Apr 5, Human Resources Interview Questions

Samples of the type of Human Resources interview questions you can expect in your job interview.

? Within the Human Resources sector there are a range of different jobs at different levels, however you can prepare for standard interview questions that explore your Human Resources technical skills and experience and competency-based or behavioral interview questions that explore the core abilities regarded as essential in a human resources professional.

Here we look at the typical Human Resources interview questions that explore your technical skills and experience in Human Resources.

Go to Human Resources Behavioral Interview Questions to view the behavioral interview questions to expect in the HR job interview.

What measures have you introduced to reduce absenteeism/turnover/substance abuse in the workforce?

In answering Human Resources interview questions about steps taken to solve a human resources problem focus on introducing constructive interventions rather than taking a punitive approach. Typically successful interventions include evaluating management styles, reviewing working conditions, providing incentives for positive behavior and the development and implementation of a policy that specifically addresses the issue.

What essential content do you include in a practical and useful HR policy and procedure?

Good HR management demands good policies. Ensure that your interview answer clearly demonstrates your understanding of the difference between policy and procedure. A policy is a formal statement of principle specific to a particular issue that employees must follow while a procedure instructs employees on how to carry out the policy. HR policies should include a clearly stated purpose, a well written policy statement, definitions of the terms used, scope of employees covered by the policy and who is responsible for implementing and monitoring the policy within the organization. The related HR procedure will include easy to follow instructions for carrying out the policy.

How have you kept HR policies and procedures current in terms of new legislation and regulations?

This explores your willingness and ability to understand relevant new legislation and regulations and to introduce changes accordingly. Focus on the methods you use to stay on top of federal rules and regulations such as attending seminars, subscribing to journals and newsletters, membership of relevant organizations etc. Select specific legislation such the Americans with Disabilities Act and discuss how you applied it in the workplace through revised HR policy.

What are your key considerations when communicating HR policy to the organization?

There are certain basic principles of effective organizational communication. These include planning a communication strategy, explaining the policy, how it impacts on the individual employee as well as the organization as a whole, what's in it for the employee, asking for questions and listening closely, clarifying, checking understanding, encouraging feedback. Select a particular example to demonstrate how you applied these principles when communicating new or revised policy to the organization.

What employee recruitment/selection/retention/development strategies have you developed/introduced?

In answering human resources interview questions about development and implementation of HR strategy focus on aligning HR activities with organizational priorities and employee needs. This includes understanding the overall business strategy, conducting a SWOT analysis, determining key employee issues and developing an action plan around these critical issues.

What are the main challenges facing Human Resources Management today?

Your answer should demonstrate good insight of the current HR priorities. Surveys show that these are the current issues that HR professionals must consider - the increasing importance of getting the most out of existing employees during the current economic crisis, creating a performance-based culture, the need to identify and develop potential, succession planning, employee placement within the organization and managing talent through change.

Human Resource interview questions that explore the key behavioral competencies required in an HR function can be viewed at HR Behavioral Interview Questions

Prepare well for your Human Resources job interview and come across as a polished HR professional.

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Apr 20, Free Sample Resignation Letter

Use the sample resignation letter when you want to write a meaningful and heartfelt resignation letter. Regardless of your reasons for leaving your job, you will have gained something positive during your employment with the company.

Focus on the positive and maintain a good relationship with your old employer. You never know when you might need to refer back to this employer so take the time to write a professional and polite resignation letter.

Heartfelt resignation letter

Your Name
Your Address
Your City, State, Zip Code
Your Phone Number
Your Email

Date

Ms Jane Smith
Financial Director
XYZ Corporation
Address
City, State, Zip Code

Dear Ms Smith (or first name if you have an informal relationship),

Please accept this as formal notice of my resignation from the position of Accountant at XYZ Corporation, effective two weeks from today. My last working day will be May 12, 2011.

After much consideration I have decided to accept another job offer. I feel it is time for a new challenge and this is a good opportunity to further my career goals.

Working for this company has been a wonderful experience. I feel privileged to have been part of such a professional team and will miss all my colleagues.

