HR Questions

1. Name
Susmit Lakra
2. The major significant changes that have occurred in your life so far. Bring out the
people, purposes, goals and other significant changes that have caused these significant
changes/decisions.
After taking up Science in class 12. I was not able to make through in the first attempt.
This was a major turning point in my life. It made me realize that things were not that
easy-going as I used to think. Despite my failures, my mother stood by me and making
me realize that hard work is the only substitute.
3. Tell me about yourself – 500 Words
I am Susmit Lakra. I have been born and brought up in Ranchi. I haven’t had much
experience in lavish living, it is because I value money in a way that most people don’t.
With this experience and value in mind, it became a foundation for which career path I
would be choosing. Yet as time passed, I never forgot a goal of mine that I wanted to
achieve: an MBA degree. I am a BBA graduate from the Central University of Jharkhand.
Though I do not have any work experience I have interned at Taj Santacruz, Mumbai
and VE Commercial Vehicles, Pithampur. In Taj Santacruz, Mumbai I Coordinated with
HR operations team to find the right talent and performed the background verification
checks for 250 employees as part of the onboarding process. Administered the
induction process, acquainted new employees to policies and practices; provided the
basic information about the working arrangements. Screened 100 resumes; short listed
45 candidates to interview for 15 vacancies and organized Employee Engagement
activities; conducted health and wellness programs. Wherein I Learnt to handle the
employee related queries and to provide effective solutions. Understood the nuances
of written communication like correspondence, reports, memos, programs and minutes
in an organization. Learnt the effective filtering of resumes for person job fit and
organization fit. Learnt effective event management and subsequent impact on the
EVP. At VE Commercial Vehicles, Pithampur I was instrumental in liaisoning and
coordination of Learning and Development department; Created items for employment
test for 50 GET, 20 DET, 30 PGET. Ensured compliance throughout and immaculately
inducted 100 new employees. Handled constant verbal communication over call and
written communication such as sending mailers, offer letters, and updated employee
excellence performance sheets. Wherein I learnt to develop appropriate test items for
employment tests for various levels. Understood the nuances of internal and external
communication for employees. Learnt the criticalities of background verification and
 the legal aspects around it. Detailed understanding of interview process for new
recruits in the organizationsBackground verification, file auditing and handling
grievances of all new employees. Whenever I can, I like to play the guitar, play table
tennis and I also love to take up gardening.

I can take pride in being detail-oriented, well-organized team player and I can juggle
multiple tasks at once.

