HR Business Partner Interview Preparation Guide

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If you are interviewing for the post of an accountant, it is okay to say that your language skills are not very good. Though they do not hamper the discharge of your duties in any significant manner, add that you are working to address this weakness because you realize that good language skills are necessary at work.

"Amongst the feedback I received, I was told that I wasn’t assertive enough. Though I was performing well at my job and meeting targets, my boss once told me that I would do even better if I was more assertive at the workplace," is a good way to position a weakness in a constructive manner.

"While working for one of my previous employers, there was something I required from another department. Instead of speaking to the department head, I told a member of the team who was my friend. I expected him to go and tell his boss about it, but he didn’t. As a result, the goods weren't delivered and we missed our target date. There was a great deal of confusion over the episode but thankfully it was all sorted out. From that day on, in all professional matters, I make it a point to communicate directly with the department head," is a good response.

Come up with a tactful reason as to why you're leaving. It could be your desire to take on more responsibility and grow in a career, relocate, make a career change or improve your work/life balance. Never badmouth your current employer; if you do, you'll come across as immature.
Why should we hire you, when your academic performance is poor?
Given that Wipro is one of the few tech companies where the 60% marks eligibility rule doesn’t apply, you may be asked to explain a lukewarm academic performance. The best way to handle this is to say you prioritise practical expertise over bookish knowledge. Draw attention to any projects that you may have undertaken that have helped shape your understanding of the field or any internships you may have done. You can also talk about participating in extra-curricular activities like sports or college festivals, which have helped you build soft skills that are essential to succeed at work.

This question serves two purposes. First, you get to see if the candidate will be a good fit with your company’s culture. Second, the candidate’s answer may bring some insights on how to shape the company to be a better workplace.

What the recruiter really wants to know is why the candidate thinks he or she should be hired, said Sameer Khanna, head of HR at Ericsson. So if you are asked this question, describe your skills but don’t make the mistake of hard-selling yourself or going over the top with the answer. “Talk about what you can bring and tie that in with the specifications of the role itself so that the interviewer knows you’ve properly understood the job description,” said Khanna. Another great way to answer this tricky question is to highlight skills from your resume that would be appropriate for the role you are being interviewed for. “Most resumes are two-three pages long, so picking up the most essential and relevant parts would contribute to a great answer,” said Khanna.

My greatest satisfaction comes when I’m able to deliver a solution to a complex problem. Even better, I’m thrilled when I observe, through my advice and counsel, that a leader comes to a decision on his or her own by simply talking through a complicated situation.

I would say that my forte is business transformation. I am not a policy or procedural HR Business Partner, but instead, I like to roll up my sleeves and provide tangible value to a specific issue. I don’t believe in doing something just for the sake of doing it, though. Any action I take must provide positive results and be relevant to the business leaders I support.

HR plays a crucial part in safeguarding ethical practices. This question allows you to know if the candidate has what it takes to be a component HR manager. If you have time, prepare a scenario in case the candidate doesn’t have a relevant, first-hand experience to share, which is possible.

More and more leaders are expecting HR to come up with initiatives to drive business results. This question allows you to better understand the value the candidate could bring to your company.

A hiring manager wants to learn as much about you and what you're like as a person as possible, which is why she/he wants to know what you do outside of work, in your spare time. Note: there are some activities that are better off kept private -- if you 'love to party' or 'play cards', don't mention it. However, stick to passions that are genuine and activities that may indirectly help you achieve success at work. For instance, exercise and fitness-related hobbies can demonstrate energy as well as the ability to manage stress. Volunteer work is a sign of good character and an empathetic nature. Always be prepared for follow-up questions: If you say you love golf, you may be asked what your handicap is.

Go with, "I am extremely proud of the time we worked on a project with XXX company. The selection was a gruelling process, but we managed to land the deal. The company needed services that were of the highest standards and I am proud to say that we surpassed their expectations. In fact, we succeeded in converting them into our regular clients. As project leader, I was extremely proud of this achievement."

☛ What recruiting metrics would you request, if you had to make a quarterly forecast of our hiring needs?
☛ We want to offer flexible working hours for our employees. What policies would you recommend to achieve that goal?
☛ An employee submits a complaint. Describe the steps you’d take to process it.
☛ How would you handle an HR department mistake that resulted in regulatory fines?
☛ What are the pros and cons of implementing an employee referral bonus program?
☛ In your experience, what employer benefits increase employee satisfaction? Why?
☛ How would you structure an onboarding process to be a positive experience?
☛ What HR software have you used? Mention any tools you’re familiar working with, including ATS and payroll systems.
☛ Have you ever experienced conflicts within your team? How did you handle them?
☛ Describe a time you successfully resolved differences between an employee and upper-level management.
☛ How do you stay informed about updates to labor laws?
☛ Give me an example of a time you led a complex HR project from start to finish. How did you do it?