I appreciate both the professional and personal growth opportunities that have been provided to me during my time with the company. I would like to thank you in particular for all your advice and support. I hope that we will stay in touch as I begin this new chapter in my career.

I wish you and XYZ Corporation continued success in the future.

Sincerely

Your signature
Typed name

If you are looking for a sample letter of resignation that is short and to the point but polite and professional you can use this Basic Letter of Resignation

Go to the Letter of Resignation Template to help format your letter of resignation. Just fill in your information and use any of the key phrases provided to complete a professional letter of resignation.

If you are leaving before securing a new position you can simply say the following:
"I have decided to spend some time evaluating my career and exploring new opportunities"

If you are leaving for a new opportunity and want to submit a brief but positive resignation letter use this Resignation Letter Example.

Suggested reading if you are resigning from your job - the Essential Resignation Checklist will ensure you have a smooth exit from the company. Know your rights and obligations to the employer.

It is important to make sure you secure a job reference from your employer before you leave. You will probably need it sometime in your future career. View these Sample Reference Letters.

Are you expected to complete an exit interview before you leave? View Exit Interview Questions and Exit Interview Tips here and be well prepared.

Handling the resignation process professionally enables you to focus on the positive things you are moving toward rather than getting stuck in any negatives you are leaving behind.

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Jun 4, About Employment Drug Screening

Employment drug screening has become a requirement for many companies. The majority of all Fortune 500 companies do employee drug testing. The US Department of Labor has estimated that drug use in the workplace costs employers up to $100 billion dollars annually in lost work time, accidents, health care costs and workers compensation costs.

Employment drug screening helps the employer to develop a healthier and more productive workforce and improve profits. Employers are encouraged, through the drug-free workplace program, to monitor drug and alcohol abuse in the workplace.

Legally employers have established that it is within their rights to ensure the workplace is free from hazards and one of the best ways to protect your workplace is to aggressively screen out drug abusers before they become employees. An employer can establish a program for testing job applicants for drug usage as long as it is administered fairly and consistently and is in line with federal and state laws.

The laws concerning employment drug screening vary from state to state. Some states require that employers may only test applicants once they have been formally offered a position conditional on a negative drug test. Other states do not have this requirement. Go to Department of Labor State Laws to find out the laws that apply to employment drug testing in your state.

Generally these requirements for pre employment drug screening are followed by employers:

Employers have a written drug testing policy that requires job applicants to be drug-free
Written notice of testing is given before the applicant may be tested. Many drug and alcohol testing laws require that job applicants be notified in advance that they may be tested and under what conditions
Written notice is given to the applicant that employment drug screening is required before hiring. This may be done through the employment application form or on a specific form given out at the first interview
The written notice details the type of drug testing that will be carried out and lists the over-the-counter medications that may produce a positive result
In accordance with certain state laws the applicant may need to be given a conditional job offer letter that indicates that the offer is conditional on completion of a drug test with a negative result
The same testing program should be implemented for all applicants in a particular category or there could be implications of discrimination

It is worth noting that a company with over 15 employees is subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act, a federal law that protects people with disabilities from discrimination. This Act prohibits pre employment medical examinations before a conditional offer of employment has been made but a test to determine if an applicant is illegally using drugs is specifically exempted from the definition of what constitutes a medical examination. However pre employment alcohol testing is considered an medical examination and can only be conducted after the candidate has been extended a conditional offer of employment.

How is pre employment drug testing conducted?

Generally applicants are sent to a collection site where a urine sample is obtained and then sent to a certified laboratory for analysis. Urine drug testing is the most common type of drug screening primarily because it is reliable, inexpensive and non- intrusive. Test results are usually available within 24 to 48 hours. Other testing methods such as hair testing, blood tests, breath tests and saliva testing are also used.

Some employers use instant test kits similar to a home pregnancy test. These tests are considered accurate for immediate screening but are not effective in the event of a positive result because that requires laboratory confirmation and keeping of the sample for retesting.

What is tested?