4. Tell me about yourself – 100 Words

I come from Ranchi that is also known as the city of waterfalls. We are four member in
our family, my mother and us three siblings. I have done my class 10 and class 12 from
government schools. I have also done my undergraduatiooon from the Central
University of Jharkhand yet again a government institution. Small town students are
perceived to be keeping to themselves which initially acted as a hindrance. But to this
day I am glad to break my own limits and being admitted to one of the finest
institutions of the country, IIM Ranchi.
5. Tell me about yourself –as a professional, a friend, a son/daughter.
I am an undergraduate student with no prior work experience, but I have held many
position of responsibilities which has given me exposure to every facet of management.
I have been the campus ambassador to many events. I can handle difficult situations
calmly and can work along my teammates. As a friend I am always there to help others
and can go the extra mile to help them. As a son I have rarely disappointed my mother
and she is very supportive and understanding and she have supported me in all the
decisions that I have taken so far.
6. Identify 3 strengths of yours and elucidate with examples. List some attributes of yours
that you are really proud of. Describe some instances where your attributes helped you
achieve a good outcome.
I can take pride in being detail-oriented, well-organized team player and I can juggle
multiple tasks at once.
7. Identify 3 weaknesses of yours and elucidate with examples.Provide situations where
your weaknesses have hurt you. What have you done in such circumstances?
One of my weaknesses is being too quiet and socially shy. In the past, I have sometimes
struggled with confidence and I have found it difficult to work with aggressive
personality types. While I understand diversity in personalities makes a business strong,
I tend to quiet my own ideas and opinions around louder colleagues. To combat this, I
have made it a point to spend more time with colleagues I feel uncomfortable working
with. By learning more about them, their communication style and their motivations, I
am better able to collaborate with these personality types so that we both equally
contribute our strengths and skills.
8. What motivates you in life?
The fact that I have come a long way even if it seemed impossible at first. I have come
to realize that boundaries are only a mirage.
9. Who is your role model? Why do you admire him/her? In what way are you similar to
your role model?
My mother. I love how she looks at things. She is very optimistic. I love her courage in raising
me and my brothers well, since my father passed away. She has been a single mom for about
11 years and did her best to act both a mother and father to us. She would always stand up for
us. It is from her that I have discovered how not to give up on any circumstance, no matter of
the trails or boulders blocking the way.
10. How do you typically respond to the problems facing you? (These problems could be in
any sphere of your life.)
When I need to solve a problem, I generally start by writing down as many ideas as I
can think of about possible causes. Next I look for relationships among causes so I can
group together symptoms of bigger problems. Usually, after I study these groups of
problems, the real cause becomes readily apparent.
11. Describe a situation in which you initiated a new idea and implemented it.
While in my under graduation at the Central University of Jharkhand we were given the
opportunity to organize a one-day management event. The event description seemed a
bit monotonous to me. I thought I could bring something interesting to the table.
Hence I was able to conduct a business quiz with interesting rounds.
12. Give instances where you took charge of a difficult situation and resolved it.
Whenever we work in groups, there is always a chance of difference in opinions. When
I joined IIM Ranchi, there was numerous group activities given primarily to know our
peers. But those activities turned into bigger messes as everyone started throwing their
opinions and all wanted to implement their idea. This is common when you work in
groups everyone wants to be recognized. A good leader having relevant experience of
situations and value in mind can turn this stressful situation into an advantageous one.
So did I. I tried to create a positive environment where everyone’s ideas were being
heard. That ultimately contributed towards our being the runner up.
13. What was the toughest decision you had to make? What was the toughest challenge
you had to take up?
I had always stayed away from my mother when I was little. Because my father was
posted in Calcutta and my mother in Ranchi. I along with my two brothers used to stay
with my father in Calcutta. One fine day I got to know that my parents wanted me to
move to Ranchi to my mother’s. It was a tough decision.
14. Describe one incident or event where you initially stumbled, but eventually recovered
and were able to achieve your objectives.
 When in my first year of graduation I was asked to do the anchoring in the cultural
event held during the 5th International Endangered and Lesser-known Languages
Conference. I was very nervous initially and declined. But then after a slight conviction,
I was able to overcome the fear of public speaking.
15. Describe one incident or event in your life which you regret the most. Why so? If given
an opportunity to re-live that incident, what would you do differently and why?
I regret not choosing to spend more time with my father. I lost him in 2008, and I feel
the loss of friendship we never had. He was very demanding, very strict, and from the
perspective of a young boy, very unreasonable. It turned out, as I live through this age,
that most of the ideals I have today ended up being the ones he put on me. Reflecting
back today I know then that I didn’t understand how precious those minutes were, and
how a door was being closed that would never open again.
16. How have you gone about achieving your goals in the past? What lessons have you
learned to further your pursuit of future goals?
Last year, I set out to achieve CAT. While I worked on it, I found that I needed to
concentrate on my time management skills in order to finish within the time limit I had
set. I also learned that by writing down and prioritizing each step I needed to take, I
was able to better visualise the journey, which helped me manage my time more
effectively. As a result, I was able to complete my goal, while refining my time
management skills in the process.
17. Where do you see yourself 5 years down the line?
In five years I see myself taking on more responsibilities, either through management
or higher-level individual contributions. I’m not sure which path will make sense to
pursue, but I know my goal right now is to build a strong foundation and gain valuable
experience so that I’ll have a successful future in this industry.
18. Where do you see yourself 10 years down the line?
I do not have a precise role in mind, but my aim over the next five years is to be at a
place where I can make a difference. Career advancement is significant to me, so I look
forward to taking on more responsibilities and gain more industry awareness in the
process. Hopefully, my experience will allow me to help the company achieve the
desired goals in the coming years.
Well, I have never imagined what I will be after ten years. But the thing I know how it
should not be. I don't want to be lost in the crowd of tired people cursing their work
and life each moment. I don't want to be someone who already exist in this world. I
don't want to be someone who regrets his decisions taken in the past. I don't want to
follow the same path taken for being called successful. I don't want that I should be
compared with someone.
19. Describe your ideal company, location, and job.
 For me, an ideal company is one where I show up every day and feel myself
contributing, knowing that I am playing a role in the success of the company. I might
eventually prefer to work in a larger city and I am fine with a job that needs travelling.
20. What do you seek in a job?
A job that adds value to our world, that leaves it better than we found it, and
genuinely helps other people. A job that will make me better. Whether through
challenging assignments, educational opportunities, demanding excellence, or
informal mentors, a job that forces me to grow beyond my current skill set. A job
that does not require me to suspend my personal convictions.
21. Are you a good manager? Give examples.
One of the biggest mistakes I’ve seen managers make is being less than transparent. Of
course, some decisions need to happen at the executive level, but the best teams are
lead by someone who is honest and accountable. If a manager is not upfront about
challenges or changes, they can lose the trust of their team.
22. Why should we select you/ how will you be an asset to our organization?-200 words
From what I understand about the job, it's a position that requires a lot of fast activity
during the day, and that's the kind of job I thrive in. I love to stay busy and wear a lot of
hats. You definitely have the advantage over me, since you know exactly what you're
looking for and I'm just learning about your company. It sounds like you need someone
who is going to deal with issues A, B and C in their first six months on the job.
23. Why do you want to work at our company? (JP Morgan/PwC/Maruti Suzuki/HT
Media/Yes Bank/RPG etc.)
I saw an article in Business Week about your CEO Jamie Dimon and the firm’s renewed
focus on technology innovation. I would love to work for an organization that’s leading
the future of the industry. Your company has the strongest reputation in the industry
and that is something I truly admire. Working for the best is something that everyone
wants to achieve and I would welcome the opportunity to help your company go even
further in the industry. The management style of this organization is a great fit with my
own style of working and I think I would do well here. Your company’s use of
collaboration and the many opportunities for advancement in management make it a
place where I see myself achieving my own career goals in leadership. I’ve always
worked best when I’ve been part of a team and I have a lot of different ideas that I
could bring to the table.
24. What do you know about our organization? (? (JP Morgan/PwC/Maruti Suzuki/HT
Media/Yes Bank/RPG etc.)
You’re one of the largest investment banks in the US. Your headquarters is in Raleigh,
NC, and you have 25,000 employees worldwide based on what I read on your website.
25. What seems most attractive about our company and what seems the least attractive?
 J.P. Morgan has been doing first-class business in a first-class way for more than 200
years. The fact that you have been a leading player in helping companies grow and
markets develop throughout history and having an exceptional team of employees who
work hard to do the right thing for clients and the firm every day. This is why you are
the most respected financial institution in the world — and the reason for the
attractiveness.
The controversy over the past few years about the bank being involved in physical
commodity trading - not just trading commodity futures on exchanges, but actually
buying warehouses and pipelines and ships and getting involved in moving the real
physical stuff yourselves. This sort of business, opens the bank up to new sorts of non-
financial risks. What if a bank has an oil spill. Leading to the least attractive point.

