30 HR Consultant Interview Questions (with Answers)

1.

When a major HR problem arises, what is your first reaction?

When things go south in the workplace, the HR professional is often the first place a company will look for answers. You have to have it under control, and be ready to step into action at any given moment. Your job is people, and people are unpredictable. The interviewer wants to know if your reactions to problems reflect maturity and professionalism. Demonstrate to the interviewer that you take a very systematic approach to problem-solving, rather than reacting impulsively when an HR related problem occurs.

Rachelle's Answer #1

"My first inclination in the event of a major problem is to roll up my sleeves and jump in to fix it or help mitigate some of the potential blow out. This initial reaction is especially true when the problem involves an employee's wellbeing, or if there is a risk of harassment or a confidentiality breach."

Rachelle's Answer #2

"When a major problem arises, my first instinct is to jump in and fix the issue. I am a do-er and also think in a reverse-engineering manner. I start with the desired result, and work my way backward, figuring out where the snag occurred."

Anonymous Answer

"I start by asking questions as a means to slow the person down who is reporting the situation to me (they are often emotional). I am calm when I ask questions, but I respond with empathy to what I have heard, I speak slowly and tell them what I am hearing is important, and I want to get all the facts down, so I am going to take notes. If the person affected is reporting the situation to me, they often need to be taken care of before I can address the issue."

Rachelle's Answer

Your method comes from a place of care, empathy, compassion, and understanding. Well done.

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2.

Do you have experience using HR data analytics for the purpose of compensation benchmarking?

Compensation benchmarking, or salary benchmarking, simply put is the process of matching the pay of private jobs to similar roles from other companies. For instance, you are comparing how much your competitor will pay for an electrical engineer with five years' experience so that you can ensure you are paying competitively.

The practice of benchmarking ensures that you are never out of touch when it comes to your company's offering and that your company can more easily attract top talent. Also, when you accurately benchmark, you can better plan for annual employee increases. Discuss the tools that you may use in this process.

Rachelle's Answer #1

"Compensation benchmarking is a critical task, ensuring that our company is competitive in their pay, allowing us to gain the best talent in the market. Luckily, our company is incredibly generous and competitive, and we pay on average 7% more than our top competitors. I gather this information from employees who have moved over, and other resources such as Glassdoor and Salary.com."

Rachelle's Answer #2

"I understand the concept of salary benchmarking; however, I have never used any formal tools to collect or track the data. This practice is interesting to me, and I can see numerous benefits to it which would include competitive hiring, better market value knowledge, and less loss of talent due to better-paying roles with competitors. I suspect that employee and candidate surveys could be a helpful way of collecting this data."

Anonymous Answer

"Yes, I have pulled information from my counterparts in the industry to compile compensation benchmarking. I have used data collected by third-party companies in the absence of local market intelligence to create appropriate wage rates and merit adjustments."

Rachelle's Answer

Very good! If possible, be more specific on the third parties that you use, in case the interviewer is familiar.

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3.

Do you think honesty is always the best policy?

The interviewer would like to know if you genuinely feel that honesty is the best policy. Many will argue that honesty is not always the best policy. What is your take? When you are terminating an employee, would you tell them all the reasons why they are being let go, or do you see value in disclosing only what you must? Talk to the interviewer about your thoughts on honesty in the workplace.

Rachelle's Answer #1

"Sometimes full disclosure can damage someone's self-esteem, and reality isn't always best expressed in full and can be self-indulgent based on the person's intention. In those instances, honesty isn't always the best policy."

Rachelle's Answer #2

"Honesty is always the best policy. Often, it is just a matter of how you communicate and deliver your message so managing this with each employee situation is critical to building honest and trustworthy workplace relationships."

Anonymous Answer

"Always. This is something my dad instilled in me my whole life, and I find it still to be the right thing to do. I do this throughout every aspect of my life - personal and professional."

Rachelle's Answer

A solid answer that showcases the fact that honesty and integrity are part of who you are as a person.

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4.

Tell me about your exposure to team building exercises.

If you have ever participated in a ropes course or a trust fall, then you have engaged in team building exercises! Of course, most examples of team-building do not need to be that extreme. Any activity or company effort that motivates teams and builds trust among co-workers is considered a team-building exercise.

