HR Specialist interview questions and answers
These sample HR Specialist interview questions can help you assess and screen candidates when hiring for senior-level positions in your Human Resources department.
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HR Specialist Interview Questions
HR Specialists oversee all Human Resources operations, including compensation and benefits, performance reviews and employee development.
Candidates for this role usually have an extensive background in HR departments along with relevant certifications (e.g. BSc in Human Resources Management or CIPD qualification.) They should also be familiar with labor legislation. If the role involves administration of insurance plans, consider asking simple questions about healthcare coverage or similar benefits to test candidates’ knowledge.
As with all HR roles, opt for candidates with good people skills. Your future hires will communicate with various internal teams and external partners, so they’ll need to be both professional and pleasant. If the position requires managing a team, evaluate candidates’ leadership skills, as well.
Operational and Situational questions
- What would you include in a parental leave company policy?
- What information would you use to create a quarterly forecast of our hiring needs?
- What benefits would you suggest offering to help improve our employees’ work/life balance, but maintain each team’s productivity?
- What online campaigns would you implement to boost our employer brand?
Role-specific questions
- What Human Resources software have you used? (e.g. for payroll processing and performance evaluation)
- Describe a successful onboarding process for new hires.
- What are the best methods to evaluate salespeople’s performance?
- How do you calculate different turnover rates? (e.g. employees who leave within their first year vs. employees who have been with the company for more than one year.)
Behavioral questions
- How do you make sure employees understand and abide by company policies? Describe a situation where you had to manage one or more employees who didn’t conform to a company policy.
- Describe a time you successfully resolved differences between an employee and upper-level management.
- Have you ever faced regulatory issues at work? (e.g. regarding overtime pay or employee classifications) If so, how did you handle them?
- What resources do you use to stay up-to-date with changes in labor laws?