🔹Common HR Questions
1. Tell me about yourself.
2. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
3. Why should we hire you?
4. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
5. Why do you want to join our company?
6. How do you deal with stress and pressure?
7. Are you open to relocation and night shifts (if applicable)?
8. What motivates you?
🔹HR Questions for Tech Students
1. Explain a recent project you worked on. What was your role?
2. How do you keep yourself updated with new technologies?
3. How would you explain a technical concept to a non-technical person?
4. Have you worked with cross-functional teams? How did you handle it?
5. Which programming language do you prefer and why?
6. Tell us about a coding challenge you solved creatively.
7. Have you contributed to open source or done internships?
8. Are you more comfortable working independently or in a team?
🔹HR Questions for Management Students
1. Tell us about a time you led a team to achieve a business goal.
2. Describe a situation where you had to take a tough decision.
3. How do you prioritize tasks under pressure?
4. Have you ever managed a conflict in a team or between clients?
5. What are the 3 most important skills for a manager in today’s world?
6. Give an example where your analytical skills helped improve performance.
7. How do you stay updated with industry trends (e.g., AI in marketing, ESG, fintech, etc.)?
8. What is your take on leadership in the age of hybrid work and AI?
🔹New-Age / Trending HR Questions
1. How do you think AI will impact your future role?
2. What do you do outside academics that makes you a better professional?
3. What’s your opinion on work-life integration vs. work-life balance?
4. How do you ensure ethical decision-making in a competitive environment?
5. What was the last book, podcast, or article that influenced your thinking?
6. How would you explain Gen Z work expectations to a traditional HR manager?
7. Have you ever failed at something important? What did you learn?
8. In your opinion, what is more important—innovation or execution? Why?
🔹Types of Questions Asked
1. Self-Awareness & Personality Fit
🎯What they want to assess: Self-confidence, introspection, alignment with role and culture.
Question Interviewer’s Intent
Understand your self-perception, values, and
Tell me about yourself.
communication.
What are your strengths and weaknesses? Assess self-awareness and honesty.
What motivates you? See what drives your performance.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Check clarity of goals and long-term fit.
What personal achievement are you most
Gauge what you value and your initiative.
proud of?
🔹2. Communication & Interpersonal Skills
🎯What they want to assess: Clarity, empathy, teamwork, relationship-building.
Question Interviewer’s Intent
How would you explain a technical concept to a non-
Evaluate clarity and audience awareness.
technical person?
Assess emotional intelligence and
Tell me about a time you handled a conflict in a team.
resolution skills.
How do you build relationships in a new environment? Check adaptability and social confidence.
Give an example of how you resolved a team
Evaluate listening and diplomacy.
misunderstanding.
🔹3. Problem-Solving & Decision-Making
🎯What they want to assess: Critical thinking, judgment, accountability.
Question Interviewer’s Intent
See how you handle critique
Describe a situation where your decision was criticized.
and improve.
Give an example where your analytical skills helped improve
Assess structured thinking.
performance.
Question Interviewer’s Intent
What is your approach when you get stuck? Explore resilience and strategy.
Evaluate maturity and
Describe a tough decision you had to make.
ownership.
Check for structured and logical
How do you weigh alternatives before choosing a solution?
decision-making.
🔹4. Adaptability & Learning Agility
🎯What they want to assess: Flexibility, curiosity, growth mindset.
Question Interviewer’s Intent
Understand continuous learning
How do you keep yourself updated with new technologies?
habits.
How do you deal with stress and pressure? Assess emotional stability.
Have you ever failed at something important? What did you learn? Gauge resilience and reflection.
What do you do outside academics that makes you a better
Explore holistic development.
professional?
Tell me about a time you had to adapt to a major change quickly. Evaluate flexibility.
Understand openness to
How do you respond to feedback or criticism?
improvement.
🔹5. Cultural Fit & Ethical Reasoning
🎯What they want to assess: Values, integrity, alignment with company culture.
Question Interviewer’s Intent
Evaluate alignment with company
Why do you want to join our company?
mission.
How do you ensure ethical decision-making in a competitive
Gauge integrity.
environment?
What’s your opinion on work-life integration vs. work-life
Understand priorities and boundaries.
balance?
Assess flexibility and practical
Are you open to relocation and night shifts?
expectations.
Describe a time you stood up for something you believed in. Check courage and moral reasoning.
🔹6. Innovation & Business Thinking
🎯What they want to assess: Creativity, commercial awareness, future readiness.
Question Interviewer’s Intent
If given ₹10 lakhs to start a company, what would you build
Explore entrepreneurial mindset.
and why?
How do you think AI will impact your future role? Check tech awareness and adaptability.
Evaluate awareness of modern
What are the 3 most important skills for a manager today?
leadership.
Give an example of an innovative idea you implemented. Show originality and initiative.
What trend do you think will disrupt your industry in the next 5
Assess business foresight.
years?
🔹7. Initiative & Ownership
🎯What they want to assess: Proactivity, leadership, accountability.
Question Interviewer’s Intent
Check initiative and real-world
Have you contributed to open source or done internships?
exposure.
Tell us about a project where you took initiative. Gauge leadership potential.
How do you prioritize tasks under pressure? Assess time management.
Have you ever gone beyond your defined role to get something
See willingness to own outcomes.
done?
Tell me about a time you managed a project from start to Evaluate ownership and follow-
finish. through.
Understand personal integrity and
What do you do when no one is watching or monitoring you?
drive.
Mock HR Curveball Round
Simulate unexpected or non-standard questions and assess:
Composure under pressure
Depth of self-awareness
Ethical reasoning
Empathy and maturity
Clarity of thought
Curveball HR Question Skill/Behavior Assessed
Independent thinking,
What’s one thing you believe in that most people disagree with?
courage
If you could remove one subject from your curriculum, what would
Critical thinking
it be and why?
If we rejected you today, what would you do next? Resilience, maturity
Tell me about something you regret. Emotional depth, reflection
Professionalism, emotional
How do you handle working with someone you dislike?
control
What’s the biggest misconception people have about you? Self-awareness
Would you rather be respected or liked at work? Leadership values
If your team member lied to save a project, would you report it? Ethics, integrity
What is something new you've tried recently and failed at? Growth mind-set
If you were asked to lead a team of people more experienced than
you, how would you do it? Leadership style
Ask participants: Which questions made them uncomfortable? Why?
Highlight good practices: pausing before answering, acknowledging complexity, ethical
reasoning.