Many companies will offer team experiences to help build stable groups who collaborate and communicate better. If you have experience as a participant or leader, share your knowledge and be sure to highlight your biggest takeaway from experience.

Rachelle's Answer #1

"I initiate a few team building events per year with my team. Sometimes it's a family potluck or picnic in a park, other times, its a group volunteer effort at the soup kitchen. We do a lot together as a group. It's important for bonding and overall employee satisfaction."

Rachelle's Answer #2

"Team building activities in our office are always hilarious because we have such a funny and expressive group of people. One time, we built an entire obstacle course out of office supplies, and everyone had to participate. We had awards and all. I believe these small things are what makes an employee engaged in their job, even on the toughest of days."

5.

How do you ensure a professional yet fair approach to disciplinary action?

The hiring authority is not looking for an HR Consultant who will throw the hammer down or overreact when situations arise. When it comes to disciplinary action, show the interviewer that you are capable of being diplomatic and fair while remaining effective in your role. If you have an example to give, this is a great time to discuss what you have done in the past.

Rachelle's Answer #1

"In my experience, the most effective way to approach disciplinary action is to work with the employee on a performance plan, based on the fact that they are not meeting expectations. I like to solve an issue, rather than put a band-aid on it. One time I had a sales employee who had missed their target two months in a row. Three months meant termination or employment, so it was vital that we got her back on track. We crafted a plan together, set her up with a senior salesperson for additional training and mentorship. Then, I checked in every week on her goals. She ended up being one of the top salespeople that year which was very satisfying to see."

Rachelle's Answer #2

"I have a very progressive approach to disciplinary action. One example I can give you is when I am facing a poor attendance issue. I recently sat down with one employee and mapped out their days off, showing them, with actual data, where they would be in their career two years down the road if their attendance remained the same. This data showed that he was missing nearly 1/4 of time compared to other top performers in his department. I challenged him on that saying 'What could you do with your career if you fully applied yourself?' This conversation gave him his fire back."

Anonymous Answer

"Develop a clearly outlined policy that is progressive Provide appropriate interactive training that uses various situations and role plays Define and gain buy-in that what are considered infractions and what is considered grounds for immediate termination Ensure that the expectations of work conduct are communicated to all existing associates and new members When performance discussions occur, collaboratively create the performance improvements plan"

Rachelle's Answer

Your approach is very well structured and fair. Nice response.

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6.

What type of long-term incentive programs have you leveraged to drive employee performance?

Employee performance can be a tricky subject. A top employee can become an underperformer in a snap, and employees who are not doing well could suddenly have a stellar month. The interviewer would like to know if you have knowledge and experience with long-term incentive programs, to encourage high-performance, along with consistent results, from your executive teams. Some examples of long-term incentive programs include stock options, cash bonus', or performance shares.

Rachelle's Answer #1

"In my current company, we offer stock-based compensation to our sales executives, after three years of tenure. This compensation structure is a significant award to our employees who are loyal, trustworthy and have given value back to the organization, on a consistent basis. The program launched ten years ago with incredible success. I believe this is because people love to see financial rewards while also feeling like they are a part of something big."

Rachelle's Answer #2

"I have worked for a company that offered year-end cash bonus' which seemed to be a significant performance driver. Employees would often check where they were on the leaderboard, and if they were in the top 20, they knew they would receive a bonus. This cash bonus came on a scaled rewards system which made it competitive in a healthy way. I also found this was a simple way to highlight which employees were consistently underperforming, giving me the opportunity to see where performance coaching or career training could help."

7.

What questions do you have for me?

As you know from your experience being on the other side of the interview table, it's always a great idea to have questions ready for the interviewer. Review the company website and other online resources to ensure the queries you have are not mundane, or redundant. The last thing an interviewer wants to hear is a list of items you could have found the answers for from merely watching a video on their company site!

Here are some sample questions:

- When would you like to have this position filled?
- How long has this role been vacant?
- Is this a replacement search or a newly created role?
- What is your favorite part about working here?
- What is the company's primary goal for this position in the next 12 months?
- Is there anything from my background and experience that I can clarify for you?
- What do you see as the most significant change in this industry over the past three years?
- Is there any reason why you would not hire me?

