5 Common Human Resources Interview Questions & Answers

I was assisting the benefits coordinator at my internship with researching an employee’s eligibility for a paid leave of absence. The employee had heard that this benefit was available and was insisting that he should receive it. I discovered that he did not have the seniority level for this benefit, so the coordinator and I set up a meeting with the employee. The employee arrived to the meeting agitated but then broke down and told us he was depressed. He saw no other answer but to take a leave, but he needed compensation. Even though paid leave was not an option, the coordinator and I made a mental health plan with him and got him to make an appointment with a therapist that same day. He was able to temporarily reduce his hours and receive treatment while still being a productive member of his work team.

I developed a health benefits informational training session at my internship. With all of the changes in the medical plans for the next enrollment period, I saw the need for a clear and straightforward informational session that would analyze the differences in cost and coverage of the three plans offered. My challenge was to fully explain the details of these plans in the easiest format to understand. My training session integrated an interactive PowerPoint presentation with minimal handout materials, which had a link to an extensive selection of health insurance resource materials online.

I think that every department in a corporation needs to be committed to workplace diversity in order for it to succeed. An inclusive outlook recognizes the variety of strengths that persons from all backgrounds have. Human resources are on the forefront of promoting the innovative and productive professional environment that results from diversity. Making sure that policies are written without discriminatory language is a start. Dialogue is important for development of a positive company culture, so I think hiring practices, training, and cultural education sessions must be implemented. At my internship I participated in optional diversity seminars. I was impressed by the positive impact it had on the inclusiveness of the organization. Even though not everyone attended the sessions, those who did talked about it at lunch and got others involved the discussions.

I have a bachelor’s degree in business with a minor in human resource management. I had two internships during my college career; first for a health care service company, and recently with a large corporation. For the healthcare internship, my work was focused on developing employee recruitment materials and attending job fairs to engage with possible applicants. In my corporate internship, I have focused on growing my skillset in employee relations and developing training materials.

I feel that maintaining my personal integrity and being seen as sincere is an important foundation for positive employee relations. When I had to deliver the bad news of an increase in employee health insurance costs, I did not downplay the increase or brush it off like it did not matter. Employees saw my sincerity and appreciated that I clearly told them the truth.