How to prepare for your HR interview

If you’ve been invited for an interview, the employer is obviously impressed with the skills and experience on your CV. The interview process will now be a chance for them to assess your experience in a face-to-face context and determine whether you’re a good fit for the company.
The key to giving a good interview is in the preparation. By doing your research and thinking carefully about your potential responses, you’ll hopefully feel more confident and able to perform to the best of your ability. Here are five interview tips to help you land your next HR job:

1. Company research 

Make sure you fully research the company before you have your interview. Thoroughly read through the company’s website and make a note of key information and any useful facts. Look for recent news and articles about the company and fully understand their ethos and mission.
You might also want to check the company’s social media channels to see what they’re doing in this area and how they interact in the digital space. Also, find out who their major competitors are and how their offering compares.

2. Market research

Ensure your wider HR knowledge is up to scratch. Research any hiring news in that particular sector and keep abreast of recent HR developments/major projects in that industry as a whole. Check out industry publications, blogs and online news sites to make sure you’re well informed.

3. Good communication

All HR jobs will require good communication skills, so make sure you’re feeling confident in the information you want to convey to your prospective employer. Think about typical questions you may be asked and try to think of some concise answers and specific examples that demonstrate your abilities. Practice talking out loud about your experience and have a few strong examples of your achievements at the forefront of your mind.

4. Practise what you preach

If you’ve been involved in interview processes and assessing candidates from the other side of the fence before, think back to any particularly strong situations you’ve witnessed or have been a part of – what did the candidate do right? What was particularly impressive?

5. The right impression

Always arrive smartly dressed and well presented for an interview. HR professionals will normally be required to deal with people at all levels of the business, so good presentation and grooming is important.
Always leave enough time to get to your interview (too much is better than too little) and arrive a few minutes early to give you time to gather your thoughts beforehand. Try your best to relax, adopt a confident posture and don’t forget to smile!
Why not browse all of the HR jobs we’re currently handling to see if one could be a fit for you?