Rachelle's Answer #1

"Thank you for asking - I do have a few questions. What is top of mind when it comes to filling this role? Also, what types of career growth opportunities would follow this position? And lastly, do you have internal candidates who are also interviewing for this position?"

Rachelle's Answer #2

"I would like to ask if there is anything in my background on which you need clarification? Also, after discussing everything today, is there any particular reason why I would not be the best fit for this HR Consultant role? "

Anonymous Answer

"What kind of cross-functional teams will this person be working in? Are there any immediate future changes coming?"

Rachelle's Answer

Very insightful, and important questions to ask before joining any new organization.

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Anonymous Answer

"What is the timeline for this position to be filled? What is your feedback with regards to my candidacy for this position? What do you see as the most significant change for your company in the next 6 - 12 months? What do you enjoy most about working here? Is there any reason you would not hire me?"

Rachelle's Answer

These are all excellent questions and will allow you to overcome any objections or questions the interviewer may have immediately.

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8.

Think about a demanding boss, professor or coworker. How did you successfully interact with this person?

As an HR professional, one of your most significant traits should be your ability to be diplomatic in the workplace. The interviewer wants to know how you interact with people who may have challenging personalities. Think about that one person at work who is seen as hard to please. Perhaps there is someone at work who tries to intimidate others. Show the interviewer that you work well with most personalities even though you recognize there are some folks out there who are quite difficult to please. Avoid speaking poorly of anyone and be sure to end your response on a positive note.

Rachelle's Answer #1

"I once worked for an executive who was very difficult in meetings and with interacting with groups of others. I took it upon myself to help this person interact better with others. When she would bark orders, I would reiterate what she was trying to say to the group more professionally. It took some time, but she learned to behave in a way that made people want to work with her."

Rachelle's Answer #2

"The most difficult person I ever worked with was my boss a few years back. She received a promotion to VP of Human Resources, from the position I had been hired to fill and was unwilling to listen to my ideas to change the department. I believe she felt personally offended that I did not think her processes were the most efficient, but it was not personal. I sat with her for a one on one meeting when there were very few people in the building, and we had a nice chat about the positive changes she made to the department and my ideas to continue to grow what she began."

Anonymous Answer

"I had a boss who wanted to be kept abreast of all things at all times. On occasion, this was not feasible, as it kept me from being able to do my job. So we met, and we walked through examples of information she needed to looped in on daily and others that she could be updated on weekly. I also reiterated what I needed for success and asked her if this was feasible. We came to an agreement, and things worked from there."

Rachelle's Answer

This must have been a challenging conversation with someone so hyper-focused on being in-the-know. It sounds as though you handled this very well, and it's great that you included the positive result.

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9.

Do you have experience in mass-layoffs or terminations? What is your view on job eliminations?

Most HR professionals will agree that is 100% sucks to have to terminate people. Now, in mass amounts - it's even worse. However, this is a reality that you may need to face in your human resources career at some point.

Discuss with the interviewer a time when you have had to take part in, or even lead job eliminations. Walk the hiring authority through the steps that you made. If you do not have experience with job eliminations, discuss the approach you believe you would take in such a situation. If you have the rapport with the interviewer, you may want to ask if a mass-layoff is something this company has ever experienced or is currently facing.

Rachelle's Answer #1

"Job eliminations are never fun, especially regarding mass-layoffs. About ten years ago I worked for a telecommunications company that needed to lay off about 40% of its workforce. We held one-on-one meetings, and the process felt organized. We softened the blow as much as possible, offering ample severance pay and outplacement services for those losing their jobs. These factors made the task easier, but it was still a challenging circumstance. Has your organization faced the task of mass layoffs in the past?"

Rachelle's Answer #2

"I have not experienced mass layoffs; however, I have had to lead terminations in the past; approximately 20 in total. When I am having the termination conversation, I am sure to have my conversation well documented, and a clear approach set out, so the conversation remains on point. I share details of the 'why,' and am sure to provide resources and support post-termination."

10.

In your opinion, what are the core competencies of organizational effectiveness?

The interviewer is asking what you believe to be the makeup of an effective organization. Your response will require insight. Draw upon what you have seen in your HR career when it comes to companies that have been highly successful, and those that have not. Discuss which core competencies divide the successful organizations from those that fall flat.

