HR INTERVIEW

Going into HR interview, you can be relaxed and feel free. But for few candidates HR section seems difficult. Usually HR interviewer will be a lady, so don’t get distracted. Just concentrate on her questions and your answers. This is very crucial stage of your life; if you stay focussed and perform well you will enjoy your future. There are many questions that HR managers from different companies ask. Let me list some of the questions and answers in a format, which I think, can be better ones. There can be hundreds of good answers, which can be given, based on your views, thoughts, personality, goals, expectations and finally the mood.
1) How was the written test?
 Sir, it was easy. I think I did well.
2) Tell me about yourself?
 Well, I was born in Dehradun. My father is Canara Bank Manager and mother is a housewife. I did my primary education in Royal Convent. My father was transferred to Banglore, when I was 14. I joined Kendriya Vidyalaya. I scored well in 10th with 95% aggregate for which I got CBSE scholarship. I did my 12th in the same school with 90% aggregate. When I was in 12th, I had participated in national level science exhibition held at Hydrabad. I wrote CET and secured 729 rank, even though I had got medical seat I took B.E. (Mechanical) in NIE …………. .
[In between they may ask questions about the scholarship you got and the exhibition you participated.]
3) Why did you leave medical seat?
 Right from my 10th standard I was interested in maths and I really didn’t enjoy biology labs. I wanted to learn the technology and do something in the technical field. So I opted engineering.
4) O.K. After scoring good marks at PU why did you score less in engineering?
 Sir, in PU we had 5-6 subjects to be studied in 14 months. But in engineering we have four-month semester and we need to study 8 subjects per semester. Moreover the labs are like lottery. If no output, then fail. So there is luck factor playing its part in engineering. Yes, I think I could have studied still well and could have performed still better.
5) Why do you want to work in a software company?
 When I took the seat in mechanical I didn’t know about software. But afterwards I thought, I better could have taken computer science branch because software is the fastest growing industry where one can build his career faster. Moreover I am flexible and efficient which make me suitable for learning the changing technologies faster and give my best.
[For mechanical or electronics companies]
 Sir, I wanted to study some core, solid field of engineering, so I chose the evergreen branch, Mechanical. After studying the technical concepts for 4 years, now I want to see how these subjects are applied in the industry. So I want to work in the field that I have studied and give my best to the company I am working in.
6) Why do you want to join our company?
 I have realized that software is the field where I can make a point. So basically I want to join a software firm like yours that works globally on cutting edge technologies and expose its employees to all the fields, which help the employees to excel.
[If the company is small like IVEGA, ONMOBILE, ITTIUM etc.]
sir, since your company is small, it can give every attention to each of your employees so that one gets to know all the things that’s happening in the company unlike some big firms like INFOSYS where some group is given some task and they are not allowed to see what’s happening on the other side. So one can grow faster in a smaller company like yours. So I prefer to work in your company.
[If the company is big like INFOSYS, TCS etc]
Sir, it makes me proud that there are few Indian companies which are global leaders today. The phenomenal growth of your company in last couple of years only speaks volume about your company. Yours is a SEI CMM level-5 company that gives its employees not only a challenging career, but also a rich work culture and rich values. I just want to be a part of that.
7) What do you expect from the company?
 Freedom! The company should give its employees the freedom of thoughts, ideas and proposals so that one is not restricted to something. One should be allowed to share his views on the things going on in the company so that both the employees and the company get benefited. By this the company can spot the areas in which an employee is good at and can extract good results by making him work on that area.
[Or you can say]
The company should encourage those who perform well and provide growth opportunities. It also can work on strengthening the employee relationship. I think a company should be like a family.
8) What are your strengths or why should we hire you only?
[You can say your strength with respect to the company but there are 4 things that a company usually expects from you. They are hard work, efficiency, flexibility and teamwork]
 I am efficient and flexible. I can learn faster and deliver faster which is required in software industry.
[You can say you are enthusiastic, creative, confident, have leadership qualities, communication skills, organisation skills, good memory etc, but support your answers with relevant examples. Here don’t try to bluff, if you want to bluff do it intelligently with proper expressions and emotions. For that you need to be an actor. You will win only when you out think your opponent. Out thinking is to know what the opponent is thinking and thinking beyond him. Wasim Akram had the ability to out think the batsmen and take them out with his variations. Sachin outthinks not only the bowler but even the opposite captain by improvising his shots. Vishwanathan Anand has to do the same thing.
In an interview you need not defeat the interviewers but anticipate what they are expecting, what they are thinking about you and accordingly deliver the goods based on you and your preparation. It’s not as complex as it looks. Believe me.]
9) What weakness do you have?
 Well, I think I underestimate myself at times. (Or) I need to still improve in my communication skills. I am working on that. At times, I act carelessly, so I try to motivate myself always.
[Don’t tell too many weaknesses, one or two are enough. Also mention the ways to overcome your weaknesses]

