Give me an example of a time when you had to come to a decision quickly.
The human resources industry has a blanket reputation for making calculated decisions, but sometimes that careful consideration comes with moving slow. As an HR Manager, you will not always be afforded a lot of time in your decision-making process. The interviewer wants to know your process when deadlines are present and how you react when vital decisions are at hand. Talk to the interviewer about how you go about making decisions in critical times where you may be under pressure. Provide a specific example of a time when you succeeded in this type of situation.
"Two weeks ago, I had to make a decision quickly on an associate's employment who has been struggling with performance issues. After reviewing their file, I determined that the associate did not receive adequate coaching. Rather than terminate their employment, I decided to help the manager put them on a performance improvement plan. I put the plan together in just a few hours but was very diligent in my methodology. I checked in with the manager earlier this week, and the performance improvement plan has been effective already."