The most common employment drug screening is a standard five-panel test, called a "Five-Screen", of street drugs including marijuana, cocaine, PCP (Phencylidine), opiates such as heroin, morphine and codeine, and amphetamines.

A "Ten-Screen" test is sometimes used which expands to include these five prescription drugs that are legal to possess and use- barbituates (phenobarbital etc), mathaqualone (Qualuudes), benzodiazepines (tranquilizers such as Valium, Librium, Xanax) and Methadone.

Although it varies from person to person most drugs stay in the system for 2-4 days, however hair testing and some other more expensive drug tests can detect drug usage for up to 90 days. Chronic drug usage can be detected for up to 14 days or more while sedatives may stay in the system for up to 30 days. Usually the employer will insist that the urine sample is given within a specific time period so that drug users do not wait until the drugs have left the system.

What happens if the result is not negative?

If a test is positive most labs will carry out extensive procedures to confirm the result before they report it. Most drug testing programs use an independent physician to review all test results. If the result is positive the physician will usually contact the applicant to find out if there is a medical explanation for the result. If the positive test is confirmed the candidate should have the right to pay for retesting of their sample by another laboratory of their choice and urine samples of all positive tests are kept for that reason. However the chances of a false positive are virtually nil.

There can also be a test result that is "negative" but shows an abnormal result that indicates an attempt by the candidate to alter the results such as drinking excessive water to dilute the sample. These results are examined further and another sample may be required.

All drug testing results should be kept on a confidential basis.

Go to Pre Employment Testing to find out about other pre employment tests that are commonly used as part of the hiring process.

DISCLAIMER:The information provided here is for guidance purposes only and is not legal advice.

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May 17, Sample Job Interview Questions

Your complete list of sample job interview questions.

The questions you'll most likely be asked in your job interview. A detailed and comprehensive guide to interview questions. In addition to frequently asked interview questions we list other sample interview questions by category and provide useful examples of behavioral interview questions.

View each list of job interview questions then click on the link to view excellent interview answer guidelines and free sample interview answers that will help you get hired.

Basic List of Sample Job Interview Questions

These are the questions that get asked in almost every job interview.

They are common to every type of job interview and every job opportunity.

Tell me about yourself.
Why should we hire you?
Why do you want to work for this company?
What do you like about this job opportunity?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
What are you goals for the next five years?
Why are you leaving your current job?

Prepare thoroughly for these standard interview questions. Use the sample answers for each basic job interview question at Sample Interview Questions and Answers to help you. Remember to use the interview answers as a guideline and to prepare your own answers relevant to the job with supporting examples.

List of Frequently Asked Interview Questions

These sample job interview questions are not always asked in job interviews but they occur frequently enough that you should prepare for them.

What do you like/dislike most about your current/last job?
How would you describe your manager or supervisor?
How would your colleagues describe you?
How do you define success in your current/last job?
Describe your ideal job.

Use the answer guidelines at Typical Interview Questions to help you prepare good interview answers to these questions.

List of interview questions that explore your understanding of the job

In addition to the above sample job interview questions the interviewer can ask specific questions that reveal how much you know and understand about the job opportunity. Your interview answers provide a good indication of how much research you have done on the job, company and industry.

What skills do you consider most critical to this position?
How is your experience relevant to this job?
Why do you want to work in this industry?
What have you learned about our company?
What other companies are you interviewing with?

Your Job Interview Preparation is key to successfully answering these sample job interview questions.

Find sample interview answers at Free Interview Answers

Interview questions that explore your motivation to do the job

These questions evaluate your motivational fit with the job opportunity. Not only do candidates need to be able to do the job they need to be willing and motivated to perform the job.

What motivates you to do this kind of work?

Show how your strengths and interests are in tune with this particular position.

What sort of work environment do you thrive in?

Focus on your adaptability and willingness to learn about and work in different environments. Avoid listing specific requirements. Highlight general qualities that most working environments offer in some form or other such as challenging tasks, fast work pace, working as part of a team, the opportunity to learn, the opportunity to work independently and use your initiative and judgment.

