HR Interview Questions – Set 05

Don’t just talk about your strengths, your interviewer genuinely wants to know about your strong points.

Possible Answer #1:
“I am passionate towards my work and also a good listener, which means, I take my instructions seriously.

I am not a person who leaves things midway. I never lose focus, even if I am under stress or have stringent deadlines to meet.

I like to finish every single task on my to-do list completely.

Optimism, energy and my ability to learn quickly let me hit the ground and rapidly solve problems.

I also have good communication skills which means I can deal fairly well with my business clients as well as with the members of my internal team, in the future.

Based on my skills, abilities, and experience, I know I would be a great addition to the team.”

Possible Answer #2:
“I have the requisite skills to make your risk worth it. Chatting less and letting my work do the talking, is my motto.

In the past, whatever project was assigned to me was delivered on time and also at par with all the quality standards.”

Possible Answer #3:
“I’ve been told that I’m a very good manager.

My team tells me that I give them a lot of freedom in how to do their work, which they really appreciate.

They also say that I’m really enthusiastic, so when we’re faced with too much work, they tell me that my manner really helps to keep them motivated and calm.

My boss also tells me that I’m very innovative in terms of finding new ways of working that cut out inefficiency.”

Possible Answer #1:
“I get angry when I get falsely accused of something that I did not do.

Lack of order and discipline also irritates me, but 4 years of hostel life have taught me to cope and adjust with other people.”

Possible Answer #2:
“In a team, there are times when I and some of my peers work hard to achieve a goal, while there are some people who leave their modules incomplete or quit mid-way.

At such a juncture, this load also gets assigned to us, the hardworking lot.

I don’t mind helping my peers out, but when an extra load of work gets assigned to me in the 11th hour, I get irritated.

Sometimes, when I know that I cannot do justice to this new module, I politely refuse to take it up.”

With this question, the interviewer is judging if you are disciplined and structured in your work.

To answer this question, you must communicate your ability to maintain your work schedule without compromising on its quality.

Possible Answer #1: (For fresher)
I am quite disciplined as a person, and I believe in doing my work in a planned and organized manner.

A well thought out plan and discipline in execution is the foundation of high-quality work.

Possible Answer: 2 (For Experienced candidates)
In my X years of professional experience, I have rarely missed a deadline.

Barring extraordinary circumstances, I am usually able to stick to my writing schedule without compromising on quality.

Besides that, I get long well with people which helps in maintaining a good work environment.

Possible Answer #1:
“Yes, I am a reliable person. I like helping my friends and family, whenever I get a chance. Be it an emotional boost or a financial aid, I am always around for them.”

Possible Answer #2:
“Yes, I am not only reliable but also a very dependable person. If a task is assigned to me, it will be dutifully handled and completed within the stipulated deadline.”

Possible Answer #1:
“Honesty, loyalty, and determination to achieve my team’s target.”

Possible Answer #2:
“Professionalism, growth and a healthy work-life balance are important.”

Remember that this is a stress test question.

Don’t simply talk about your weaknesses, your interviewer genuinely wants you to talk about your loopholes!

Try to resist the urge to give him/her more points to reject you. Answer diplomatically.

Possible Answer #1:
“You might think that since I have never worked in my life, and this is only my first job, my inexperience is my weakness.

But I beg to differ. I am a fast learner and very open minded.

I assure that I do not carry any pre-conceived notions regarding how I feel I should perform my job.”

The purpose of this question is to test your attitude toward feedback and criticism.

In answering this question, you need to indicate that although you are confident about your work, you are not stubborn.

Show that you are flexible and willing to make changes and modifications, when necessary.

Possible Answer #1:
To err is human, and I too have faltered at times in interpreting a client’s/company’s briefings and/or expectations.

However, maintaining a cordial relationship with the clients as well as with my seniors helps me discuss and resolve the gaps without any fear or distress.

Possible Answer #2:
I have learnt that it is best to take criticism positively.

Feedback and criticism help one to look at things from a different perspective, which results in a better understanding of the situation.

It ultimately helps one gain useful insights into one’s strengths and weaknesses.

Possible Answer #1:
“It is always good to venture into new waters and new technologies.

I am a very adaptive person and my diligence helps me pick up new stuff quickly.

Experimenting or taking risks can yield both good and bad results, but the exercise in itself is a great learning experience.

Such experiences generate experts and I want to become an SME or a JAVA subject matter expert someday.”

Possible Answer #2:
“This is a good question and a complex one. My answer would be both a No and a Yes.

Personally, I like to experiment with new things, but I keep all my past mistakes in mind before taking a shot at a brand-new project.

For example, carpentry is my hobby and I love to build small furniture pieces with my new toolkit, which was a gift from my brother.

But I will never venture into a complete home renovation project with that little kit!

What I mean to say is that baby steps are fine, but I will not jump off a cliff at once.”

Possible Answer #1:
“Choosing Engineering over Medical Science after 12th was my toughest personal decision. But I think I have made the right choice.”

Possible Answer #2:
“When I was asked to step in as a temporary team leader for the first time, I still remember how I missed a couple of key communications from the manager. This pushed our deadlines back by 2 weeks. It was a great lesson and since then, I always make it a point to focus on the big-picture, instead of looking at smaller projects.”

Freshers with no internship experience can move on to the next question to prepare for HR interview questions and answers.

Possible Answer #1:
“I used to get nervous while speaking in front of large groups. You can say that I had stage-fear, and I believe that I still do.

This is partly because I am shy by nature. No wonder that I have been always assigned Individual Contributor roles.

My current manager might cite this as one of my weaknesses, and he has actually helped me to overcome my shyness.

Thanks to him, today I am an active member of Toastmasters International and my journey with them has been great so far!

I am working to improve my public speaking, and leadership skills and I am sure my future employer will witness a blatant change in me.”

Possible Answer #2:
“Interesting. During my last performance review, my boss did not list any areas of improvement and gave me an outstanding rating.

However, if I were to think of one, I would guess that I need to speak up more during meetings.

I always have good ideas and contribute my thoughts to my current project.

But I discuss these ideas with my boss and let him do all the talking during meetings.

I should work on speaking up more during brainstorming sessions.”