How Do You Tackle Tough Interview Questions Like "Why HR?" and "Why This City?"

Hi everyone,

Recently, I attended an interview where I was taken aback by some of the questions that were asked to me. Some of them are:

- "Why HR?"
- "Why Recruitment?"
- "Why Hyderabad?"
- "You don't know the local language, how can you expect yourself to survive in the city?"

Can anyone please provide me with some tips on how to answer these questions?

Thank you,
Sanjeev

Hi,

Don't get baffled by such questions. Even if they appear to be offensive, treat them kindly as the interviewer's curiosity!

The "why" of anything a man does shows his motivation or purpose to do that thing. If you specifically say, "I want to do recruitment," then the interviewer may want to legitimately find out your motivation behind your specific choice. Nothing wrong about it! Nothing wrong about your choice either, so long as you can offer cogent reasons (that may not satisfy the interviewer - and that is a different matter). Your answers reveal if you have thought of the future when you make specific choices.

What happens often is that a candidate's first priority is a job, and he is willing to not worry about the job contents. He feels that if he can demonstrate definitively that he likes the job with all its concomitants, then the interviewer may be pleased and may award the job to such a candidate. For example, a rather uninitiated candidate invariably says that he likes to "meet people" while being interviewed for a sales function. While this may be a true feeling, it will not necessarily get you the job.

The interaction during the interview needs to be steered carefully and skillfully even by the candidate for success. But more about that later!

In your case, the interviewer was merely trying to find out the reasons for your liking any specific function. We have to learn to handle such questions tactfully, and that is a matter of training and experience!

Clear?

Regards,

Samvedan

September 20, 2006

Hi Samvedan,

Thank you for your reply. You have justified why a recruiter asks such questions and the importance of candidates responding tactfully. I would appreciate it if you could provide me with some good examples of how to answer those questions.

Thank you,
Sanjeev

Hey, don't worry. If anyone asks you questions like these, just answer with confidence. Tell them why you want to join this industry (your own reason). Basically, they are just checking your confidence level. Don't worry.

Hi,

Look, you know your reality best!

It's no use trying to bluff your way through an interview!

I will suggest answers to the questions stated by you, but the answers will be mine (based on my reality), and you may not be able to use these answers if they do not represent your reality. Therefore, your answers should reflect your reality. I am doing this exercise only so that you will be able to frame your responses to these and similar other questions in interviews. Here goes......

Why HR?

I have always been comfortable dealing with people in various situations. That led me to acquire formal training in this area, enhancing my comfort levels in dealing with people. Being the only animate resource, there are unlimited possibilities of getting the best out of people, and the challenge in attempting to do that attracts me.

(If any of these fit your reality, you may structure your answers accordingly!)

Why Recruitment?

It is virtually impossible to know the entirety of a human personality at any given time. Human beings are growing and changing all the time. They are learning newer skills to transform their destinies. They are constantly responding to the environment they are put in. Under these conditions, recruitment assumes great responsibility towards the organization as well as the people that you want to make a part of the organization. All one's understanding of human personalities and the organizational environment now and as it may transform in the future is challenged when you make a decision to recruit someone. I will enjoy such challenges. The right recruitment will mean that I have rendered useful service to the organization. Other functions also offer such and perhaps even greater challenges, but I find, at my present stage and age, the challenges of recruitment will be greatly satisfying.

(If any of these fit your reality, you may structure your answers accordingly!)

Why Hyderabad?

If you do not know the local language, how do you expect to survive in this city?

(Why don't you try to answer these two questions and mail me so that I may be able to know how you have understood your reality and how well your answers are reflecting your reality?

Give it a try, please, and gain the confidence to handle such questions better.

Regards,

Samvedan

September 20, 2006

Hi,

You can try these answers also -

Why HR?

Right from birth, I have been longing to be in HR. Now there is a chance. I am born to be in HR. So, you can't ask me why. I am sure you came to this profession by sheer accident. That's why you want to know why people are choosy.

Why Recruitment?

I am not familiar with Labor Laws, Payroll processing, OD, or any hardcore HR job and such stuff. Recruitment is very important because unless you recruit people, you won't have people to manage or work with. Moreover, that's a very easy job. I can be contacting consultants, browsing job sites, and releasing recruitment ads, etc. In the process, I stand a chance to be recruited by a better company.

Why Hyderabad?

Because your company is in Hyderabad. I don't mind if you shift your office to Secunderabad. I will then be in Secunderabad, and I hope you will not ask me 'Why Secunderabad?'

How will you survive without knowing the local language?

I am more concerned about my growth than my survival. Just for survival, you don't need the local language or indeed any language at all.

Jeeva.

