You have sent countless job applications, perfected your cover letter over a hundred times, prepared all you could, and finally landed the interview you aspired for. However, that’s not the end. Once you walk into the HR room, you will be bombarded with all sorts of questions. You have to answer them and answer succinctly and purposefully. You need to be aware that there shouldn’t be any bluff or any stuttering sentences filled with uncertainties. But, if you don’t know how to respond in the first place, then pause for a moment.
Maybe you still have a few days left for an interview and we all know what it would feel like to lose out on such hard-earned opportunities. Smart hiring managers know how to cherry-pick a prospective candidate out of the pool, which is why you need to prepare beforehand. In today’s post, we have brought you the five toughest HR interview questions for freshers. Check out this article and start preparing early.
The 5 most frequently asked interview questions for Freshers
Now, let’s have a look at the five most tough and frequently asked HR interview questions for freshers:
- What is your greatest weakness?
Strength and weakness questions can sometimes overwhelm even the best of candidates. In this case, you must be aware of how much you are revealing about yourself. Do not mention the most dangerous weakness that might stun the interviewer. At the same time, don’t reveal something that’s silly and can be solvable. The trick here is to maintain a realistic approach to your weaknesses and mention them according to their intensity and relevance.
Say, for example, you struggle with grasping crucial information. The best way to mention this weakness is something like this: “Previously, I have taken in information that was beyond my experience. So, for the last few months, I have been taking communication classes and started tutoring school kids to upgrade my comprehension skills.” According to career experts, most people have a knack for portraying their weakness as a positive trait, which is something that should be avoided. Hiring managers are aware that no employee or even a candidate is perfect. That way, they prefer clear, sound, and honest answers from the potential candidates. Remember that, no matter what you say, you have to impress the interviewer with your answer.
- Why should we hire you?
HR interview questions for freshers can be difficult. With questions such as this, it can toggle your mind to extreme corners. Sometimes, you may doubt whether what you said is even true, which in turn may backfire on you and shatter your confidence. Career experts say that candidates should take out time to analyse and segregate skills that support the skills and expectations mentioned in the job description. Another way could be to tie your strengths and skills to the requirements of the job description. This will provide you with more grounds to further explain what your skillsets are and how you achieved them.
- Can you explain this gap in your resume?
Though this question often applies to people who are employed, inexperienced candidates aren’t exempt from facing this question. Most of the time, people get fired or laid off due to various reasons. However, in your case, if you have dropped off a year for educational purposes or just to assess your career path, mention it directly. There are several circumstances and priorities that can pop up at any time. When faced with this question, maintain a clear, short, and direct response. Change the angle of your response to a more positive side. For example, you might have had to drop a year due to a financial crisis, or a health scare. Focus on what you have learned during that period. Share a few experiences of your family life and about yourself, and lastly, sign off with a positive note of why you are excited to utilise your new skills and the career options you have chosen.
- Where do you expect to be in five years’ time?
Although this might seem like an easy-looking question on the paper, it is an equally confusing one. So, be prepared to talk about your career path. You’ll come as an enthusiastic person and not an arrogant one. Talk about the organisation’s goals and objectives and how it aligns with your goals. Mention your own experience and specify exactly how working in this organization would lead you to your goal.
- How would you deal with a conflict with your co-worker?
Here, you would be least expected to answer such a question as this requires both professional and personal experience. Still, you will be expected to show how you would deal with a conflict with a fellow co-worker. Draw from your own experience or a problem that you solved in college or school. Through this, you’ll want to demonstrate that you have strong listening and communication skills. You also need to establish the fact, through sharing experiences, that you have the ability to get in under someone’s shoes and understand the situation from their perspective. Both problem-solving and building bridges are effective in maintaining a productive and positive work atmosphere. These traits are an added advantage that hiring managers often look for.
Acing tough interview questions
There’s no this way or that way to ace tough HR interview questions for freshers. In fact, nobody ever does. The best teacher is your failed job interviews. They teach you what is important and what shouldn’t be uttered. Your first step should be to start early preparation and practice regularly. This will also help you to get a hang of what goes on in the actual situation. YouTube is a great place to view mock interviews and recorded sessions. Or you might as well contact a person who’s already working in the role you have applied for. By doing this, you’ll get an idea of the types of questions you will be expecting. With all that said, as you follow these steps, you will get into a better position and have more confidence in tackling tough questions.
