Welcome back to our series on “HR Interview Mastery Guide.” If you haven’t had the chance to dive into our first post (Understanding What HR Wants) in this series, we encourage you to do so. It will provide you with invaluable insights into what HR professionals are seeking in your responses, allowing you to tailor your answers to their expectations.
As you embark on the second instalment in this series, we’re about to reveal the keys to comprehending and preparing for the HR questions that are likely to posed during interview. Equipping you with the essential tools to excel in your HR Round.

To ensure you have access to the most relevant information without feeling overwhelmed, we’ve structured our HR Interview Mastery Guide into four distinct chapters, each addressing a crucial aspect of the HR interview process. Feel free to browse through the table of contents below to jump to your desired chapter or you can go one by one through each section:
Table of Contents:
- Chapter 1: Understanding What HR Wants
- Chapter 2: Preparing for HR Questions
- Chapter 3: Answering HR Questions
- Traditional HR Questions
- Behavioural HR Interview Questions
- Opinion based HR Interview Questions
- Brainteasers HR Interview Questions
- Salary Related Questions
- Chapter 4: Navigating the Interview Process
Chapter 2: Preparing for HR Questions
Effective preparation is the key to performing well in HR interviews, regardless of whether you’re a fresher or an experienced professional. In this chapter, we will explore the essential steps to prepare for HR questions and help you build a solid foundation for your interview success.
1. Research the Company : HR Interview Prep
Before you step into the interview room, it’s crucial to understand the organization you’re interviewing with. Here’s how to do it:
- Company History: Familiarize yourself with the company’s history, including its founding, growth, and major milestones.
- Mission and Values: Gain insight into the company’s mission statement and core values. These can provide you with a sense of the company’s culture and what it values most.
- Recent News: Stay updated with recent news and developments related to the company. This knowledge can be valuable during the interview, as it shows that you’re genuinely interested and engaged.
2. Review the Job Description
To tailor your responses to the specific role you’re applying for, carefully review the job description:
- Key Responsibilities: Understand the primary responsibilities associated with the role. Be prepared to discuss how your skills and experience align with these responsibilities.
- Qualifications: Identify the qualifications and skills the company is seeking in a candidate. Make sure to emphasize your qualifications that match these requirements.
- Keywords: Pay attention to keywords and phrases used in the job description. Incorporate these into your responses to demonstrate your alignment with the role.
3. Identify Your Strengths and Weaknesses
One common question HR asks is about your strengths and weaknesses. Be ready to address these:
- Strengths: Identify your key strengths, such as problem-solving abilities, leadership skills, or technical expertise. Support these strengths with specific examples from your experiences.
Example: “One of my key strengths is my ability to communicate effectively. In my previous role, I improved team communication by implementing weekly status meetings, resulting in a 20% increase in project efficiency.”
- Weaknesses: While discussing weaknesses, focus on areas where you’ve taken steps to improve. Show that you’re self-aware and committed to self-development.
Example: “I used to struggle with time management, but I’ve since learned to prioritize tasks using time management tools, which has significantly improved my productivity.”
4. Prepare STAR Stories
Many HR round questions are behavioural in nature and require you to provide specific examples from your past experiences. Use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method to structure your responses (Discussed in detail later):
Situation: Describe the situation or context where the event took place.
Task: Explain the specific task or challenge you faced.
Action: Detail the actions you took to address the challenge.
Result: Conclude by highlighting the positive outcome or what you learned from the experience.
Prepare several STAR stories that showcase your skills, problem-solving abilities, teamwork, and adaptability.
By thoroughly researching the company, understanding the job description, identifying your strengths and weaknesses, and crafting STAR stories, you’ll be well-prepared to answer a wide range of HR questions in your interview. In the next chapter, we will provide tips and examples for responding to some common HR questions.
Understanding STAR method (Detailed):
The STAR method is a structured approach used to answer behavioural interview questions. Behavioural questions often start with phrases like “Tell me about a time when…” or “Give me an example of…” These questions aim to assess how you have handled specific situations or challenges in the past, as they are indicative of how you might behave in similar situations in the future. The STAR method helps you provide comprehensive and structured responses to these questions. Here’s a breakdown of each component:
S – Situation: Start by briefly setting the stage. Describe the context or situation you were in. This helps the interviewer understand the circumstances surrounding the event.
T – Task: Explain the specific task or challenge you were faced with. What were you responsible for, and what were the objectives or goals?
A – Action: Detail the actions you took to address the situation or complete the task. Focus on your own contributions and emphasize the steps you took to achieve a positive outcome. Be sure to highlight any skills or qualities you utilized during this process.
R – Result: Conclude your response by describing the results or outcomes of your actions. What happened as a result of your efforts? Did you achieve your goals, and were there any quantifiable or qualitative results? It’s essential to showcase the positive impact you had or what you learned from the experience.
Here’s an example of how to use the STAR method to respond to a common behavioural interview question, asked during HR round:
Question: “Tell me about a time when you had to resolve a conflict within your team.”
Response using STAR:
S – Situation: In my previous role as a project manager, we were working on a tight deadline to deliver a critical project. The team consisted of members with diverse backgrounds and expertise, which sometimes led to conflicts.
T – Task: My task was to address these conflicts and ensure that the team continued to collaborate effectively to meet the project deadline.
A – Action: To resolve the conflict, I first scheduled a team meeting to openly discuss the issues and concerns. I encouraged each team member to share their perspective and listened actively to their viewpoints. Then, I identified common ground and potential solutions, facilitating a constructive conversation.
I also implemented a communication plan that included regular check-ins and feedback sessions to maintain a positive team dynamic. Additionally, I provided conflict resolution training to the team to equip them with tools for addressing future conflicts.
R – Result: As a result of these actions, the team’s conflicts were resolved, and we were able to refocus on our project tasks. This approach not only improved team morale but also resulted in a 15% increase in project efficiency. The conflict resolution training proved valuable, as team members reported feeling more confident in handling disagreements themselves in subsequent projects.
Using the STAR method ensures that your response is structured, thorough, and provides the interviewer with a clear understanding of how you handle real-life situations. It also demonstrates your ability to reflect on past experiences and apply them to future challenges. And don’t forget to remember where to use this STAR Method (i.e. to answer behavioural interview questions).
In the Next Chapter, we will go through various HR questions that are mainly asked during any Job Interview and will prepare you on how to answer those questions (for both freshers and experienced professionals).
Let’s now move to next topic in our series, which you may have been waiting for.
Chapter 3: Answering HR Questions (Click Here).
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This is just Part 2 in our series of ‘HR Interview Mastery Guide‘, we will soon update you with our upcoming Chapters in this series. Till then check out the latest job opening’s which we post daily. Also, share your thoughts in the comment section below. If you found this guide useful then don’t forget to share it with your friends or colleagues.