HR Interview Questions For Freshers

1. Start with your name and the city and state from where you hail from.
An overview of your academic and professional qualifications in ascending order. Following the same, line up your achievements in descending order.
2. A brief synopsis of two or maximum three projects of which you have been part of (this is specifically important for experienced candidates). Mention your role in those projects.
3. Mention your exceptional qualities, if any. Include them only if you think its relevant and can earn you a brownie point by impressing the interviewer(s).
4. Do mention about your family background – place where they reside, members in family and their occupation.

1. Here you can start with your achievements during your academic and professional qualifications. Line them up in descending order, starting with the best of all.
2. Mention the skills and exceptional qualities that you have.
3. Throw some light on the various challenges that you have faced in your life and do mention as to how you managed to overcome them. Your struggle shows your determination and will-power.
4. Do mention about your family background – place where they reside, members in family and their occupation.

1. Frame your answer in such a manner that you can convince the interviewer(s) that your skills match the demands of the job profile you are being interviewed for.
2. Explain how this job will help you advance towards attainment of your life goals.
3. Never say anything negative about the current position/job/authority that you are holding. Don’t ever say that it doesn’t match your aspirations. Rather, think and keep ready a positive aspect of your current job profile and mention how its helping in adding value to your career.

1. Introspect and identify your key strengths. Just in case, you are not aware of them then do ask from your friends.
2. Always keep an example ready to support each of your above-mentioned strengths.
3. If you list too many number of strengths, then, you are at risk of sounding arrogant. So limit the number to two or maximum three. Choose the best ones out of all.

1. Introspect and identify your key weaknesses. Just in case, you are not aware of them then do ask from your friends.
2. Use a trick – Describe a quality which seems to be a weakness superficially but is actually strength when seen in essence. To describe strength as a weakness, try to answer such weakness which can be converted in strength.
3. Always keep an example ready to support each of your above-mentioned weaknesses. Not only an example but your answer should include how you managed/fought /overcame the same. This shall show your willingness to improve yourself.
4. If you list too many number of weaknesses, then, you are at risk of sounding demotivated. Even the weaknesses that you mention might display you to be an unfit/incapable candidate. So, limit the number to maximum two. Choose the suitable ones out of all.

1. Tell about how you are ‘UNIQUE’. Identify examples – events and experiences; from your life which demonstrates your skills and strengths which are found ‘rarely’ and in few people. 
2. Talk to people, if you know any, who are already placed in similar job profiles. Try to find out from them about any typical/complicated task involved in the profile. Your before-hand knowledge shall surely impress the interviewer and convince him about your suitability to the job.
3. Gather some knowledge about competitors as well.

1. Know about the company’s operating activities – product and services its deals in.
2. Do a research about the company’s biggest achievements, current financial and other relevant data like annual turnover, profit, and production capacity.
3. Learn and understand the Vision and long term goals of the company. Get yourself acquainted with the immediate future plans and recent developments of the company that the company has made public.
4. Know the ‘Top management’ members of the company. A basic idea about their image in the public shall be desirable.
5. Read about the key competitors of the company/industry and the current ongoing issues faced by the industry.

1. The expressed desire to work for the company for a long time and make a good career out of it.
2. Demonstrate how your personal goals complement the company’s goal. (For eg., your goal to learn something for skill development which would be relevant for the organization’s activities as well).
3. Do mention your short term goals along with the long term goals
4. Make sure that you sound determined while answering this particular question. 

1. Be ‘honest’ while answering this question. It is unethical and professionally unfair to back off later from something to which you had initially agreed during recruitment. If you think you would not be able to fulfill this requirement, be brave and honest enough to accept and admit the fact.
2. Do ask the interviewer(s) about the probable locations where you might have to travel to. You can even get an idea about the same by searching on the internet as to where the operations of the company are spread. Accordingly, judge how feasible it would be for you to travel to any of these locations.

1. The answer should not contain the word ‘Money’. The motivating factors mentioned should be something intangible like achieving any set target, reaching a desired level of authority, getting recognition, etc.
2. The answer shall display you as a rational human being, show your positive side and indicate balanced decision making.
3. The motivation factor that you mention should be practical, feasible and attainable. Moreover, it should be of continuous form. In other words, it should not be something which when achieved once, lacks to exist as the motivation factor any more.
4. The motivation factor can be presented in a manner such that it gets linked with the development of healthy environment in the organization.

