HR Manager (Human Resources) Interview Questions & Answers

Human resources managers (HR managers) plan, coordinate and direct the administrative functions of an organization.

Interviewers look for candidates that demonstrate excellent skills such as:

• Communication skills
• Organizational skills
• Leadership skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Decision-making skills

In this blog, we discuss commonly asked interview questions during job interviews for HR Manager (Human Resources) positions. We also discuss the qualities that interviewers look for in successful candidates. In other words, we’re here to help you out!

Also, read more about frequently asked job interview questions here and check our job interview preparation checklist.

Skills Interviewers Look For In Successful Candidates

Below we discuss the skills you can highlight in your answers to demonstrate that you’re qualified for the job.

Communication skills

Why interviewers are interested in your communication skills:

Human resources managers need strong speaking, writing, and listening skills to give presentations and direct their staff.

Learn more about communication interview questions and how to answer them!

Decision-making skills

Why interviewers are interested in your decision-making skills:

Human resources managers must be able to balance the strengths and weaknesses of different options and decide the best course of action.

Interpersonal skills

Why interviewers are interested in your interpersonal skills:

Human resources managers regularly interact with people, such as collaborating on teams and must develop working relationships with their colleagues.

Related: What Does a Director of People Operations Do?

Leadership skills

Why interviewers are interested in your leadership skills:

Human resources managers must coordinate work activities and ensure that staff complete the duties and responsibilities of their department.

Learn more about leadership interview questions and how to answer them!

Organizational skills

Why interviewers are interested in your organizational skills:

Human resources managers must be able to prioritize tasks and manage several projects at once.

Learn more about organizational interview questions and how to answer them!

(source: bls.gov)

HR Manager (Human Resources) Job Interview Questions & Answers

During a job interview, the hiring manager wants to discuss several things. Think of your:

• Employment history
• Skills and abilities
• Accomplishments
• Job qualifications
• Educational background
• Career goals
• Personality

Below you find a list of commonly asked interview questions.

Examples Of General HR Manager (Human Resources) Interview Questions

1. Tell me about yourself.
2. How would you describe yourself?
3. Why do you want to work here?
4. What interests you about this position?
5. Walk me through your resume.
6. What motivates you?
7. Why are you leaving your current job?
8. Describe your work ethic.
9. What is your greatest strength?
10. How does your experience qualify you for this job?
11. What is your greatest weakness?
12. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
13. Tell me about a challenging work situation and how you overcame it.
14. What are your expectations for this position?
15. What are your career goals?
16. Why should we hire you?
17. What did you like most about your last position?
18. What did you like least about your last position?
19. How do you handle stress?
20. What is your greatest accomplishment?

Learn how to answer these common job interview questions!

Examples Of Specific HR Manager (Human Resources) Behavioral Interview Questions

Learn more about answering behavioral interview questions by using the STAR interview technique.

1. As an HR manager, how would you describe your management style? Can you give me an example that demonstrates your style of management?
2. Give me an example of how you drive results as a human resources manager.
3. Tell me about a time you had to lay someone off or fire somebody. What is your view on job terminations?
4. Describe a time you had to deviate from an HR policy. What happened? Why was that the right decision?
5. Give me an example of a difficult situation you had with an employee. How did you handle it? What did you learn from it?
6. Tell me about a time you had to resolve a conflict in the workplace. How did you handle it?
7. Give me an example of your ideal onboarding process and how it improves a new employee’s experience.
8. Give me an example of how you deal with unethical situations. What went wrong? What concrete actions did you take?
9. How do you stay current and ensure compliance with labor laws?
10. What are the general qualities you look for in a new hire? Can you give me an example?

Learn more about questions to ask the interviewer during your job interview.