While rules and policies are extremely important in any company, there are times that management needs to be flexible. This question sheds lights on their values, judgement and agility, but of course, it needs to be supported with sound reasons.

I believe that the best HR Business Partners are those who have been successful people leaders in the past.

The list of essential skills is vast: high emotional intelligence, common sense, financial acumen, an ability to juggle and prioritize many tasks, listening skills, coaching skills, a sense of urgency, and strong customer focus. In roles that have a high requirement to understand Labour Relations, it helps to have some background in that field. Having the common sense to know when to engage legal counsel is vital, too.

We tend to be the kind of people who are not satisfied with the status quo. We possess a strong orientation towards understanding not just the entire spectrum of the HR department, but the inner workings of the business units we support.

In case you left because of a conflict with your boss, say differences did not allow you to work well together. Don’t forget to add what you realized in hindsight to show how the incident has helped you grow. Never badmouth your boss; act mature and accept the fact that both of you were responsible for the situation spinning out of control.

Given that Wipro serves clients in 175+ cities across 6 continents, it's very likely you will be asked whether you have a location preference or are willing to work anywhere in India.
You have two options - you can either say you are definitely willing to relocate, which shows that you'll do whatever is necessary to be a part of the company and team. Or, given that relocating is a major life change, you can go with a carefully worded 'maybe'. For e.g., you could say, 'I would love to continue my career in this city, but this position is a great opportunity for me. If relocation is required, I would definitely consider it.’

While you may think this is just another common interview question, this one is especially important for the role in HR as it illustrates how well the candidate handles conflicts, which is one of the most important parts of the job.

It would be a big understatement to say that I am not a fan of organizational restructuring where reductions in people are required. When leaders have to let people go, we often help them to make those difficult decisions. Worse, we are often the witness during the outplacement meeting with the employee.

Maintaining the status quo – rigidly following often outdated policies and procedures – is also not my favourite job. I prefer to deal with loads of change and ambiguity, while delivering fresh approaches and ideas.

An experienced HR practitioner should be ready to talk about the low-down on the industry. The candidate’s answer will give you an idea how well they know about these trends, and whether they have been keeping up with the latest development by citing information from HR newsletters, trade magazines or conferences.

Interviewers ask this question to find out what sets you apart from the other qualified applicants. Don't quote from what is already written on your resume; find something to tell the interviewer that she/he doesn’t already know about you. Don't fret about proving how you are 'unique'; instead, focus on establishing value.
For e.g. you could say, ‘As my resume states, I have over XX years of experience working in XX field. What isn’t stated there is that I am a goal-setter; once I set myself a target at work, I don't stop until I have achieved it. If you hire me, I anticipate helping your company set and achieve goals that will surpass all of your previous records.’

You could answer, "I have wanted to work in this organization for a long time now, so when I heard about a vacancy in your company that fit my profile, I immediately applied for it. I admire the way you successfully combine commerce with socially responsible business and would love to be a part of an organization that looks at business in a holistic manner."

Layoffs and firing are difficult but also inevitable parts in the HR field. By asking this question, you can see what aspects and factors the candidate would consider before resorting to eliminations. For example, a performance improvement plan could be an alternative as suggested in the article. The question will also reveal whether the candidate has the essential communication skills when breaking bad news or making difficult decisions.

Chief human resources officer at ABC said his experience of meeting youngsters is that many of them are not sure whether they understand themselves as individuals and whether they are doing a job that resonates with their inherent strengths. “During our interview process, when I ask candidates about what will give them a sense of fulfilment in their professional life, some of them find it difficult to respond to this question,”.

Every person has their individual management style. That said, depending on how flexible your company allows, the perfect candidate should be able to communicate openness to the established style in your company. After all, the last thing you need is someone who bucks the system without proper justification.

"I see myself having grown both with regard to expertise in my field as well as within the company set-up. I picture myself in a leadership role contributing more to the growth of the organization. At the same time, I also see a tremendous growth in my own skills and capabilities," is a good way to go.