Top 15 interview questions for HR manager

Human Resources Management is the process of hiring, recruiting, deploying, and managing an organization’s human capital. HRM is a strategic and coherent approach to managing employees in an organization effectively and efficiently. The human resource department is responsible for devising, implementing, and overseeing policies and procedures to govern workers and enhance the productivity of the organizations.  

The scope of a career in human resources is extensive and certainly not exhaustive. It is a very dynamic field, and one should never be concerned about future job opportunities in the HR field. The need for skilled and experienced HR professionals is increasing day by day. 

An HR Manager must be equipped with good interpersonal skills and knowledge of human resources processes. When interviewing and recruiting a human resource manager, there are some HR questions to ask which would be vital to gauge and assess their suitability for the job. Let’s check some interview questions for HR positions. 

You can also read: Why is an MBA in HR a top choice for many students? 

What are the duties of an HR manager? 

• Recruitment and staffing: Managing the hiring process from job posting to selection. 
• Onboarding and orientation: Facilitating the integration of new employees. 
• Employee relations: Addressing conflicts, providing counsel, and overseeing disciplinary actions. 
• Compensation and benefits: Managing pay structures and employee benefit programs. 
• Performance management: Administering performance appraisals, goal setting, and feedback. 
• Policy development and compliance: Creating HR policies and ensuring legal adherence. 
• HR administration: Maintaining employee records and documentation. 
• Talent development: Identifying training needs and promoting employee growth. 
• Health and safety: Ensuring workplace safety and health programs. 
• Employee engagement: Fostering a positive work environment and measuring employee satisfaction. 
• Succession planning: Identifying future leaders and planning for leadership transitions. 

Check out: How an MBA prepares you for various HR roles 

How much does an HR Manager earn? 

The role of a HR manager is one of the most important positions in any industry as they are crucial for handling the workforce of a company. They can find employment in diverse industries with good pay packages. A HR Manager in India can earn an annual salary of up to INR 22.4 Lakhs. 

Commonly asked HR manager interview questions 

Read on to learn more about what types of questions are asked in HR interviews: 

• What are your ideal recruiting strategies? 

It is one of the most common interview questions for the human resources manager role. The interviewer wants to know how one handles the most difficult aspect of the job. The hiring approach must display how it aligns with the organization’s practices. 

Example: It is important to advertise on the right channels to hire the best professionals. Apart from the recruiting agencies that we work with, I post jobs on career sites, the company website, and other social media links. Networking sites like LinkedIn also offer a huge insight into the kind of candidates and their expertise.  

• How do you foster a culture of employee engagement and development within an organization? 

Example: You can say that “I believe in fostering an inclusive environment where employees feel valued and have opportunities for growth. At my previous organization, I implemented regular feedback mechanisms, organized skill development workshops, and initiated mentorship programs. I also encouraged a work-life balance, which resulted in increased engagement scores and reduced turnover rates.” 

• Describe your experience with strategic HR planning and its impact on an organization. 

Example: You can answer this by saying, “In my role as an HR manager at ABC Corporation, I actively participated in the development and execution of HR strategies that aligned with the company’s business objectives. I collaborated closely with the senior leadership team to identify talent gaps, succession planning, and workforce restructuring. As a result, we improved workforce productivity and reduced turnover while aligning HR functions with the company’s long-term goals.” 

• What HR software systems are you familiar with? 

While asking this, the interviewer wants to know your familiarity with technology and ability to adapt to different systems and processes. 

Example: I have had the good fortune of working with different HR software systems in my career, and with some training and learning on the go, I will be able to adapt to any software system being used. 

• How can you help our company grow and scale while maintaining diversity? 

It is among the important HR questions to ask that assess the candidate’s skill. With this question, the interviewer wishes to know how you would maintain diversity in a company’s workforce whilst balancing goals. 

Example: Diversity is an important highlight of any organization, and I would make sure that analysis or report on a monthly or half-yearly basis is taken to assess the diverse working groups in the organization. It would help to identify gaps and plug them by implementing corrective measures. 