Rachelle's Answer #1

"From my experience in HR, and working for successful companies in the past, the core areas of focus should be to excel in areas of employee compensation, labor relations, continuous professional development opportunities, employee safety, and systems streamlining. There are other important sub-topics within those, but these are the core competencies for organizational effectiveness, in my opinion."

Rachelle's Answer #2

"For an organization to have advantages over its competitors, it often comes down to attracting the best talent in multiple departments. A company needs to be hyper-focused on hot employee topics such as attracting and keeping millennial employees, offering professional development opportunities and regular training, as well as having a stand-out diversity and inclusion program."

Anonymous Answer

"Inspire and motivate others to do their best Select the best Talent at the Right Time for the Right Job Provide support to managers (so that they can empower and lead, remove obstacles so they can do their jobs) Provide training and development to your leadership team Partner within and across teams (departmental and intradepartmental) Provide support without removing responsibility (promote accountability) Communicate"

Rachelle's Answer

Excellent and very full answer! These are all incredibly important competencies.

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11.

Do you possess the knowledge and awareness required to communicate in a multicultural workplace?

The interviewer wants to know more about your exposure to diversity, and a multicultural workplace. If you have ever taken part in developing a workplace culture surrounding intercultural engagement, this is the time to discuss that experience. Show that you have a full understanding of the term 'cultural diversity' and that you are sensitive to the belief systems, values, and identity of those who are different from you.

Rachelle's Answer #1

"I have a great deal of exposure and experience when it comes to identifying various dimensions of differences, and the significant consequences that come to organizations who do not embrace those differences. Whether it be altering my communication style, or creating educational workplace programs which address discrimination, prejudice, and ethnocentrism; I am an active advocate and ally to all employees regardless of their background, lifestyle, or beliefs."

Rachelle's Answer #2

"I believe that my University education and years of experience working in a variety of industries have helped me to form excellent skills when it comes to communicating with those different from me. Whether those differences come from a language or cultural divide, a person's core identity, or their belief systems, I am highly aware of best practices for sensitivity in the workplace when it comes to communication and more."

Anonymous Answer

"Yes, I have completed cultural diversity management studies and inclusion programs."

Rachelle's Answer

Straightforward and to the point. You sound very confident in this area.

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12.

Do you feel employees should be paid based on performance, or should they be rewarded for years of experience?

The interviewer would like to know your thoughts on paying employees based on work performance, versus compensating them based on years of experience and loyalty. As millennial employees continue to dominate the work scene, more and more employees are requesting compensation based on delivered results. Do you feel that they should be paid based on tenure, or results? Discuss this with the interviewer and back your answer with an example, if possible.

Rachelle's Answer #1

"I feel that employees should be paid, and rewarded, based on their performance. A new employee will find motivation in being rewarded for performance, and it encourages a healthy competition with tenured employees. I have seen this to be true on many occasions in my HR career."

Rachelle's Answer #2

"As an HR Consultant, I feel that both performance and experience should be weighted when deciding compensation, pay increases, and promotions. You want to ensure that you compensate your highest performers appropriately but that their growth is stable and manageable in the long-term."

Anonymous Answer

"I believe they should be paid for performance. I think this drives the right behaviors to move the business forward. I don't think seniority translates to performance. I do believe seniority should be taken into a factor for some things, like job bidding."

Rachelle's Answer

Perfect response, and you make a great case for where seniority should be considered but also how it should not trump a high-performing employee.

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Anonymous Answer

"A starting salary should be a reflection on what I bring to this role, which is a combination of experience, skills, and knowledge. In terms of bonuses or incentives, this should be paid only if certain job-specific metrics are achieved that are within the control of this position."

Rachelle's Answer

Well said! This is a very fair compensation structure.

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13.

Have you ever led performance reviews or employee coaching sessions?

If you are newer to your HR career, you may not have a lot of exposure in employee coaching and performance meetings. Regardless of your level of exposure to these tasks, the interviewer is looking for further knowledge of your leadership experience. Speak about your experience with coaching and motivating those on your team. If you have recently read a book on performance coaching, you could discuss this as well, and how it has helped you.

Rachelle's Answer #1

"In my current role I have a significant part in performance reviews for our team of 35 individuals. The executive team is also involved in these reviews, so I would not say that I take the lead, but I do play an important role. I am a good coach as I love to inspire and motivate others to do their best in all aspects of their lives. I would say that I have led about 200 coaching sessions in total, throughout my HR career."