What work situations stimulate and inspire you?

Your answer should be compatible with what you are likely to encounter in the job you are interviewing for. Look at the job requirements and focus on what will interest you. Will you be required to solve problems, deal with a diverse group of people, manage customers, contribute to team objectives, meet deadlines etc?

List of Behavioral Interview Questions

Most job interviews today involve an element of behavioral interviewing. These questions require you to provide an example of a previous real-life situation where you demonstrated the specific behavior or competency necessary for successful performance in the job you are interviewing for.

The most common competencies or behaviors required for successful job performance and assessed in job interviews are:

organizing and planning
problem-solving
judgment and decision-making
initiative
adaptability
reliability
communication ability
work standards

To view sample behavioral job interview questions that explore these core job competencies go to Behavioral Interview Questions. Go through the sample behavioral answers to help you prepare properly for your job interview.

Strange interview questions

These sample job interview questions are asked to assess how you react to unexpected, off-the-wall type questions. Can you think on your feet and provide a proper answer when asked questions like:

What animal would you choose to be?
Which five famous people would you invite to dinner?
If you won the lottery what would you do with all the money?
What would you call your autobiography?

Get help with preparing for these type of interview questions. Use the answer guidelines at Strange Interview Questions.

Job-specific interview questions

These are sample job interview questions for specific job-types. Are you interviewing for a management position, an accountancy job, a sales opportunity or a teaching job? Find sample interview questions and answers for these jobs and many other job types at Job Interview Guides.

Use the search box below to find any other help and advice you want on job interviews.

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Feb 11, All About Group Interviews

Group interviews involve getting together with other job candidates to meet with one or more interviewers. Usually it involves a number of interviewers - potential managers or supervisors, human resources, even future co-workers and a group of candidates all together in one room.

In its most basic form the group interview consists of a presentation to the candidates about the company and position. Generally there will be a question and answer session after the presentation.

These simple interviews serve two purposes. Information is given to all the candidates in an economical and time-saving manner. It also gives the interviewers an opportunity to conduct an initial screening of the candidates as they observe the candidates' behavior and interaction with each other, their communication skills and the impression they make.

Group interviews can be more involved than this. Candidates may be required to participate in work-simulation exercises. These can take the form of group problem-solving sessions where each candidate's contributions and participation is noted. Discussion groups take a similar form.

Other exercises include splitting the candidates into teams and each team is given a work-related task to complete. Each team then presents their results to the whole group.

During these team exercises the interviewers closely watch and listen to the candidates. They may also ask questions of individual candidates and take notes.

The skills been observed include communication and interpersonal ability, persuasiveness and the ability to influence others, leadership and delegation, organizational and planning skills and the ability to work and contribute as a team-member. Other observable behaviors include the ability to handle stress, to deal with feedback and give feedback and to analyze and problem-solve. Levels of individual knowledge are also noted.

Sometimes the situational exercise is not work related. Candidates are given a controversial hypothetical situation, such as deciding how to choose which people to save from a sinking boat. These type of exercises cause a lot of discussion and argument and interviewers will observe how people interact, influence and reach decisions.

Tips for Group Interviews

Use these tips for group interviews and your job interview experience will be a positive one. You will stand out as a mature, confident and competent candidate.

View the questions you can expect to be asked at Group Interview Questions.

Know what to expect in a panel interview and be prepared for this type of job interview.

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Mar 23, Sample Employment Acceptance Letter

Use the sample employment acceptance letter or email to secure the job and confirm your acceptance of employment with the company. Make the right impression from the start.

Your new employer will be expecting you to respond in a professional and polite manner to their job offer, a well written letter will set you on the right career track.

Employment acceptance confirmation email

Once you have been offered the job verbally you should be sent the final offer of employment in writing. This usually precedes the actual employment contract. Often you are asked to simply sign the letter of employment to indicate your acceptance of the job offer and return it to the company. It is a good idea to send an email confirming that you have received the written job offer and have signed and sent it back. This way the employer knows that the employment process is proceeding correctly. It is important to note that a job offer is not binding until it has been communicated in writing.