10) What really motivates you?
 [Say who really motivates you]
The achievements and sacrifice of all the great people in all the fields motivates me to do best in my field. The sheer thought of excelling in technical field and becoming a recognized individual in the industry motivates me.
[or]
The way my parents are struggling to educate me and their hope & blessings motivates me (or) Bill Gate motivates me (or) I am self-motivated.


Who is your role model?
[You can say anybody but you should know what you like about him or her]
[I had said]
My role models are Sachin and Shahrukh Khan, because apart from their talent they worked hard and dedicated themselves to their field and rose to stardom right from the scratch. I mean to say, they justified their talents to the full extent. I like their consistency [You can say Bill Gate, Narayan Murthy, Sports persons. Your Father, Scientist, politician or anybody. By the way many say, east or west ‘Vivekananda’ is best]
11) Your Hobbies?
[They see your resume or bio data and ask about whatever is written there. So prepare well thought resume. About hobbies say some quality hobbies (of course you should cultivate them) like writing articles, quizzing, organizing tournaments or competitions, knowing new cars, meeting new peoples and places, singing, sports, etc.
Eighty percent of students write, ‘reading books and playing cricket’. Please avoid these two options as they have become default and moreover interviewers will be fed up seeing same hobbies again and again. So don’t put up something that makes interviewers boring and lose interest in you. You need to out think and present yourself as an interesting, curious, fresh and raring to go kind of candidate.
12) What are your future goals?
 Right now I want to get into a good software/hardware/mechanical company like yours, stick to the company forever and grow along with the company.
13) O.K. What about your higher studies?
 Sir, after my engineering I just want to get into the industry, see how it works and how I work in it. So I am not opting for higher studies at this stage. And also, as I am from a middle class family my parents can’t afford for my higher studies.
14) Are you comfortable with our two-year agreement?
 Yes sir, I am pretty comfortable with that.
Like this some companies may pour hundreds of questions. So don’t be impatient, show them that you have temperament and patience to work hard. Be modest and down to earth. Some companies may ask just a couple of HR questions, you should know earlier itself what you are going to speak. The people who can speak well without preparation are very very rare.
Interviewers may ask some unexpected complex questions like:
1) Consider yourself as C. E. O., what do you do for growth of the company?
2) How can you improve employee relationships in the company?
3) What can you do to avoid sexual harassment in the company?
4) You said you are innovative; you better suit to join a product company rather than our services company.
5) You being weak in communicating skills do you expect you will get the job?
Take a breath, take your time to think and answer in a positive and optimistic way. Don’t leave hope or surrender at any stage.
Companies ask whether you have friends and enjoy their company. This is to test whether you can work in a team. So always say you have pretty good number of friends and you enjoy their company. Never ever agree to work alone.
I forgot to tell one thing, about imaging again. The day prior to the interview you sit alone and rehearse the interview. It’s like taking your interview by yourself. Ask HR questions to yourself and answer them loudly as you do in an interview. You can anticipate even technical questions and rehearse. This technique is very, very effective. Don’t think that you are the only one who has to do this; even ‘Amitabh Bachchan’ rehearses before acting.
By the end of the interview you will get the clue whether you stand the chance or not. Even if you don’t have hope don’t leave the centre, wait till the results are announced. Koun jane Khuda ko aapka kounsa sajda pasand ajaae!