Introduction
You’ve almost made it! After an intense couple of months, sending your CV to different companies that you hope to work for, finally, you’ve received a call back that your resumé has been selected and you’ve been invited for an interview with HR. Here are the top interview questions for freshers.
Though this is big news and you must celebrate it, however, you must not let the party go on for long. The most difficult part is yet to come. The company has only liked your performance on paper, but now the members of the company want to meet you and see for themselves if you are as good as your CV says and further judge if your personality is a good fit for the company.
For doing this assessment, the Human Resource (HR) team of any organization has a set of questions that they ask all their new recruits in order to understand them and their aspirations.
If you are a fresher, applying to your dream job, you need not worry. In this article, I have compiled a list of the top 20 HR interview questions and answers for freshers. These 20 hr interview questions for freshers are chosen from a long list of questions that have been common across different companies and industries and aim to test your personality. So let’s begin.
Tell me a little about yourself
This is one of the first hr interview questions for freshers that is asked by the interviewer. With this question, they aim to understand some background about you and your dreams and contextualize it with the company ethos.
Answer:
First of all, I would like to thank you and ____________ (company) for giving me this opportunity to present myself in front of you and accept my candidature.
Coming to myself, As you know my name is _________, which means __________. I have humble beginnings from _______ (town/city) and grew up understanding the importance of working hard. My father was a ____________ and always taught me different lessons about the true nature of goodwill and hard work.
I began showing interest in _________ (sales/marketing/etc) during my school years. Studying _______ opened my world to the immense possibilities in this field and I immediately got excited to finish my schooling and enter this working.
Apart from this, I have a special interest in __________ (hobby) and have successfully participated in various competitions where I have shown my talent. My interest in sports manifested in me playing ________ (football/cricket) all throughout my childhood and am an avid supporter of _______ (sports team)
Why should we hire you?
This is another one of the many HR interview questions for freshers that most people fumble at. However, it is extremely easy to understand the answer to such types of hr interview questions for freshers. They basically aim at understanding how you would fit into the company, so talking about the ethos of the company and its values is a good start.
Apart from this, many freshers think that because they have no work experience, no company will be willing to hire them. However, being fresher is actually a strength you have. You are like a blank canvas ready to start your masterpiece. So sell yourself like that.
Answer:
Sir/Ma’am, as you must have figured from my resumé that I am a fresher in this line of work. However, I believe this puts me at an advantage as I will bring to your company the urge and the dedication to learn new things and put them to use. I may not possess the practical knowledge in this field, however, throughout my college I persisted in learning in-depth about the topics and have developed a deep theoretical understanding of important topics used in this field.
What do you think are your strengths and weaknesses?
This is one of the types of HR interview questions for freshers that is bound to come in every company you face an interview with. One of the most liked questions by interviewers, this allows them to understand how you rate yourself. More importantly, here they judge if you are aware of the things you are good at, and if there is anything you know you can improve about yourself.
However, a smart thing that many interviewees do, in order to appear more appealing, they try to showcase their weaknesses as sort of positives. Let’s take a look.
Answer:
I consider my strengths to be:
- I am a good communicator which has helped me take on leadership roles in my college
- I am a keen observer acutely aware of people’s problems and their strengths
- I flourish when I work with a team that is given a particular task to be done within a specified time period
- I am a quick learner and go out of my way to ask questions to better my understanding
- I try to always be a positive influence on people and spread joy around me
For my weaknesses,
- I am a perfectionist and am obsessed with attention to detail. This sometimes derails me off the project as I begin to minutely address small issues within the projects.
- In order to exceed fast, I end up taking more responsibilities than I can handle.
- I thrive on feedback on my performance. If I don’t receive them, I sometimes miss my mark and get drifted in the way I’ve been working.
Why do you want to work at our company?
These types of hr interview questions for freshers intend to quiz you on whether you have done some homework or background research on the company. Here, the interviewer expects you to give you reasons why you think you would be a valuable addition to the company.
Here, you don’t always have to only talk about good things about the company. Big firms are always open to criticism about their functioning and admire the people who provide them with new directions. So, if you have some faults that you have found with the workings of the company, you can mention them in a polite manner. Otherwise, if you don’t find any errors, you can always use this answer.
Answer:
I have always looked upon your company as the pinnacle of innovation. Your recent strides in the market have proved to be a major success and I can’t think of any other company where I could develop my initial skills which will help me in the long run.
What are your aims and aspirations in life/What are your goals?
In the list of HR interview questions for freshers, this is one question that always pops up. Companies always try and understand the long term goals of every interviewee as it gives them an understanding of if you are a valuable addition to the company and can work for a long time within the company.
Answer:
Currently, my short term goals is to nail this interview and get placed in a reputed company like yours, and my long term goals are to climb up the ladder and see myself as a respectable executive within the company.
Do you think you are overqualified for this position?
Sometimes HR interview questions for freshers use this question as an example to test the humbleness of an interviewee. Here, they ask you to think in order to what you would rate your skills out of. While some people think it’s a better option to say no, my answer provides a positive spin on your response.
Answer:
Yes, I do believe I am overqualified. However, I am always of thinking that there is always something to learn everywhere. And I see a lot of exposure that I can gain for my development with your organization. So I do not mind taking a low job in order to learn more.
What motivated you to do your job well?
These HR interview questions for freshers hinders the area of your motivation. The interviewer is asking you this question in order to find out what will drive you once you join the company to do good work for them.