1. Do not say ‘I do not get angry’. It is practically impossible for a person to not get angry. It is a feeling present in every person by default. Just the level of severity differs among individuals.
2. Do admit that you get angry/frustrated but always mention about how you manage your anger so that it doesn’t become a problem for anyone.

1. Tailor your resume in a manner such that it suits the job-role you want to seep into. For sample, ‘click here’.
2. Clearly mention your skills and qualities which formed the basis of your decision to make your career in this particular field.
3. Help the interviewer to form an opinion that this role is perfect for you and that you are a perfect fit for the job.

1. Do not tell them that you are planning to pursue any further full time courses(unless its internship).
2. You can, or rather should, surely say that you are exploring opportunities with other companies in the same field.
3. If your qualifications allow you to work in multiple dimensions, then do mention about it.

1. Give them a reply in affirmation. Follow your ‘yes’ with a clause. The clause shall be something like this – If my ‘lie’ shall have a positive impact on the company and if it shall be useful and helpful for many people, then I will lie.
2. Keep an example ready to make clear what you mean by your clause. Beware, your example shall not be unethical. 

1. Never Say ‘you will not work’ irrespective of the quality and quantity of reliefs and  allowances you get. This shall represent you as a person who wants to lead a productive life.
2. Give a brief synopsis of your plans – like exploring the world, buying your own house, doing social work, etc.; for which you shall stick to your job.
3. Tell them that ‘a contented life is as necessary as a comfortable one!’

1. Name the person possessing certain ‘specific’ attributes which you have learned from him/her. 
2. Make sure that you explain these attributes in a clear manner. Your answer should not be ambiguous. 
3. Do quote a specific example which displays the above-mentioned attribute of the person.
4. Don’t sound too impressed also because it would then appear that you are ‘influenced’ and not ‘inspired’.
5. The person in your answer could be anyone – a family member or a relative or friend or even an outsider like colleague, teacher, etc. Moreover, the person need not be someone who has a very successful and great career. Even your mother could be an inspiration. It is the struggles, endeavor, approach towards life and work, efforts that matters.

1. Never say “no” as an answer to this question. The answer SHOULD be affirmative. [I can handle such situations pretty well].
2. Draw and give an example from your past experience in personal or professional or academic life. Cite such an example which proves your ability to handle such situation well.
3. Tune the answer in a manner that converts the hurdle into an advantage.
4. Mention the activities that you indulge in after having a stressful day; to keep yourself boosted, motivated, refreshed and calm. This shall depict that you ‘know yourself’ very well.

1. The activity you mention shall involve some kind of ‘innovation’ in it.
2. Do give a brief synopsis of the reaction that people gave to your creativity – the appreciation or recognition you got from your creation.

1. Include this statement in your answer: ‘Both hard-work and smart-work have their own advantages. Hard-work is the foundation of smart work’. Smart-work shall help while completing an assignment; whereas hard-work shall be more appropriate while preparing for an examination.
2. Skill set, intelligence, cleverness, presence of mind, alertness of a person converts him/her from a hard-worker into a smart-worker. 
3. Performing a task smartly involves applying techniques and logic which shall consume lesser resources, lesser time and lesser energy. However, the ultimate result shall be increased efficiency.

1. There is a thin line between the two similar but contradictory words – confidence and over-confidence; where one can make your career whereas the other can ruin it.
2. Having confidence is “to believe in one’s own self and to know one’s own skill, potential and value”; whereas having over-confidence is “to have unrealistic faith and belief on one’s capabilities”.
3. You prepare for coming to the interview – this indicates that you built confidence in yourself to face the real situation. On the other hand, if you are over-confident, you will go without any preparation. That’s called ‘being unrealistic’.
4. “Confidence AWAKENS one’s soul; whereas over-confidence makes a person BLIND to the facts and reality of the situation.”

1. Tell them about your skill, knowledge and experience that complements the goals of the organization.
2. Mention about any prospective plan of the company and how you can contribute significantly in exercising the same.
3. Mention the factors that you like most about the company and which earns your respect for the organization and thus boosts your degree of commitment towards the organization.