• How does the work culture affect the performance of employees? 

With the question, the interviewer wants to know what you feel about the concept of work culture. 

Example: Work culture is integral to an organization’s success, and positive work culture in the form of employee benefits, rewards and recognition, training opportunities, and family support enhances work culture. These things bring a positive vibe to the employees and positively affect productivity. 

• What are your cost reduction efforts in your previous organizations? 

With this question, the interviewer wants to know how you deal with costs and manage to balance productivity. 

Example: As a Human Resources professional, I am constantly in touch with the compensation and benefits team to review jobs, salaries, and costs involved. I also liaise closely with the Finance department to make sure that the budget is not overshot and try to address aspects where we need to cut costs. 

• What steps do you take to improve the employee retention rate in your company? 

This question is generally asked to understand how you manage attrition. 

Example: Positive and inclusive feedback, activities for work-life balance, open-ended conversations, investing in growth opportunities to delving deep into exit interviews are some steps to improve employee retention. 

• As an HR Manager, how do you handle job terminations? 

The interviewer wants to know how you would handle redundancy, retrenchments, etc. 

Example: Job terminations are always challenging. I think that it is important to counsel employees more than paperwork. It is important to help them and chalk a path ahead so that they feel valued rather than just being abandoned. 

• How have you handled conflicts within a team or organization? 

This question is asked to test your conflict resolution skills. 

Example: Identify the cause of the issue, bring the concerned parties to the table, lay the facts, and then counsel them. 

• How do you deal with unethical behavior in the workplace? 

This question is to understand how you deal with sensitive issues. 

Example: I would not tolerate unethical behavior; depending on the kind of behavior, I would decide the course of action. Action taken would be in line with the policies and procedures and also involve senior management to gain their approval. 

• Have you ever deviated from a company policy? If so, why? 

This question is to understand how you deal with unpredictable scenarios. 

Example: I have not had to deviate from policies; however, if the situation demands, then I would work out a cause-and-effect scenario. I would consult my senior management to gain their insight into the situation and then make an informed decision. 

• How familiar are you with the latest recruiting trends? 

This question is to see whether you are updated and follow trends in the industry. 

Example: I am always in touch with professionals of the same cadre and continuously attend seminars, conferences, and other online networks, which help me stay updated on changing recruitment trends. 

• As an HR manager, what would you do to drive results for our company? 

This question is targeted at your contributions to the business as an HR Manager. 

Example: From recruiting the best candidate, compensating them, evaluating their performance, offering training and development opportunities to looking after their personal, social, and emotional well-being, I will take every step to drive positive motivation and engagement, which in turn will drive results for the company. 

• Can you give an example of a time when you had to deal with a challenging HR compliance issue? 

Example: At my previous company, we encountered a complex compliance issue related to overtime pay. I collaborated with our legal team and conducted a thorough audit. I identified the root cause, developed a corrective action plan, and trained the HR team and supervisors on the issue to prevent future non-compliance. We successfully resolved the problem and ensured our practices were fully aligned with labor laws.” 

You can also check out: MBA HR course details: A quick guide 

What are some other top job roles in the HR industry? 

A few top roles in the HR industry are: 

• Human Resources Administrator 
• Human Resources Analyst 
• Recruitment and Placement Manager 
• Human Resources Consultant 
• Compensation and Benefits Manager 
• Training and Development Manager 
• Employee Relations Specialist 
• Human Resources Manager 
• Human Resources Director 

Conclusion 

The online MBA in HRM from Manipal University Jaipur is a comprehensive educational experience that is aimed at developing skill sets and knowledge to establish or advance your career in the human resources field. With the online MBA program, you can become an effective leader. You can now choose HRM as an elective and boost your chances of gaining potential and the much-needed entry into human resources. Irrespective of the career you aspire- talent manager, human resources manager, compensation manager, an MBA in HRM will help you hone the skill sets needed to secure a suitable role in an organization. 

To know more, check out: Important concepts to learn during an MBA in Human Resource