Professional Talent Acquisition Manager Interview Questions & Answers:

1. Explain me where do you see yourself in next couple of years?

With this question, what the talent acquisition specialist wants to know is how the applicant envisions his career and what strategies he has or would be implemented to reach the desired goals.

2. Explain me what are the main responsibilities of your role?

My job is to build a pipeline of potential candidates with an eye to placing them in open positions, either at Kering or within our brands. I'm also active in supporting the selection process for leadership positions and creative roles. And I work closely with schools and universities through a variety of Kering initiatives to identify future top talent.

3. What is your greatest strength as Talent Acquisition Manager?

This question asked by a talent acquisition specialist focuses on knowing how good the candidate is or could be in the long run. This gives candidates an opportunity to shine with the perfect answers they can give.

4. What is the reason for leaving your previous job as Talent Acquisition Manager?

The biggest mistake most candidates make with this question is speak negatively about their past employers. Well, the truth could be equally dark, and the negative work environment might have affected him or her negatively; however, when starting something fresh, especially like answering an interview question, the negative speech can only turn out to be a loss for the candidate.

5. Tell us what would you advise to new graduates that want to enter the fashion industry?

An excellent way to enter the fashion industry is to start in retail. Working in a store provides a crucial knowledge of the product and the clientele, which is key for many positions in the fashion industry. Retail also offers a number of career opportunities, though many graduates are not fully aware of the potential behind retail.

6. Tell us what roles are the hardest to fill in your organization? Why?

Finding enough nurses. Many nurses are reaching retirement age and since they are usually working a 12-hour shift it is difficult for them to continue working at the bedside.

Also, respiratory therapists, rehabilitation therapists and pharmacists. In the past, you needed a Bachelor's degree and now you may need a Master's or even a doctorate. In general health care workers need higher levels of credentialing than before.

7. Can you tell us what is your greatest weakness?

Most candidates when encountered with this question often begin explaining the list of their dark sides, considering they might get a benefit out of it. Fallacy! What the recruiter wants to understand from the candidates here is how they are prepared for the work challenges and what approach do they prefer to use to overcome a problem or tough situation.

8. Explain me have you ever been particularly impressed by a candidate in positive way? Why?

The candidates who impress me the most usually combine two key elements: remarkable knowledge about their field and passion for the job. Also, being humble is a quality that I value very much in a candidate, especially in young professionals.

9. Tell us what do you wish interviewees asked you?

I wish they asked me what my leadership style is like and what I expect. They are interviewing us as much as we're interviewing them. So they can confirm that this feels like the right match for them.
I also wished they asked, “How will I know I'm successful in this job in a year?” Use the interview to establish expectations.

Finally, I have candidates meet the team without me in the room. I wish people would talk about teams and get to know players on the team. Talk about where their strengths could help the team do better things. What kind of team they are going to be joining? What could they add to our team and what could that team add to them?

10. Explain me something you have never told anyone else?

When recruiting for project managers, I'm looking for sound communication skills. Asking this fun question and hearing the candidate's response allows me to recognize what the person in front of me is actually like.

If the interviewee comes up with an interesting answer, I know they are creative and can communicate well. Their response obviously shouldn't be negative, but needs to be something honest and interesting enough to remember.

It also allows me to see if the candidate is a quick thinker, which is another important skill required from a project manager. As this is not a particularly common question a candidate would expect to be asked, it's fascinating to see what they come up with.