Interviewing HR Candidates: What Key Questions Would You Ask?

Interview Questions for HR Experienced Candidates

What questions would you ask an HR-experienced candidate in an interview if given the chance? Please answer this question as it would be helpful for all of us.

Regards,
Ms. George

Dear Ms. George,

As an experienced HR professional, one does not want to be treated like a fresher. In this case, you can ask questions such as:
- Give me a situation where you had to manage a problematic candidate regarding PF issues, salary disputes, a candidate unwilling to serve notice period but requiring settlement, an employee taking frequent leaves despite warnings, and how you resolved it.
- What procedures do you follow to select the right candidate for the appropriate position?
- If the HR presents procedures that are significantly different (in their unique style), inquire why they believe this approach is necessary.
By asking the first question, you can assess their problem-solving skills and evaluate their ability to think on their feet in challenging situations. When posing the second question, you can gauge the HR professional's level of talent.

Thanks & regards,
Cindrella
CEO
Miracle Placement Bureau

Dear Ms. George,

As an experienced HR professional, you do not want him/her to be treated like a fresher. In this case, you can ask questions such as:

- Give me a situation where you had to manage a problematic candidate in regards to PF issues, salary concerns, a candidate who does not wish to serve the notice period but needs settlement, a candidate who takes frequent leaves despite warnings, and how you managed to resolve it.

- What procedures do you follow to choose the right candidate for the right position? If the HR provides procedures that are entirely different (in their own style), ask why they believe it is necessary to follow those procedures.

By asking the first question, you can analyze how well they handle problems and judge their presence of mind in various situations. Asking the second question will help you understand the HR's level of talent.

Thanks & regards,
Cindrella
CEO
Miracle Placement Bureau

Dear Ms. George,

Pre-Interview Requirements:

1. Organizational chart showing the vacancy role/reporting structure.
2. Job Analysis (Job description & Job Specification).
3. Competency Map.

Without the above three HR tools, the interview will not be fruitful.

During the Interview:

Now, using the Competency map as the base, you may ask questions to the candidate to find out his skills, knowledge, and behavioral traits. The first stage is to determine whether the candidate is successful in threshold competencies. This may be the preliminary interview, and the candidate must satisfy all the requirements of the threshold competency. There is no compromise at this stage.

If the results show positive outcomes, proceed to differentiating competency questions. The candidate's expected performance level will be inferred at this stage based on his scores on the benchmarked anchors. The candidate is expected to score a minimum of 60% at this stage. This will be useful for Training Needs Identification at the initial level.

If the candidate is successful, then explore Rare competencies. At this stage, you will be able to identify whether the candidate is going to be a normal performer or a star performer. This stage will indicate what strategic inputs the candidate is going to provide for his prospective organization.

Post-Interview:

Follow up with a candidate satisfaction questionnaire on Interview Satisfaction. You may conduct this for candidates who score high in Rare competencies.

Regards,

U. Viswanathan

Head - Corporate HR

Jamna Auto Industries Ltd

New Delhi

Understanding Candidate Suitability

Questions are normally designed to determine the suitability of candidates for the vacant position.

To provide a specific answer, it is important to know the employee specifications, the number of people employed, the general culture, the profile of the HR department, etc.

Regards

Preparing for Interview Questions

If this is not your first job, prepare for this question: Why did you leave your last position? Be careful with your comments about your previous company and teammates.

Regards,
KH

Hi All,

I am not an HR professional by background. Currently, I am working as an HR Assistant in an organization with 130 staff in the hospitality industry. However, there is no one here to guide or teach me. I am considering changing my job in this situation. What type of questions might they ask me in an interview? Also, for which position should I apply?

Thanks & Regards, Uma

They could ask questions like:

1. Recruitment process.
2. Payroll Management.
3. Statutory Returns.
4. Welfare Facilities.
5. IR Issues, etc.

Best of luck!

Regards,
Pravin11

For an experienced candidate, I think it again depends on what experience you are looking at.