In  the  last  five  years,  I’ve  increased  our  mail order  book  sales  from  $600,000  to $2,800,000,  and  now we’re  the  country’s  second  leading  marketer  of  scientific and  medical books by mail.” Etc., etc., etc.,

Every  one  of  these  selling  “couplets”  (his  need  matched  by your  qualifications)  is  a  touchdown that runs up your score. IT is your best opportunity to outsell your competition.

4 Aren’t you overqualified for this position?
Answer=>
As with any objection, don’t view this as a sign of imminent defeat. It’s an invitation to teach the interviewer a new way to think about this situation, seeing advantages instead of drawbacks. 

Example:  “I  recognize  the  job  market  for  what  it  is  –  a marketplace.  Like  any  marketplace,  it’s subject  to  the  laws of  supply  and  demand.  So  ‘overqualified’  can  be  a  relative term,  depending on how tight the job market is. And right now, it’s very tight. I understand and accept that.”

“I also believe that there could be very positive benefits for both of us in this match.”

“Because  of  my  unusually  strong  experience  in  ________________  ,  I  could  start  to  contribute right away, perhaps much faster than someone who’d have to be brought along more slowly.”

“There’s  also  the  value  of  all  the  training  and  years  of  experience  that  other  companies  have invested  tens  of  thousands  of  dollars  to  give  me.  You’d  be  getting  all  the  value  of  that  without having  to  pay  an  extra  dime  for  it.  With  someone  who  has  yet  to  acquire  that  experience,  he’d have to gain it on your nickel.”

“I  could  also  help  you  in  many  things  they  don’t  teach  at  the  Harvard  Business  School.  For example…(how  to  hire,  train,  motivate,  etc.)  When  it  comes  to  knowing  how  to  work  well  with people  and  getting  the  most  out  of  them,  there’s  just  no  substitute  for  what  you  learn  over many years of front-line experience. You company would gain all this, too.” 

“From  my  side,  there  are  strong  benefits,  as  well.  Right  now,  I  am  unemployed.  I  want  to  work, very  much,  and  the  position  you  have  here  is  exactly  what  I  love  to  do  and  am  best  at.  I’ll  be happy doing this work and that’s what matters most to me, a lot more that money or title.”

“Most  important,  I’m  looking  to  make  a  long  term commitment  in  my  career  now.  I’ve  had enough of job-hunting and want a permanent spot at this point in my career. I also know that if I perform this job with excellence, other opportunities cannot help but open up for me right here. In  time,  I’ll  find  many  other  ways  to  help  this  company  and in  so  doing,  help  myself.  I  really  am looking to make a long-term commitment.”

NOTE:  The  main  concern  behind  the  “overqualified” question  is  that  you  will  leave  your  new employer  as  soon as  something  better  comes  your  way.  Anything  you  can say to  demonstrate the  sincerity  of  your  commitment  to  the  
employer  and  reassure  him  that  you’re  looking  to  stay for the long-term will help you overcome this objection.

5 Where do you see yourself five years from now?
Answer=>
Reassure  your  interviewer  that  you’re  looking  to  make  a long-term  commitment…that  thisposition  entails  exactly  
what  you’re  looking  to  do  and  what  you  do  extremely  
well.  As  for  your future,  you  believe  that  if  you  perform each  job  at  hand  with  excellence,  future  opportunities will take care of themselves.

Example:  “I  am  definitely  interested  in  making  a  long-term  commitment  to  my  next  position. Judging  by  what  
you’ve  told  me  about  this  position,  it’s  exactly  what  I’m looking  for  and  what  I  am  very  well  qualified  to  do.  In terms  of  my  future  career  path,  I’m  confident  that  if  I  do my work  with  excellence,  opportunities  will inevitable open up  for  me.  It’s  always  been  that  way  in my career, and I’m confident I’ll have similar opportunities here.”

Describe your ideal company, location and job.

The  only  right  answer  is  to  describe  what  this  company  is offering,  being  sure  to  make  your answer  believable  with specific  reasons,  stated  with  sincerity,  why  each  quality represented  by this opportunity is attractive to you.

Remember  that  if  you’re  coming  from  a  company  that’s the  leader  in  its  field  or  from  a glamorous  or  much admired  company,  industry,  city  or  position,  your interviewer  and  his company  may  well  have  an  “Avis” complex.  That  is,  they  may  feel  a  bit  defensive  about being “second  best”  to  the  place  you’re  coming  from, worried  that  you  may  consider  them  bush league.

This anxiety could well be there even  though you’ve done nothing  to inspire it. You must go out of  your  way  to  assuage such  anxiety,  even  if  it’s  not  expressed,  by  putting  their virtues  high  on the list of exactly what you’re looking for, providing credible reason for wanting these qualities.

