If you’re about to face an HR interview in the near future , don’t worry! This is just the right place for you! But before we get into the details of the questions & answers, let us look at some basic “Do’s and Don’ts” of an HR Interview, that you should be aware of!
This is one of the first and most-asked questions in 80% of the HR interviews. While the question sounds pretty simple, the answer to it is what can make or break the interviewer’s perception of you.
Now, how do you start off with the answer?
The best way to go about answering this question is –
Remember: Never get too personal in this question. The interviewer would only want to know the professional side of you. Never end up with answers like these….
This question might be asked under two circumstances.
In both of these cases, you need to handle this question really well. If you do so, then in case 1 you’ll crack the interview and in case 2, the interviewer might give you another chance (if impressed by your answer). So keep in mind the below things while you answer:
Have an answer in mind before you go for the interview. Else you will end up with thoughts like this-
Some sample answers are:
1) I want to be more knowledgeable, more responsible and in a much higher position than today.
2) I want to become a very good asset for the company and prove a boon to them through my mettle.
3) In the next 5 years, I would like to be a more skillful, more confident and a reliable person, holding a good position in your organization.
4) “I am a person with very simple needs. The constant curiosity within me is what pushes me to learn new things every single day – be it technology, politics, business, science or arts. Also, this is what makes my answer to this question quite simple. Five years later, I want to see myself gaining more knowledge in various fields. This would also help me contribute more to the company.â€
Before we try to answer this question, it is good to understand the interviewer’s intent behind asking this question. He would want to understand your skills and interests which can help in their company’s growth. So, you can give some strong examples demonstrating your worthiness. A few examples are:
These are just a few examples of how you can strongly demonstrate each of your strengths and show them how much value you could bring to the organization. You can also highlight skills like
Note: Never reply back to this question saying “Why not†or “Why do you think I am not a good fit for this roleâ€.

The toughest part of this question is to express your strengths, without bragging and your weaknesses, without making it sound terrible. You need to carefully answer this question based on the role you have applied for.
If you have applied for a role which involves a lot of teamwork, then demonstrating your ability to work with diverse teams, portraying leadership qualities and handling things with ease, might be a plus. If you have applied for a software developer role and have no interest in coding or being a developer, yet it is not advisable to convey this to the interviewer. Remember that being honest is good but no one would want to hire someone who isn’t interested in the role.
Also, while you tell about your weaknesses it is good to tell them what you have been doing to overcome them.
Some weaknesses that people mention in the interview are:
Some strengths that people can mention in the interviews are:
This is a tricky question too. By choosing one of them, it is evident to the interviewer that you lack the other skill.
A lot of times candidates try to exhibit confidence in themselves and hence choose “Team Leaderâ€. If you fail to justify your work as a team leader then you might end up messing your interview with your confidence. Unless you have some past experiences where you as a team leader achieved great success, it is never advisable to go with this choice.
The interviewer might assume you are bossy and overconfident.
A safe play would be to go with “Team player†as everybody loves a team player. When talking about your teamwork, keep these suggestions in mind:
In order to answer this question, make sure that you visit the website of the company and read about the services they provide, their achievements, their work culture, and their values. Mention any specific detail about that company which is unique only to them. This will show the interviewer that you have done your homework. Ensure that you also go on to tell how the company is making a difference and how the company’s goals are in line with your career goals and plans. You could also talk about their In-house projects and tell them how you will perfectly blend in, given your skill sets and creative drive.
You could also be asked to talk about your short-term goals and your long-term goals or the panelists could also ask you the most dreaded question of all “Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?â€
It’s essentially the same question but it has been phrased differently. You should have answers which are well thought of and customised for each of these questions. You will have to be very specific about your short-term goals which are basically a gist of what you aspire to be in a span of 1 or 2 years.
Here’s a sample answer:
I have learned that long–term goals are best achieved when they are broken into smaller chunks or smaller goals. My short-term goal is to find a position in a green-minded and booming company where I would gain experience and get to hone my skills by partaking in real-world scenarios. My long-term goals would depend on where the company goes. I would like to take up a leadership role where I can continue to contribute to the company’s growth.
Note: You should give the interviewer the expression that you are planning on staying for a while.
This is one of the most important questions in an HR Interview. As a fresher, you shouldn’t be very picky about the salary or CTC. You should tell them that you are interested in learning and that you are in it for the experience and not for the money. So, don’t mention any number. You can ask them to pay you according to the company norms and regulations. This is the safest answer to give.
This question is put forward in every interview especially if the company is an MNC. A positive answer like “Yes, I would be willing to relocate” is expected for this question. Although if you have a strong and genuine reason for not being able to relocate, you should be very honest about it, disclose it then and there. It is better to be upfront about it than to cut a sorry figure later.
Sometimes, just to check how you handle pressure, the interviewers can further ask you what you would do if your parents don’t permit you to relocate. This is usually asked to check your composure and your ability to think on your feet. As long as you don’t say anything that can do a serious damage, you should be fine. But it would be great if you could tell them how you will be able to convince your parents or if it is otherwise, you should be able to justify your answer.