1. Do an in-depth research about the company’s profile; in the manner just as you do for the question ‘What do you know about this company?’.
2. Keep a broad picture in mind of what opportunities you have and what contributions you can make.
3. Do speak about your goals which are in line with the organization’s goals. This earns you premium marks over and above your competiting interview candidates.
4. If you have any special reason – personal, emotional or other; to work with the company, then, do mention about that. For eg., many people have a dream to work with a particular company/organization.

1. Do NOT mention a particular time-period in your answer. Your answer to this question should be a first-rate diplomatic answer. It should indicate your intention to stay attached with the company for a long period.
2. You can include this line in your answer – “An employee grows simultaneously along with the growth of the organization for which it works”. Tell that your growth lies in the growth of the company and hence, it’s a wise decision to stick to a company and watch both the counterparts evolve.

1. Mention about your skills that shall help in the achievement of the organization’s goals.
2. Tell them that you are a team player. Give an example to display how you have succeeded in achieving goals while performing in a team in your university, school or previous job.
3. Assets have the identified characteristic of ‘durability’. So, speak about your consistency and devotion.

1. Be honest and say what you love to do in your spare time. It’s better to mention something which you engage in on a more or less regular basis. 
2. Try to choose those activities which shall portray your responsive nature/image to the interviewer.
3. Do mention about any social work or NGO related work if you are involved in any such activity.

1. Mention the challenges involved in the situation that made your decision-making difficult.
2. Mention the outcome which followed your decision.

1. Be smart and specific.
2. If your answer is a ‘no’ then, do let him know where you want to head in future and what course of action you plan to follow.
3. If your answer is a ‘yes’ then, put forward the terms and conditions that needs to be fulfilled before you make a final decision to start the same. Beware that you do not mention any plans to start your own business in near future.

1. Name the book which you have read. Never ever name a book that you haven’t read because next questions are going to be asked on the basis of the book that you have named. If you fail to answer the related questions then you shall leave a bad impression on the interviewer.
2. Prepare for questions like
– To which genre does this book belong?
– What is the ultimate message that the book conveys?
– Why did you choose this book?
– Have you read more books of this author?
– What do you like about the author?
– What have you learnt from the book?
– Which book did you read just before this book and of which genre?
3. Advice: Choose a book that has been written by a popular author.
4. Just in case you don’t have a reading habit, do mention about the alternative activity that you are involved in which keeps your need satiated.

1. Quote a general definition of success. Keep it simple.
2. Briefly relate how your life and career goals fit into your definition of success.
3. Remember success is a continuous evolving process. It cannot halt or stop after reaching a particular level/status.
4. Take extra care that you don’t sound materialistic.

1. Prepare and have a long term realistic plan for the organization.
2. Say how you can and are willing to contribute in the growth of the organization.
3. Do not say that you are looking for a higher level position/authority in the organization. Rather show your willingness to take up increased responsibility in and of the organization.
4. Don’t even mention about your intentions, if any, of changing the company or industry.

1. Be bold and don’t hesitate while answering.
2. Research about what average salary is being offered in the industry for this role and responsibility. Tell the interviewer about it.
2. Don’t make demands, instead ask questions.
3. Don’t give a particular figure. State a salary-range based on your research. Make it evident that you are ready to walk off the job if the lower extreme of the range stated by you is not crossed. 

1. Remember he is on that chair for some reason. He is smarter than you. So don’t try to impress him by buttering him and using flattery words. It shall leave a negative impression on him.
2. Although he has asked you to do so, Do not rate him with a number on the 1 to 10 scale.
3. Don’t say that you do not have the required credentials to be in a position to judge him/her.
4. Talk about his skills of asking questions, method of conducting interview, presence of mind, etc.
5. Praise his sense of co-operation and how he made you feel comfortable during the interview.

1. Do not ask any typical question. It shall give an impression that you have ‘over-prepared’ yourself for the interview or that you are trying to act smart. 
2. Try to be spontaneous with your questions, for example, relate/base your question to something that was mentioned in the interview itself. It shall showcase your alertness and presence of mind.
3. You can even ask the interviewer about his own experience that he has had with the organization since he has joined in.