Interview tips for HR professionals: stand out in a competitive market

As an HR professional, you understand the importance of hiring the right talent, but when it comes to your own job search, the process can be just as competitive. 

Whether you are applying for an HR advisor, HR Business Partner of HR Director role, it’s crucial to prepare effectively to showcase your skills and stand out in a crowded job market.

In this comprehensive guide, we share top interview tips for HR professionals to help you succeed, with expert insights from Sellick Partnership’s specialist HR recruitment team.

Research the company and industry trends

Employers want HR professionals who are up-to-date with the latest trends in human resources, best practice, employment law and workforce development. 

Demonstrating your knowledge of HR industry trends can set you apart from other candidates.

How to research effectively:

• Company research: Start by exploring the company’s website, particularly its ‘About Us’ and ‘Careers’ pages, to understand its mission, values, and recent HR initiatives.
• Recent news and developments: Check LinkedIn, industry publications, and company press releases to see if the organisation has implemented any major HR changes.
• Competitor insights: Understanding how other companies in the same industry approach HR challenges can help you tailor your responses to demonstrate a well-rounded perspective. Giving examples of what you have seen other companies doing shows initiative and genuine enthusiasm. 
• Emerging HR trends: Topics like hybrid working, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), mental health initiatives, and HR technology advancements are essential knowledge areas for any modern HR professional. Take a look at our blog looking at how technology could impact the future of HR jobs. 

Application tip:

Use your research to personalise your interview answers. For example, if a company is rolling out a new HRIS system, highlight your experience implementing or working with similar systems and how you facilitated a smooth transition.

Demonstrate your HR expertise with data

HR professionals who provide data-driven insights are in high demand. Metrics can showcase your impact and ability to drive measurable improvements.

Key areas to focus on:

• Recruitment metrics: Have you reduced time to hire or improved candidate quality? Mention how you optimised talent acquisition strategies.
• Employee retention rates: If you introduced initiatives that boosted retention, share the before-and-after statistic such as employee surveys and employee value propositions. 
• Performance management success: Demonstrate how you improved performance reviews, employee engagement scores, or training effectiveness.
• HR software and analytics: Employers value HR professionals who can leverage tools to track and interpret HR metrics.

Application tip:

Use specific figures in your answers. Instead of saying, “I improved retention,” say, “I implemented an employee engagement initiative that increased retention by 20% over 18 months.”

Showcase your soft skills

HR roles require exceptional interpersonal skills. The ability to communicate effectively, resolve conflicts, and lead organisational change is essential.

Key soft skills to highlight:

• Emotional intelligence (EQ): Showcase your ability to navigate sensitive conversations, mediate disputes, and foster a positive workplace culture.
• Communication and active listening: Strong HR professionals can articulate policies clearly while also ensuring employees feel heard and valued.
• Problem-solving and decision-making: Provide examples of how you’ve successfully resolved workplace conflicts, performance issues, or employee grievances.
• Leadership and teamwork: Even if you are not applying for a leadership role, highlight instances where you’ve led HR projects, managed stakeholders, or trained employees.

Application tip:

When answering behavioural questions, use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your response concisely while showcasing your impact.

Prepare for competency-based questions

Most HR job interviews include competency-based questions designed to assess how you’ve handled real-world HR challenges.

Common competency-based questions:

• “Tell us about a time you managed a difficult employee relations case.”
• “How have you successfully led an HR policy change?”
• “Describe a time you improved an HR process and the impact it had.”
• “Can you give an example of a challenging recruitment situation you successfully navigated?”

Best strategies to answer competency questions:

• Identify key examples: Choose examples from past roles that demonstrate your expertise.
• Structure your answers using STAR: Clearly outline the Situation, Task, Action, and Result.
• Link your experience to the role: Make sure your examples align with the job description and specification.
• Relate this to the news within the organisation, this will make it relevant, showcase your research and understanding of market trends. 

Highlight your knowledge of Employment Law

HR professionals must be well-versed in employment law, compliance, and regulatory changes.

Key topics to cover:

• Disciplinary and grievance procedures: Demonstrate your understanding of fair and legal processes.
• Redundancy, restructure and TUPE transfers: If applicable, highlight any experience handling redundancies, restructures, and business transfers.
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) policies: Show your knowledge of fostering inclusive workplaces and promoting equal opportunities.
• GDPR and data protection: Explain how you ensure HR data is managed securely and in compliance with GDPR.

Application tip:

Discuss how you stay up-to-date with legal changes (e.g., attending HR law seminars or subscribing to HR legal updates).

Ask insightful questions

Asking well-thought-out questions at the end of your interview demonstrates enthusiasm and strategic thinking.

Questions to ask:

• “Where do you see the HR team and their contribution to the company within the next five years?”
• “What are the biggest HR challenges the company is currently facing?”
• “Can you tell me more about the company’s learning and development programmes?”
• “How does the organisation handle employee wellbeing and mental health initiatives?”
• “What does success look like in this role within the first six months?”

Application tip:

Tailor your questions to the specific role and company, showing that you’ve done your research and are genuinely interested in their HR strategy.

Follow up professionally

Sending a thank you email after your interview leaves a lasting positive impression.

How to write a great follow up email:

• Express gratitude: Thank the interviewer for their time and insights.
• Reiterate your interest: Confirm your enthusiasm for the role and how your skills align with the company’s needs.
• Highlight a key takeaway: Mention something specific from the interview that resonated with you.

Find your next HR job with Sellick Partnership

If you’re looking for your next opportunity in HR, our expert HR Recruitment Consultants can help. We specialise in placing HR professionals in temporary, contract, and permanent roles across the UK.

Explore our latest HR job vacancies and read more career advice from our HR insights.