HR interviews test your knowledge of the employee lifecycle (hiring, onboarding, payroll, performance and exits), Indian labour law compliance, and how you handle sensitive people situations. These questions suit HR executive, recruiter and HR generalist roles.
Fundamentals, definitions and simple scenarios. Good for freshers and warm-ups.
HR manages the employee lifecycle and helps the business achieve its goals through people. This includes workforce planning and recruitment, onboarding, payroll and statutory compliance, performance management, learning and development, employee engagement and relations, policies, and exits. A good HR team balances the needs of employees with the needs of the business.
Recruitment is attracting a pool of suitable candidates through job postings, job portals, referrals, campus drives and agencies. Selection is choosing the best candidate from that pool through screening, tests, interviews, reference checks and the offer. Recruitment widens the pool; selection narrows it down.
Onboarding is helping a new hire become a productive, engaged member of the team. It covers paperwork and system access, orientation about the company and its policies, introductions, a buddy or mentor, and a clear 30-60-90 day plan. Good onboarding reduces early attrition, helps people become productive sooner, and shapes how they feel about the company from day one.
Attrition rate = (number of employees who left during the period ÷ average number of employees in that period) × 100, where the average is usually (headcount at the start + headcount at the end) ÷ 2. For example, if 12 people left in a year and the average headcount was 150, attrition is 8%. It is useful to separate voluntary from involuntary exits, and to track it by team.
Applied problems, trade-offs and questions about your own projects.
Cost to Company is the total amount the employer spends on an employee in a year: basic salary, HRA, allowances, the employer's PF contribution, gratuity, bonuses, insurance and other benefits. In-hand or take-home salary is what reaches the employee's bank account each month after deductions such as the employee's PF contribution, professional tax and income tax (TDS). That is why the in-hand amount is noticeably lower than CTC divided by 12.
Key ones include Provident Fund under the EPF Act, ESI for eligible employees, gratuity under the Payment of Gratuity Act (generally payable after five years of continuous service), statutory bonus, professional tax where states levy it, maternity benefit, the Shops and Establishments Act, and the POSH Act, which requires an Internal Committee in workplaces with ten or more employees. India's new labour codes consolidate many of these laws, so HR must keep track of how they are notified and applied.
I listen carefully without judging, take notes and keep it confidential. I explain the process and timeline, then investigate fairly by speaking to everyone involved and reviewing any evidence. I apply company policy consistently, decide on a resolution, communicate it clearly to the employee, and follow up later to make sure the issue is actually resolved. Serious matters are escalated according to the grievance policy.
Competency-based or behavioural interviewing asks candidates about real past situations linked to the skills the role needs, such as "Tell me about a time you handled a conflict in your team." Candidates are expected to answer with the STAR method: Situation, Task, Action, Result. Each answer is scored against a rubric, which makes interviews more consistent and reduces bias compared with unstructured conversations.
System design, deep internals, leadership and tough follow-ups.
First I would analyse the data: who is leaving, from which teams and managers, after how long, and what exit interviews say. Common causes are pay below market, poor managers, no growth path and excessive workload. I would run stay interviews with current employees, then act on the actual causes: benchmark salaries, train managers, create clear career paths, improve recognition, and track whether attrition improves.
It starts with clear goals aligned to company objectives, using SMART goals or OKRs. Managers give continuous feedback and hold regular check-ins, not just one annual review. There is a mid-year and annual review, with calibration sessions across managers to make ratings fair and reduce bias. Results are linked to development plans, rewards and promotions, and managers are trained to give constructive feedback.
Under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013, a complaint goes to the Internal Committee, normally within three months of the incident (extendable for valid reasons). The committee may attempt conciliation if the complainant asks for it, otherwise it conducts an inquiry following natural justice, hearing both sides, and must complete it within 90 days. Confidentiality is mandatory. The employer should act on the committee's recommendations within 60 days, and the company files an annual report.
I would start from the business plan, translating revenue and product goals into the roles and skills needed over the next 12 to 18 months. Then I do a skills gap analysis against the current team, and decide whether to build (train and promote), buy (hire) or borrow (contractors and agencies) for each need. That becomes a hiring plan with timelines and budget, plus succession planning for critical roles.