HR Interview – 30 Most Common Questions

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General Introduction

1. Tell me about yourself.

   • Answer: Start with your name, current education and internship, and relevant experiences.
   • Example: "My name is Tushar Bhardwaj. I'm pursuing a B.Tech in Computer Science and currently interning at Microsoft as a Software Engineer. I’ve worked on scalable systems and have experience with full-stack projects, content authoring at LeetCode, and data-driven operations at CipherSchools."

2. Why do you want to work at Microsoft?

   • Answer: Reflect on your internship experience, culture, and growth opportunities.
   • Example: "I experienced firsthand the collaborative and innovative environment at Microsoft during my internship. I’m inspired by the scale of impact and want to continue contributing while growing alongside world-class engineers."

3. What are your strengths?

   • Answer: Mention strengths with examples of use.
   • Example: "Problem-solving and ownership. During my Microsoft internship, I took full responsibility for a backend module and ensured timely delivery by proactively coordinating with cross-team dependencies."

4. What are your weaknesses?

   • Answer: Be honest, and show active improvement.
   • Example: "I used to take too long polishing every detail. Now, I set internal deadlines and follow the 80/20 rule to balance quality and delivery speed."

5. Why should we hire you?

   • Answer: Highlight fit, past performance, and readiness.
   • Example: "I understand Microsoft’s systems and expectations, having delivered production-ready code during my internship. My skills in system design and eagerness to learn make me a strong fit for the team."

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Work Experience and Skills

6. Walk me through your resume.

   • Answer: Brief overview of education, internships, and major projects.
   • Example: "I’m currently at LPU. I’ve interned at CipherSchools managing operations, authored 120+ DSA questions at LeetCode, and built production-level full-stack applications. At Microsoft, I contributed to backend service optimization."

7. What was your biggest achievement in your previous job?

   • Answer: Pick a measurable and impactful result.
   • Example: "At Microsoft, I reduced service response latency by 25% through optimized API integration and caching, which improved internal tool performance."

8. Describe a challenging situation and how you handled it.

   • Answer: Use STAR format.
   • Example: "I was blocked by incomplete documentation. I reached out to engineers, reverse-engineered API behavior, validated it with peers, and wrote clear internal documentation for future use."

9. What technical skills do you possess that are relevant to this role?

   • Answer: Match skills to job requirements.
   • Example: "I’m strong in DSA, JavaScript, Node.js, React, MongoDB, and cloud tools like Azure. I’ve used Git, Docker, and Sentry in most of my projects."

10. What tools and software do you use daily?

    • Answer: Mention practical tools.
    • Example: "VS Code, GitHub, Azure DevOps, Postman, and Sentry. I use React and Node.js across most of my applications."

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Company and Career Goals

11. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

    • Answer: Talk about career growth in Microsoft.
    • Example: "I aspire to be a Software Engineer II or higher at Microsoft, mentoring juniors and leading impactful features for global-scale products."

12. Why do you want to leave your current job?

    • Answer: Show progression.
    • Example: "My internship is concluding, and I’m excited to transition into a full-time role to take on bigger responsibilities."

13. What do you know about our company?

    • Answer: Highlight culture, products, and experience.
    • Example: "Microsoft stands out for its innovation in cloud and AI. Its emphasis on collaboration and learning made my internship extremely rewarding."

14. What motivates you to do your best at work?

    • Answer: Mention intrinsic motivation.
    • Example: "Solving real-world problems and building efficient systems that users depend on excites me. I also enjoy mentoring and learning from peers."

15. Are you open to relocation?

    • Answer: Be flexible.
    • Example: "Yes, I’m open to relocation if it helps me grow within the company and aligns with team goals."

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Behavioral and Situational

16. How do you handle conflicts at work?

    • Answer: Describe an example focused on resolution.
    • Example: "I ensure open communication. Once, two team members clashed over implementation logic. I facilitated a short sync to align on priorities and helped define a hybrid solution."

17. Describe your ideal work environment.

    • Answer: Align with Microsoft culture.
    • Example: "A fast-paced, collaborative, and inclusive environment where learning and growth are prioritized—like I experienced during my internship."

18. How do you prioritize tasks?

    • Answer: Mention a method.
    • Example: "I use the Eisenhower Matrix and agile tools like Jira to plan and execute tasks. I focus first on urgent-impactful work."

19. Have you ever missed a deadline?

    • Answer: Be honest, show recovery.
    • Example: "Yes, due to unexpected blockers. I flagged it early, coordinated with the PM to realign deliverables, and recovered within two days."

20. How do you handle stress or pressure?

    • Answer: Share your approach.
    • Example: "I break down large tasks, focus on the next action, and regularly review progress. Planning ahead and taking breaks help me stay balanced."

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Teamwork and Leadership

21. Do you prefer working in a team or alone?

    • Answer: Show flexibility.
    • Example: "Both. I enjoy pair programming and idea sharing in teams, but I’m equally comfortable working solo to implement features end-to-end."

22. How do you handle feedback?

    • Answer: Be receptive and growth-focused.
    • Example: "During my internship, feedback helped me modularize my code better. I now apply those patterns by default in new projects."

23. Describe a time you led a team.

    • Answer: Use STAR method.
    • Example: "I led the 'Hire Me' portal project, divided tasks among 4 peers, reviewed PRs, and deployed the app successfully within 4 weeks."

24. What role do you usually take in a team?

    • Answer: Highlight a natural tendency.
    • Example: "I usually take initiative in planning and help others unblock quickly. I enjoy organizing sprints and ensuring alignment."

25. How do you ensure team members stay motivated?

    • Answer: Show leadership mindset.
    • Example: "I check in regularly, celebrate progress, and ensure everyone’s voice is heard in decisions. Recognition boosts morale."

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Job-Specific and Miscellaneous

26. What are your salary expectations?

    • Answer: Research and offer a flexible range.
    • Example: "Based on industry standards for a new grad at Microsoft, I expect ₹15–18 LPA. I’m flexible and more focused on role and learning."

27. What would your manager say about you?

    • Answer: Share strengths.
    • Example: "Dependable, curious, and solution-driven. My mentor appreciated my quick ramp-up and attention to detail."

28. Are you willing to work overtime or on weekends?

    • Answer: Be open with boundaries.
    • Example: "Yes, occasionally. If there's a critical release or blocker, I’m more than happy to pitch in."

29. How do you keep up with industry trends?

    • Answer: List credible sources.
    • Example: "I follow blogs like Microsoft Developer, Hacker News, and TechCrunch, and take online courses on new tools and frameworks."

30. Do you have any questions for us?

    • Answer: Ask thoughtful, role-specific questions.
    • Example: "How do you evaluate new grads for promotion to SDE II? And what’s the onboarding process like for someone returning as FTE after an internship?"

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Get More Questions here -> View File

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Authors

• @MiniAnon