If  you  do  not  express  genuine  enthusiasm  for  the  firm,  its culture,  location,  industry,  etc.,  you may  fail  to  answer  this “Avis”  complex  objection  and,  as  a  result,  leave  the interviewer suspecting  that  a  hot  shot  like  you,  coming from  a  Fortune  500  company  in  New  York,  just wouldn’t be happy at an unknown manufacturer based in Topeka, Kansas.

6 Why do you want to work at our company?
Answer=>
This  question  is  your  opportunity  to  hit  the  ball  out  of the park,  thanks  to  the  in-depth  research you should do before any interview. 

Best  sources  for  researching  your target  company:  annual reports,  the  corporate  newsletter, contacts  you  know  at  the company  or  its  suppliers,  advertisements,  articles  about  the company in the trade press.

7 What are your career options right now?
Answer=>
Prepare for this question by thinking of how you can position yourself as a desired commodity. If you  are  still  working,  describe  the  possibilities  at  your  present  firm  and  why,  though  you’re greatly  appreciated  there,  you’re  looking  for  somethi ng  more  (challenge,  money,  responsibility,etc.). Also mention that you’re seriously exploring opportunities with one or two other firms.

If  you’re  not  working,  you  can  talk  about  other employment  possibilities  you’re  actually exploring. But do this with a light touch, speaking only in general terms. You don’t want to seem manipulative or coy. 

8 Why have you been out of work so long ?
Answer=>
You want to emphasize factors which have prolonged your job search by your own choice. Example:  “After  my  job  was  terminated,  I   made  a  conscious  decision  not  to  jump  on  the  first opportunities to come along. In my life, I’ve found out that you can always turn a negative into a positive IF you try hard enough. This is what I determined to do. I  decided to take whatever time I  needed  to  think  through  what  I  do  best,  what  I  most  want  to  do,  where  I’d  like  to  do  it…and
then identify those companies that could offer such an opportunity.”

“Also,  in  all  honesty,  you  have  to  factor  in  the  recession  (consolidation,  stabilization,  etc.)  in  the (banking, financial services, manufacturing, advertising, etc.) industry.”

 “So  between  my  being  selective  and  the  companies  in  our  industry  downsizing,  the  process  has taken  time.  But  in  the  end,  I’m  convinced  that  when  I  do  find  the  right  match,  all  that  careful evaluation  from  both  sides  of  the  desk  will  have  been  well  worthwhile  for  both  the  company that hires me and myself.

9 Tell  me  honestly  about  the  strong  points and  weak  points  of  your  boss (company, management team, etc.)
Answer=>
Remember  the  rule:  Never  be  negative.  Stress  only  the good  points,  no  matter  how  charmingly you’re invited to be critical.

Your  interviewer  doesn’t  care  a  whit  about  your  previous  
boss.  He  wants  to  find  out  how  loyal and  positive  you  are, and  whether  you’ll  criticize  him  behind  his  back  if  pressed to  do  so  by someone in this own company. This question is your opportunity to demonstrate your loyalty to those you work with.

10 What good books have you read lately?
Answer=>

Unless you’re up for a position in academia or as book critic for The New York  Times, you’re not expected to be a literary lion. But it wouldn’t hurt to have read a handful of the most recent and influential books in your profession and on management.

Consider  it  part  of  the  work  of  your  job  search  to  read up  on  a  few  of  these  leading  books.  But make  sure  they are  quality  books  that  reflect  favorably  upon  you,  nothing that  could  even remotely  be  considered  superficial.  Finally, add  a  recently  published  bestselling  work  of  fiction by a world-class author and you’ll pass this question with flying colors. 

11 Tell me about a situation when your work was criticized?
Answer=>
Begin  by  emphasizing  the  extremely  positive  feedback you’ve  gotten  throughout  your  career and (if it’s true) that your performance reviews have been uniformly excellent. 

Of  course,  no  one  is  perfect  and  you  always  welcome  
suggestions  on  how  to  improve  your performance.  Then,  give  an  example  of  a  not-too-damaging  learning  experience  from  early  in your  career  and  relate  the  ways  this  lesson  has  since  helped  you.  This  demonstrates  that  you learned from the experience and the lesson is now one of the strongest breastplates in your suit of armor.

If you are pressed for a criticism from a recent position, choose something fairly trivial that in no way  is  essential  to  your  successful  performance.  Add  that  you’ve  learned  from  this,  too,  and over the past several years/months, it’s no longer an area of concern because you now make it a regular practice to…etc.

Another  way  to  answer  this  question  would  be  to  describe your  intention  to  broaden  your master  of  an  area  of  growing  importance  in  your  field.  For  example,  this  might  be  a  computer program  you’ve  been  meaning  to  sit  down  and  learn…  a  new  management  technique  you’ve
read about…or perhaps attending a seminar on some cutting-edge branch of your profession. 

Again,  the  key  is  to  focus  on something  not  essential  to your  brilliant  performance  but which adds yet another dimension to your already impressive knowledge base.