Use this guide to probe for strategic thinking, technical HR depth, sound judgment, and values alignment. Each question includes suggested follow‑ups and a snapshot of what strong answers often include.

Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning

Walk me through your approach to building a hiring plan for a fast‑growing team.

Follow‑ups: What was the context? Who were the stakeholders? What options did you consider? How did you measure impact? What would you do differently?

What good looks like:

• Clarifies intake with the hiring manager
• Defines success profile and must‑haves vs nice‑to‑haves
• Uses talent market data to set timelines and sourcing mix
• Builds structured interview loop and rubrics
• Proposes trade‑offs and communicates risks

How do you reduce bias in screening and interviews?

Follow‑ups: What was the context? Who were the stakeholders? What options did you consider? How did you measure impact? What would you do differently?

What good looks like:

• Uses structured rubrics and anchored rating scales
• Blinded resume reviews where practical
• Diverse panels & interviewer training
• Consistent candidate experience and calibration debriefs
• Monitors pass‑through rates for adverse impact

Describe a time you closed a critical role under tight timelines.

Follow‑ups: What was the context? Who were the stakeholders? What options did you consider? How did you measure impact? What would you do differently?

What good looks like:

• Quantifies timeline and business impact
• Explains sourcing channels, messaging, and prioritization
• Shows stakeholder management and offer strategy
• Shares post‑mortem learnings/metrics

Employee Relations

Tell me about a complex ER case you led end‑to‑end.

Follow‑ups: What was the context? Who were the stakeholders? What options did you consider? How did you measure impact? What would you do differently?

What good looks like:

• Follows a clear intake and triage process
• Objective fact‑finding and documentation
• Applies policy and local law appropriately
• Assesses risk, partners with Legal, communicates outcomes
• Drives remediation and prevention actions

How do you balance confidentiality with transparency in investigations?

Follow‑ups: What was the context? Who were the stakeholders? What options did you consider? How did you measure impact? What would you do differently?

What good looks like:

• Articulates legal/ethical boundaries
• Need‑to‑know principle, scripts for comms
• Maintains records chain and defensibility

What early signals do you watch to catch ER issues before they escalate?

Follow‑ups: What was the context? Who were the stakeholders? What options did you consider? How did you measure impact? What would you do differently?

What good looks like:

• Manager 1:1 themes, attrition patterns, pulse survey data
• Whisper network cues, time‑to‑resolve metrics
• Training gaps and policy exceptions trends

Performance Management

How do you design a fair performance review process across functions?

Follow‑ups: What was the context? Who were the stakeholders? What options did you consider? How did you measure impact? What would you do differently?

What good looks like:

• Role‑relevant rubrics, calibration, rater‑effect mitigation
• Clear timelines & enablement for managers
• Continuous feedback, not just annual cycles
• Appeals / second‑review mechanism

Share a time you turned around a low performer.

Follow‑ups: What was the context? Who were the stakeholders? What options did you consider? How did you measure impact? What would you do differently?

What good looks like:

• Sets SMART expectations and PIP criteria
• Supports with coaching/resources
• Documents checkpoints and outcomes
• Considers role fit vs exit respectfully

What metrics tell you your performance program is working?

Follow‑ups: What was the context? Who were the stakeholders? What options did you consider? How did you measure impact? What would you do differently?

What good looks like:

• Distribution health (no artificial bell curve)
• Calibration variance, appeals rate
• Quality of feedback, manager adoption
• Correlation with engagement, promotion velocity

Learning & Development

How do you diagnose capability gaps and prioritize L&D investments?

Follow‑ups: What was the context? Who were the stakeholders? What options did you consider? How did you measure impact? What would you do differently?

What good looks like:

• Uses business strategy → capability map
• Triangulates data from performance, ER, and OKRs
• Builds ROI hypothesis and pilot plans
• Measures behavior change and business impact

Design a 90‑day manager onboarding program outline.

Follow‑ups: What was the context? Who were the stakeholders? What options did you consider? How did you measure impact? What would you do differently?

What good looks like:

• Focus on role clarity, feedback, coaching skills
• Just‑in‑time micro‑learning & cohorts
• Shadowing, case clinics, and practice
• Success metrics and stakeholder roles

Compensation & Benefits

How do you approach leveling and pay bands during rapid growth?

Follow‑ups: What was the context? Who were the stakeholders? What options did you consider? How did you measure impact? What would you do differently?

What good looks like:

• Job architecture and leveling guidelines
• Benchmarking methodology and geo‑differentials
• Pay‑for‑performance philosophy
• Pay equity checks and remediation plan

Explain a tough comp decision you navigated with a hiring manager.

Follow‑ups: What was the context? Who were the stakeholders? What options did you consider? How did you measure impact? What would you do differently?

What good looks like:

• Balances internal equity, market data, and budget
• Scenario analysis and narrative for the decision
• Records exceptions and long‑term implications

HR Analytics

What people metrics do you prioritize and why?

Follow‑ups: What was the context? Who were the stakeholders? What options did you consider? How did you measure impact? What would you do differently?

