Interview Questions For HR Executive Positions With Answers

Updated 24 February 2023

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HR executives are often responsible for building and maintaining a safe and supportive work environment. When interviewing for this role, hiring managers typically test candidates for their interpersonal and leadership skills by asking them a combination of behavioural and situational questions. Before attending an interview for an HR executive position, it is important that you study common interview questions and learn how you can answer them. In this article, we list some commonly asked interview questions for HR executive positions, explain why interviewers ask those questions and share example answers to help you prepare for your interview.

Common Interview Questions For HR Executive Positions

Interview questions for HR executives can vary depending on whether the recruiter is looking for freshers or experienced professionals. A personal interview is a way for companies to better understand the candidate's personality, skills, expertise and knowledge. It helps them determine if the candidate is the right fit for the job. Here are a few examples of general questions you can expect during a job interview for an HR executive position:

Common interview questions for freshers

Here are a few examples of common interview questions that recruiters may ask when selecting candidates for HR executive fresher positions:

Tell me about yourself.
Why should we hire you?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Why do you want to work with us?
Who is your role model and why?
Are you willing to relocate?
Is it possible for you to travel for job purposes?
What motivates you to do a good job?
Tell me the difference between confidence and overconfidence.
Do you think you can work under pressure?
What are your goals in life?
Are you willing to work night shifts and weekends?
Are you creative? If so, then give me an example of your creativity.
Do you know the difference between hard work and smart work? If so, then give me an example of each.
What are your hobbies and interests?
Who has inspired you in your life and why?
What was the toughest decision you ever made in your life?
What do you know about our company?
Where do you see yourself five years from now?
Do you have any questions for me?
What human resources subjects interested you the most during your college days?
How did you come to know about this job opening?

Common interview questions for experienced HR executive professionals

Here are some examples of commonly asked interview questions that interviews may ask when hiring experienced HR executive professionals:

Why did you resign from your previous job?
Why have you chosen this field?
Why are you changing the industry?
Have you faced criticism before at your workplace? How did you handle it?
How many hours a week do you normally work?
How would you feel if your boss was younger than you?
What would you say to your boss if your idea was better than his?
May I contact your present employer for a reference?
Is there anything that you could have done differently at your previous job? Give me an example.
Has your job ever bored you? If yes, then tell me about your approach.
Why should I hire you when I can promote someone from within?
What is your last drawn CTC?
How much of a salary do you expect?
How do you define success, and how do you compare to your own?
Have you ever thought of starting your own business?
What is your ideal job location and profile?
What are your other career options right now?
If we hire you, how long do you expect to work for us?
Why do you think you would be an asset to our organisation?
Do you have experience with conducting employee evaluations?
Do you have experience creating an employee database?
Talk about a time when you deviated from the company's policy while performing your duties as an HR executive.
What experience do you have in leadership roles?

Example Answers To Interview Questions For HR Executive Positions

Here are a few example questions and their example answers to help you prepare for your next interview:

1. Tell me about yourself.

This is normally the first question most interviewers ask, and generally, it is an icebreaker. Your answer to this question can set the tone for the rest of the interview. Not being prepared ahead of time can make this question challenging. If you are a fresher, you r reply requires to be simple, but inclusive of any tasks or accomplishments that align with the role. A few examples of such tasks include volunteering, organising events or even winning debates.

If you are an experienced professional, briefly talk about your current employer. Discuss two to three of your most significant accomplishments. Talk about a few of your key strengths, as they relate to the job for which you are applying and how they can benefit from your strengths. Then discuss how you see yourself fitting into a position at their company. Here is an example answer:

Example: "I am Suresh, working as an HR Executive at Hiring You Company for the past two years. I oversaw all basic operations of the human resources department, like the on-boarding process, performance evaluations, compensation and benefits. My strategic approach in building the company's hiring plans helped decrease employee turnover rates by 10% and have won several performance awards. I excel at managing teams and solving their problems."

2. Why should we hire you?

This is one of the most frequently asked questions by interviewers. So it is important for you to prepare and learn how to answer questions like this. Candidates make it to the personal interview round if they successfully complete the preceding rounds. As your resume is not always enough to help the interviewer decide on your candidature, they require knowing more about you and how you can benefit the company and fit into the position.

Questions like this offer you an opportunity to tell the interviewer your strengths and accomplishments. This can help the interviewer understand how you can be an asset to the organisation.

Example: "I have excellent communication and oratory skills. I have won several awards in debate competitions in college and also took part in inter-state competitions. Besides being very hard-working, I am also a quick learner, so I can easily adapt to company requirements, which makes up for my lack of experience. I am confident about learning the job assigned to me by putting in a dedicated effort."

3. How would you describe your previous job experiences?

Interviewers usually ask this question to experienced candidates. You might have many experiences related to the role, but be sure to mention the important ones first, as they can highlight your efficiency. It is also important that you mention experiences in which you are comfortable having follow-up questions.

Example: "I have been working as an HR Executive at New Hires company for the past three years and have gained expertise in delivering training, organising learning modules, presenting concepts and instructional activities. My experience in this company has enabled me to maintain close contact with professionals in other departments, which gave me the opportunity to develop an understanding of organisational processes. I understand that the HR department is crucial to the success of any organisation. With my experience as an HR executive, I can be an asset to your esteemed organisation."

4. What are your strengths and weaknesses?

The interviewer asking this question wants to know if your strengths can be beneficial for the organisation. The question also aims to understand if you are self-aware and can articulate your strengths and weaknesses well. Your answer also shows the interviewer your communication skills and thought process. This is why it is important that you prepare for this question and give the answer confidently.

Example: "I believe my interpersonal and communication skills are one of my strengths because I am excellent at talking with people, working in different teams and collaborating on various projects. One of my greatest weaknesses is that I am a perfectionist. I continue finding ways to improve something until I am fully satisfied with it, which sometimes affects my productivity."