Rachelle's Answer #2

"As I am newer to my career I have not yet had the opportunity to lead performance reviews or coaching sessions. I believe this is an incredible leadership skill and I look forward to implementing my knowledge and helping others to succeed in the workplace. I recently read 'Leaders Eat Last' by Simon Sinek, which taught me a great deal about overcoming traditional assumptions on how great leaders effectively guide their teams. This book gave me a few excellent ideas on how to approach employee coaching, once presented with the opportunity."

Anonymous Answer

"I have led two full cycle performance reviews. This included the beginning of the process with re-launching SMART goals for KPI's. In my current role, I am completing coaching sessions almost daily. A coaching session I had yesterday was with a Zone Leader on the perception of his leadership style not feeling collaborative, and we brainstormed together on ways to be more inclusive with his team in conversation."

Rachelle's Answer

You do a great job showcasing your high-level coaching sessions. Your approach sounds structured and very clear.

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14.

What type of employees do you find most challenging?

An HR Consultant will encounter every possible personality type in their career! The interviewer would like to know more about the kinds of employees that you find difficult to manage, and how you handle them. As an HR professional, you will be required to collaborate successfully with a great variety of personality types. Discuss with the interviewer the types of personalities that you find most challenging to manage, and why.

Rachelle's Answer #1

"Every employee brings their challenges and strengths to teams. It is difficult to influence associates who are disinterested or resistant to engagement with the team. Luckily I do not encounter this often. The people who I have led are motivated and hardworking, each in their unique way."

Rachelle's Answer #2

"I feel as though I can adapt to most employees, but what challenges me is someone who is just looking to skate by with no real ambition. I do my best to find ways to motivate any and every employee. Even if they are not vying for the next promotion or to be the top person in their department, I feel there is some encouragement I can offer, whether it's discussing a potential growth opportunity, a different department, or what have you. This approach works about 80% of the time for unmotivated employees."

Anonymous Answer

"I find negative employees to be challenging. I try to find the root cause of their negativity and do everything I can to change it, but sometimes I have to be overly positive if it's just the mood they are in."

Rachelle's Answer

Smile through the pain, haha makes sense, and we all have to do it sometimes :) It may be a nice addition to tell a quick story about a time when you coached a negative employee, and they made a great turnaround.

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Anonymous Answer

"This is a great question. I would say the two most challenging types have been the conspiracy theorist and the other more mature individual where English is their second or third language, and they refuse a translator. For both types, active listening was key, along with patience and empathy. I adapted a very calm and soothing voice, closer body language, direct eye contact, and if it were highly emotional, I would ask what they needed at the time to feel heard."

Rachelle's Answer

These are challenging types, indeed, and it seems you handle these situations with the utmost professionalism. Very good answer!

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15.

Tell me one valuable skill that you are currently working on.

The interviewer wants to see your dedication to professional growth. When you are all about professional development, chances are you will pass that excitement onto the employees that you influence, as an HR Consultant. Give an example of a skill that you wish to develop. Bonus points if you can tie that skill in with a talent mentioned in the job posting!

Rachelle's Answer #1

"I am working on my assertiveness. Sometimes I have a great idea, and I fumble in asserting myself, and I believe that the team would be much better off if I were to have lobbied for my idea. Or sometimes I am too understanding to last-minute scheduling requests which results in an employee shirking their responsibility and others having to pick up the slack. I know that this is a weakness of mine and I have made it a point to work on it, including reading 'Nice Girls Never Get the Corner Office.'"

Rachelle's Answer #2

"This year I have been diligently working on my ability to create curriculum and new training programs for new hires. I hope to have my first course launched in the next month, or so, however, I still have some technical writing courses to complete before I know it will be perfect execution. I believe these resources will be beneficial to your organization and I look forward to sending them your way for review."

Anonymous Answer

"I am currently on my project leadership. I was recently named project leader for an A3 on overtime reduction. This is my first A3, where I am the leader, so I am excited to work with my team and the resources I have to lower overtime in our business successfully."

Rachelle's Answer

This must be a very exciting opportunity for you! Did you do something over and above or extraordinary to be named project leader? If so, it would be great to include a bit about how you earned the opportunity.

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16.