Hi Samvedan, thank you for taking the time to answer those two questions. You are absolutely correct when you say that the answer should be based on my reality. I completed my MBA at The Oxford College of Business Management in Bangalore. After finishing my 4th-semester exams, I came to Hyderabad for job hunting. I left Bangalore because I was not comfortable staying there; my native place is far from Bangalore, and I had very few relatives there, which sometimes made me feel lonely. That's why I chose Hyderabad as a place to stay since it is closer to my home.

During the interview, the interviewer was curious why I left Bangalore after completing the course. I thought I might seem silly if I said I was missing home. Do you think admitting that I missed my home would decrease my chances, as it might be perceived as a weakness?

Hi,

I personally do not find anything wrong in your wanting to be closer to your home, but some interviewers may not appreciate this.

You have the right to choose a place to work, but when you face a conflict between such a choice and the requirements of your career, the interviewers or seniors, if you are employed, could draw adverse inferences regarding whether you are the type who would sacrifice a career for personal preferences.

You can overcome this predicament by being tactful without falsification. For example, you could say something like, "I am willing to go where my career will take me. However, for the next couple of years, due to family circumstances (at this stage, invent some rational yet appealing reasons), I need to be here (mention the place). After that, I am willing to move, etc."

This type of response generally assures the interviewers that there is nothing wrong with the candidate's preferences.

In life, you manage situations with the help of facts and tact, and overall, you will succeed.

Cheers!

Regards,

Samvedan

September 20, 2006

Hi Samvedan,

I have rarely come across such helpful answers to the queries posed by interviewers.

However, candidates must be prepared to respond to other questions when the interviewer wishes to delve more deeply into the answers provided. This may be challenging unless the candidate engages in significant introspection at home before the interview, considering how to address such additional questions if they arise.

Ideally, the candidate should empathize with the interviewer and ponder, "If the candidate has answered xyz, then what else would I need to know to gauge the authenticity of his/her response..."

and then tailor their answers accordingly.

It's not easy, but if a candidate takes the time to prepare adequately, they will certainly leave a positive impression on the interviewer!

Jeeva,

Your suggested answers are amusing - while they may not secure the position, they will undoubtedly bring a smile to the interviewer's face!

Keep it up!

Jeroo

Hi Sanju,

Why don't you post your own answers here, and let the seniors tell you what is right/wrong with them? That way, you would have a good learning experience also. Just a suggestion... all the best.

Warm regards,
Devjit

Hi,

You can try these too -

Why HR?

During my degree course, I analyzed the various career options available to me. I was not in a professional course like BE or MBBS or BPharm. Then, you have options like CA, ACS, or ICWA if you want to pursue a specific profession in life. I do not have aptitude for doing CA or ICWA, etc. I could see HR emerging as a rewarding profession and there is a future for it. I found doing a course in HR and having a career in HR exciting to me. So, I decided to join MBA-HR, and now I am looking to start my career in my chosen field. And, my genuine interest in people management, developing interpersonal skills, communication skills, and leadership qualities match with my ambition to be in HR.

Why Recruitment?

You have many people in other HR domains like Personnel Management, Legal Compliance, Performance Management, Payroll, and Employee Relations. Though all of these functions have some strategic value, getting the right people for the right job is more challenging. If one does it, the organization will have fewer problems and more productivity. Any problem is not a problem. It is only the lack of ability of the people to resolve. So, the right people can make a great difference. To get the right people in the right jobs in the right numbers at the right time, we should have the right recruitment solutions and a good recruiter. That's where recruitment becomes critical. While other HR functions confine themselves mostly within the organization, Recruitment has to go beyond the organization searching for talents everywhere. With the kind of scarcity in human capital and the increasing salary levels in our country, I will not be surprised if Recruitment emerges as an exclusive field of specialization in India, and the conventional HR departments will have nothing to do with recruitment. We may have Recruitment departments in the future in India apart from the HR dept. This is the right time for me to gain entry into this field if I need to grow in this field with tremendous potential for future growth.

Why Hyderabad?

I prefer to be in the south during the initial years of my career before I venture to move anywhere in India. I think Hyderabad, with its multilinguistic culture, can groom me for that kind of flexibility if your company may also need it from me and even for travels to North Indian cities on recruitment assignments.

How will you survive without knowing the local language in Hyderabad?

You are talking about survival. When it comes to the question of survival, people learn new things fast. I am not an exception to that. I will be naturally compelled to learn the local languages, and I will learn them naturally. I know a few friends who have done so.

Jeeva.