Answer:
I am always motivated by my desire to do a task to the best of my abilities. My father had told me at a young age that whenever you do a task that has your name attached to it, you must do it with 200% of your dedication because it might continue to live longer than you, and you must do it to your best abilities in order for it to be memorable.
Who is your inspiration?
This is one of the HR interview questions for freshers where almost everyone gives the name of some famous celebrity or life coach that has helped millions of people do good work. Or they might use the name of the company CEO in order to impress the interviewers.
However, the answer I have provided is very unique and is guaranteed to impress your interviewers.
Answer:
While there are countless individuals that I have met in my life who can be a source of inspiration for me- from my teachers to my parents. However, the biggest inspiration I get is from myself. You see, I try to picture myself in 10 years and create an image of my life there and work tirelessly to reach that image. However, as I reach that image, I have already constructed another image for myself which is 10 years away. So, I always try to achieve higher than what I have made for myself and that picture of me in 10 years is what keeps me motivated.
Define success
While most of people understand this as an activity of the interviewer to test your language skills , HR interview questions for freshers are asked in this manner in order to understand the individual’s own definition of success.
Answer:
Success for me is a journey that is full of obstacles. These obstacles come in the form of learnings which actually I turn into springboards during my run to the finish line. But I believe that if my today is better than yesterday, I have been successful in my work and my life.
What was the toughest decision you’ve had to make?
These types of HR interview questions for freshers are aimed at decoding your decision-making skills. So you can use this question as a platform to share some of the tough decisions you have had to make in your personal life- be it home, friends, love life, work-life, etc. However, if you have none, you can use this answer too.
Answer:
Tough is for the weak. I always calculate my decisions by making a cost-benefit analysis of the available options. Putting the benefit to the cost of the decision helps me greatly in breaking down the toughness of the decision and allows me to easily weigh the pros and cons.
Do you have a problem if we relocate you?
These HR interview questions for freshers test the comfortability of the many changes that the company will bring in your life. The biggest of which is that it might ask you to move from your hometown to a completely different city in a different part of the country.
Answer:
From my childhood, I’ve always had an urge to travel the world. So, I don’t think relocation will be a major problem for me. Infact, it will be an adventure that I will look forward to. Though I will miss my family and friends back in my hometown, the world of the internet has made it so easy to stay connected from any part of the country.
Would you be willing to work overtime during nights and sometimes on weekends?
HR questions for freshers are mostly filled with such questions that seek the length to which you would go to complete tasks for the company. Here is a good time to reaffirm your commitment to your goals and make them believe that you will work your best.
Answer:
Like I have said, I always complete all the tasks assigned to me with due diligence. And if those tasks sometimes need me to come in on a weekend, I will not hesitate as my priority is always good quality work.
Can you handle work under pressure?
These types of HR interview questions for freshers aim to help the interviews judge your temperament and your ability to work in stressful times. Always understand that every field will have intense moments and you will be required to continue working in these stressful times. They can be personal or professional. But you must always continue working.
Answer:
Sir/Ma’am, I have always loved playing the ___________(instrument). I love it so much that I do not even panic or come under stress when Im playing to a large crowd. This is because I love playing the __________. Similarly, I love working in ____________ (sales/marketing/etc), so I will never feel under pressure. I believe that if we love what we do, the pressure doesn’t affect us like it does to those who don’t love what they do.
These next set of HR interview questions and answers for freshers are five of the most top questions that are asked by the interviewers as a means of understanding more about your thinking style and how those thoughts differentiate you from the others.
How would you differentiate between confidence and overconfidence?
Answer:
I believe confidence is the trust we have within ourselves and of our abilities to complete a task. Overconfidence is the ego within us that surfaces when we think too highly of ourselves and begin to exaggerate our abilities.
What do you think is creativity?
Answer:
Creativity I believe is in each one of us. From the drawing of a car by a 3-year-old to the famed Michelangelo of the Sistine Chapel. Creativity comes to us the minute we open our eyes and see the world as we only fixate on the things that attract our attention. Creativity is innate art in us to create things.
Tell us about your hobbies and interests outside of work.
Answer:
I am an avid reader and love reading _________ (author). Apart from that I am also a big movie buff and try to catch the latest film in the theatres every sunday with my friends and family. I am also a swimmer and love to relax by the pool on a sunny day.
Did you ever think of starting your own business?
Answer:
Frankly, sir, I have always wanted to start a company of my own. But currently, I am a fresher and intend to gain some valuable skills for my overall development. Thus, I think I am not entirely ready to begin a company of my own. However, the dream is still alive.
What do you expect from our company?
Answer:
My primary aim is to learn from the company. So, I expect a lot of feedback on my work. As I had explained I thrive on feedbacks as I understand the things I am doing wrong and therefore can put my mind to making them right.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Answer:
I see myself as sitting in the very chair you are sitting and asking a new recruit the same question.
Are there any questions for us?
Last but not least, HR interview questions for freshers always end on this note. So, you must not let this opportunity get out of your hand. You must question the things that pop up in your mind about the company or you can go with this answer.
Answer:
I would like to know what are the qualities you look for in a newbie applying for this position. And if you can give me some suggestions or advice on my performance today.
Final Thought
All in all, HR interview questions for freshers revolve around things that help the interviewers understand your personality. So, be yourself. You should use these questions as a guide to the questions you falter in, however, you must always try to make each answer personal.
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