Dear Mrs Green

I received your formal job offer earlier today. I have read through it carefully, signed it and sent it back to you as requested. As suggested I have kept the second copy.

Thank you again for giving me this exciting opportunity. I look forward to starting employment with ABC Company on June 6, 2011 and to becoming a member of such a dynamic team.

If there is any additional information or paperwork you need please let me know.

Regards

J Candidate
jcandidate@gmail.com

Alternatively you can send a confirmation letter together with the signed offer of employment or employment contract. Here is a sample:

Employment acceptance letter

Your address

Mr Joe Morris
XYZ Corp.,Inc.
1009 Madison Avenue
New York, NY

Dear Mr Morris

Thank you for sending me your formal job offer so promptly. I have read through it carefully and signed it as requested. As suggested I have kept the second copy.

I would like to thank you again for this wonderful opportunity and I eagerly anticipate starting with XYZ Corp on June 6, 2011.

If there is any additional information or paperwork you need in advance of my start date please let me know.

Sincerely,

J Candidate

Click here to view a detailed sample job offer acceptance letter

It is important to write an employment acceptance letter or email to confirm that you have signed the formal offer of employment and to restate your enthusiasm for the position. It keeps those involved in the hiring process informed and ensures that you start your career with the company on the right note.

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Feb 15, 12 Core Competencies

These are the 12 core competencies that have been identified as critical for successful job performance.

Different job types require specific competencies, however these 12 competencies are the most commonly recognized behaviors required for success in nearly all career fields. Organizations will explore these core competencies in the job interview by asking competency based interview questions, otherwise known as behavioral interview questions.

What is a competency?

You will find many different definitions of this concept. Here we define a competency as the knowledge, skills and behavioral attributes necessary for acceptable job performance. Knowledge refers to previous education and experience, skills refers to the technical or practical skills required to perform the job and behavioral attributes refer to personality characteristics that are key to successful job performance.

The 12 core competencies identified for job success

Judgment/decision-making - able to make sound decisions based on information gathered and analysed. Consider all pertinent facts and alternatives before deciding on the most appropriate action.

Teamwork /interpersonal - able to interact with people effectively. Able and willing to share and receive information. Cooperate within the group and across groups. Support group decisions.

Quality Orientation/work standards - maintain high standards, attention to detail, accuracy and completeness. Show concern for all aspects of the job.

Work Ethic/motivation - Energy and enthusiasm in approaching the job. Commitment to putting in additional effort.

Reliability - take personal responsibility for job performance. Complete work in a timely and consistent manner. Keep commitments.

Problem Analysis/problem solving - gather and organize all relevant information. Identify cause-effect relationships. Come up with appropriate solutions.

Adaptability - adapts to changing work environment, work priorities, organizational needs. Able to deal with change and diverse people.

Planning /organizing - plan and organize tasks and work responsibilities to achieve objectives. Set priorities. Schedule activities. Allocate and use resources properly.

Communication - express ideas effectively. Organize and deliver information appropriately. Listen actively.

Honesty/integrity - share complete and accurate information. Maintain confidentiality. Adhere to organizational policies and procedures. Meet own commitments.

Initiative - take action to influence events. Generate ideas for improvement, take advantage of opportunities, suggest innovations, do more than required.

Stress tolerance- emotionally resilient and able to withstand pressure on an on-going basis. Deal with difficult situations while maintaining performance. Seek support from others when necessary. Use appropriate coping techniques.

Assessing the 12 core competencies in the job interview

This is done by asking the job candidate competency based or behavioral interview questions that explore these competencies. A competency based interview question will ask the candidate to provide an example of when he or she displayed the required competence or behavior in the past. "Tell me about a recent problem you discovered. What steps did you take to sort it out?"

A more detailed explanation of this sort of job interview can be found at The Behavioral Interview.

A list of behavioral or competency based interview questions with sample answers can be found at Behavioral Interview Questions. These behavioral or situational interview questions can be used to explore the 12 core competencies.

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