Hi Jeeva,

You have provided good answers. In fact, I can relate my own career path to some of the points you have come up with. You have mentioned that Hyderabad is a multilingual culture; definitely, that's one of the reasons I am here. Now, it's very important that I shouldn't fake my answers, but at the same time, it's also crucial that I do not portray myself as a weak character. I am sure questions like "why HR?" and "why Hyderabad?" are bound to come up in most of the interviews that I will be attending in the future. So, it's important that I should be prepared with those, and your answers have definitely given me an idea as to how to answer those.

Thanks a lot,
Sanjeev

Hi Samvedan,

By observing all your replies, I can conclude one thing: you want me to be honest while answering those questions rather than providing ready-made answers, and at the same time, you expect me to be tactful. Right?

Thanks,
Sanjeev

Hi, Jeeva,

Your latest post was excellent - extremely thoughtful and equivalent to Samvedan's posts in quality!

Jeeva and Samvedan,

Why don't we and like-minded professionals add to this site in CiteHR to help aspiring candidates to appear for interviews? I do know most graduates (and even junior executives) have very little knowledge of what to expect at an interview, and almost no idea of how to prepare for it!

For instance, at my training sessions, I tell them how to prepare themselves for an interview. I ask them to obtain as much information as they can about the organization through its websites, through industry analytical surveys, through business magazine articles on the industry, its growth prospects, its problems/successes, etc., and in Mumbai, through entries in the Bombay Stock Exchange Directory. If they know someone who is already working there, they could obtain info about the organization's culture, HR and OD practices, etc. It's hard work, but it pays excellent dividends.

They should study the job profile, understand reporting relationships, the responsibilities involved, what qualifications/experience are desirable/essential, and find out how best they themselves could fit in, what the future prospects are, etc. The advertisement/recruitment consultants involved should be able to fill in the gaps, but if they can gather more information through interaction with employees in the same function in other organizations/the same organization, nothing like it.

Jeeva and Samvedan, if you feel these types of postings could be useful, please let me know, so you and I can add on more helpful data about how to conduct oneself during the interview, probable questions that may come up, particularly strengths and weaknesses, etc.

Looking forward to your replies.

All the best,

Jeroo

Hi Jeroo,

In fact, I was conducting mock interview sessions for MBA, BE, and Polytechnic students, and my experience is that really the youngsters need guidance. I will be glad to make whatever contributions possible from my side. I will be happy to join your efforts.

Jeeva.

Hi Sanju,

One thing you should keep in mind is not to be anxious about the offer as the result of the interview. You will get an offer from the most appropriate company. So, you are only going in search of that company. Don't worry about it. So, during all the interviews stay natural, confident, and cool, but without appearing to be casual or overconfident. With anxiety detached from your mind, you WILL get natural and meaningful answers. If those right answers are not convincing to the interviewer, then he is not your employer. It may not be the best place for you. Someone at some point in time will listen to you, get convinced, and make an offer to you.

All the best. Jeeva.

Hey all,

So, Mr. Jeeva, now you get it all. All this time, you were pulling my leg, huh? But after going through this thread, I know there are certainly many things I can and will learn from you, buddy.

My hi to Samvedan and Jerroo. Sanju buddy, count me in. We're in the same boat. Let's work together.

Regards,
Dheeraj
:D

OK, all!

Some hints for candidates before they actually appear for an interview:

- Go through business magazines, the organization's website, industry reports in economic newspapers (in Mumbai, we have the Bombay Stock Exchange Directory which gives excellent coverage of the industry as well as individual organizations - see if you can find a copy to refer to in your own city or a similar site, etc.) to find out as much as you can about the organization you have applied to; if you know someone working there, find out about its future plans, its culture, anything that might be useful. Do all this at least a day or two before the interview.

- Find out about the job content - either from the organization's website or from the advertisement/recruitment agent, and study the minimum and preferable qualifications and/or experience a candidate is expected to have. If you need to know more about one or more responsibilities mentioned, refer to the internet or to senior friends and acquaintances for more details. At the interview, state you have no experience in those areas but that you have referred to the web and that you will have no difficulty picking these up at work.

- Go to bed early the night before the interview and have a good sleep. You mustn't feel stressed out.

- At least a few days before the interview, check out the clothes you are going to wear. Have they been laundered and freshly re-ironed? Do they fit (this is not a silly question - you may have put on/lost weight)? Have your shoes been properly cleaned, and are they in good shape (they should not be torn or in need of repairs)? Is your hair recently cut/styled? Are your nails neatly trimmed and (important) clean?

Avoid greasy/dirty hair - hair must be shampooed on the same or the previous day; avoid glaring, ill-matched colors and clothes; preferably be smart and casual - don't overdress or underdress with sloppy t-shirts; avoid jangly jewelry; wear minimal makeup (girls); do not wear powerful scents, deodorants, etc. - just enough to make you smell nice (not powerfully!); don't carry too much with you - just the bare essentials - your biodata, copies of your certificates (minimal), blank pages, etc.; carry a handkerchief in your pocket/purse so that you do not go in for the interview with sweating hands - dry them before you enter.