What good looks like:

• North‑stars: Quality of hire, regrettable attrition, engagement, time‑to‑productivity
• Leading indicators vs lagging
• Ties to business outcomes

Walk through a project where analytics changed a talent decision.

Follow‑ups: What was the context? Who were the stakeholders? What options did you consider? How did you measure impact? What would you do differently?

What good looks like:

• Hypothesis → data → insight → action
• Methodology soundness and stakeholder buy‑in
• Clear impact and iteration

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)

How do you embed DEI into everyday talent practices?

Follow‑ups: What was the context? Who were the stakeholders? What options did you consider? How did you measure impact? What would you do differently?

What good looks like:

• Inclusive job descriptions & sourcing
• Structured interviews & calibration
• Equitable development and succession planning
• Measurement and accountability

Describe how you would respond to a pay‑equity finding.

Follow‑ups: What was the context? Who were the stakeholders? What options did you consider? How did you measure impact? What would you do differently?

What good looks like:

• Root‑cause analysis
• Remediation scenarios
• Communication strategy
• Prevention mechanisms

Change Management & Org Design

Tell me about a reorg you supported—what went well and what didn’t?

Follow‑ups: What was the context? Who were the stakeholders? What options did you consider? How did you measure impact? What would you do differently?

What good looks like:

• Stakeholder mapping and success criteria
• Clear operating model and role definitions
• Risk/impact assessment and comms
• Post‑launch stabilization metrics

How do you prepare managers for large‑scale change?

Follow‑ups: What was the context? Who were the stakeholders? What options did you consider? How did you measure impact? What would you do differently?

What good looks like:

• Leader alignment, messaging toolkits
• Manager enablement, office hours
• Feedback loops and sentiment tracking

Compliance & Policy

How do you stay current on employment law across regions?

Follow‑ups: What was the context? Who were the stakeholders? What options did you consider? How did you measure impact? What would you do differently?

What good looks like:

• Uses trusted counsel and updates
• Maintains compliant policy library
• Trains managers and audits regularly

Walk through your approach to a RIF/layoff process.

Follow‑ups: What was the context? Who were the stakeholders? What options did you consider? How did you measure impact? What would you do differently?

What good looks like:

• Selection criteria & documentation
• Legal review, notices, and severance
• Comms sequencing and aftercare
• Risk mitigation and tracking

Culture & Engagement

What drives engagement in your experience, and how do you measure it?

Follow‑ups: What was the context? Who were the stakeholders? What options did you consider? How did you measure impact? What would you do differently?

What good looks like:

• Uses validated survey instruments
• Converts themes to action plans with owners
• Follows up with transparent progress
• Links to attrition/OKR movement

Describe a program you led that improved retention.

Follow‑ups: What was the context? Who were the stakeholders? What options did you consider? How did you measure impact? What would you do differently?

What good looks like:

• Problem framing & baseline
• Interventions tested
• Impact metrics and sustainability

Leadership & Stakeholder Management

How do you influence execs who disagree on a people decision?

Follow‑ups: What was the context? Who were the stakeholders? What options did you consider? How did you measure impact? What would you do differently?

What good looks like:

• Brings data and scenarios
• Identifies shared goals and constraints
• Listens, reframes, proposes principled trade‑offs

Tell me about a time you upheld a principle despite pressure.

Follow‑ups: What was the context? Who were the stakeholders? What options did you consider? How did you measure impact? What would you do differently?

What good looks like:

• Ethics, compliance, and employee trust focus
• Clear rationale and documentation
• Calm escalation path

Scenario Exercises (Take‑Home or Live)

Create a structured interview plan for an HRBP hire.

Follow‑ups: What was the context? Who were the stakeholders? What options did you consider? How did you measure impact? What would you do differently?

What good looks like:

• Competency map, panel roles, questions & rubrics
• Scorecard with anchored examples
• Calibrations and decision rules

Draft a 30‑60‑90 plan for your first quarter as Head of People.

Follow‑ups: What was the context? Who were the stakeholders? What options did you consider? How did you measure impact? What would you do differently?

What good looks like:

• Discovery plan, stakeholder map
• Quick wins vs foundational work
• Metrics and check‑ins

Given anonymized attrition and survey data, identify 3 hypotheses and experiments.

Follow‑ups: What was the context? Who were the stakeholders? What options did you consider? How did you measure impact? What would you do differently?

What good looks like:

• Sound interpretation, avoids false causality
• Prioritizes high‑leverage actions
• Defines success metrics

Red Flags

• Vague stories without measurable outcomes
• Over‑reliance on policies without judgment or empathy
• No understanding of local legal requirements when relevant
• Lack of calibration/structure in hiring and performance decisions
• Treats DEI and compliance as afterthoughts

Evaluation Rubric (Anchor Examples)

• 4 – Excellent: Brings data, anticipates trade‑offs, influences stakeholders, measures impact, and shows learning.
• 3 – Strong: Solid methodology and outcomes, minor gaps in foresight or measurement.
• 2 – Mixed: Descriptive but light on structure, metrics, or stakeholder management.
• 1 – Weak: Theoretical, policy‑only, or anecdotes with no role clarity or results.