- Find out the place of the interview in advance; take a trip to find out how much time it will take you to reach there; on the interview day, leave the house with at least half an hour to spare; do not reach there too early.

OK, I have given you enough to start with!

Let me have your comments. Does anyone wish to add more?

Till then,

Jeroo

I posted these tips for Successful Interview long back, thought of sharing with you all, Although I'm much junior to Jerro Ma'm, Samvedan and Jeeva, but still I thought I could share some good tips, which I tell my students in Various institutes.

Here we go..............

BEFORE THE INTERVIEW

• Learn about the company and its operation. You'll impress the interviewer if it is obvious you've done some research. It will also help you develop good answers to the interviewer's questions.

• Information you should know about the company prior to your interview:

o Organizational structure

o Name of the interviewer

o Divisions/departments that interest you

o Areas they are eliminating

o Products/Services

o Training Programs

o Size of company

o Career paths

o How long have they been in business

o Types of clients

o Growth in the past and future potential

o Job description & job title

o New products and services they are developing

o Employee benefits

o Geographic location of home office, branches, stores

• Resources for this information:

o Company's annual report

o Literature produced by company

o Information interview

o Inside source

o Professional journals (library)

o Magazine articles

o Website

• Prepare answers to typical interview questions. Study and practice your answers.

• Decide what you will wear. Be sure your outfit is ready to go.

• Find out exactly where you are going, where to park, and how long it will take to get there If you are travelling in an unfamiliar city, it is a wise idea to do a dry run prior to your interview time. Drive to the business, park, find the escalator and time how long all this takes. This will alleviate any undue stress the day of the interview.

• Get a good night's sleep.

• Arrive 15 minutes early .This not only shows that you are prompt it also gives you a chance to gain your composure. Be friendly to the receptionist/secretary....they often are asked their opinion!

DURING THE INTERVIEW

• Start it off like a winner. Offer your hand, and give a firm handshake, a pleasant smile and a positive confident attitude. Introduce yourself.

• Be comfortable. Take a seat facing the interviewer, however, slightly off center. Be sure you are not facing into direct sunlight or some other uncomfortable situation.

• Listen attentively. Look at the interviewer directly, but don't get into a stare down! Sit up straight. Try to relax. It's okay to take a few notes if the questions are lengthy.

• Avoid nervous mannerisms. Pay attention to nervous mannerisms you might have such as clicking your pen, jingling change in your pocket, twisting your hair, biting your nails. Control these impulses! Everyone is nervous to some extent, the key is to appear calm and collected.

• Speak clearly. Use good grammar and a friendly tone. Never answer just "yes" or "no" to a question. Always clarify, expand on your answers. Be sure not to ramble on.

• Be positive and enthusiastic. You want to outshine all other candidates so "turn it on" during the interview! No matter how sterling your credentials are, you won't be hired if the interviewer isn't sold. Pump up your enthusiasm prior to the interview. Never whine, gripe or complain about past employers, jobs, classes etc.

• Ask pertinent questions. Be prepared to ask a few questions. Do not monopolize the interviewer's time, particularly if you know they have appointments scheduled following your interview. Do ask thoughtful questions. Don't ask about salary and benefits, this can be discussed when the company is definitely interested in you!

• Here's a sampling of questions you might ask.

o What are the company's greatest strengths?

o In what areas it the company trying to improve?

o Who will I report to?

o Could you give some examples of projects I would be working on?

o How much travel is involved?

o Will relocation be required?

o What kind of assignments could I expect in the first 6 months?

o What products (or services or stores) are in the development stage?

o Is this a new position or will I be replacing someone?

o What is the largst single problem facing your company now?

o What qualities are you looking for in a candidate?

o What characteristics do successful employees in your company share?

o Is there a lot of team work?

o Describe the advancement opportunities.

o What growth areas do you foresee?

o Will I be encouraged to attend professional conferences?

o Could you describe your training program?

o How frequently are performance appraisals done?

o How do you feel about the company?

o Could you describe possible advancements within the company?

o What is the next step in the interview process?

o What is the company's management philosophy?

o What would a typical day be like?

o How much contact is there with management?

o Is this job a result of increased growth or expansion?

• Watch for cues the interview is over. Don't linger if you sense the interviewer is done interviewing you. When it is over, stand up, thank the interviewer for their time and shake hands firmly. Don't forget to express interest in being hired. Say you are impressed with the company and would like to work there.

• Be sure to find out the next step. Ask the interviewer when the decision will be made, when you can expect to hear from them. This way you won't be left hanging.

Hope it will be of help.

Cheers

Archna