26. Would you lie for our company?

One cannot lie is this world. Everyone tells white lies, including me. However, lying
becomes a concern if that is what you are doing all the time, of if your lie leads
someone to direct harm. Additionally, in business, it is often necessary to keep secrets,
which in my opinion is a bit different than lying.
27. Can you work under pressure? Give examples.
Having many different assignments to work on or an upcoming deadline to meet helps
me to stay motivated and productive. I believe I deal with pressure well as I’m used to
writing long-form essays to strict deadlines at university, as well as organizing various
society events with limited resources. I’ve found that I enjoy working in a challenging
environment and I’m able to produce some of my best work when under pressure.
28. How successful do you think you have been so far?
No, I do not think I am successful yet. I have goals I still want to reach, and things I still
want to learn. Until I reach those goals, I cannot consider myself successful.
29. Write your epitaph.
Never born, Never died: visited the planet Earth between January 10, 1992 and January
19, 2070.
30. Had you not being an MBA student, what would you be doing?
If not an MBA, I would have pursued the Territorial Army. Variety and adventure are
the spice and romance of life. No profession has the kind of recreational and adventure
facilities to offer as the Army does; from membership of the best clubs in the country to
horse riding, swimming, golfing, mountaineering, trekking, and sailing. Posting to exotic
stations gives one an opportunity to see India and its different cultures, in all its vivid
glory.
31. Which is your favorite subject? Why?
 My favorite subject was social studies. I enjoyed learning about the many facets of
society. I liked listening to stories of inequality and justice; war and culture. Knowing
the foundations of the modern world through history helped me understand why
things are the way they are.
32. Mention about any project you have done/completed so far.
Project on L&D Analysis and Proposal for Automation at VE Commercial Vehicles,
Pithampur as part of my internship where I was Instrumental in Training Management
Study and the Training Feedback Analysis of the induction. I provided reports and
detailed analysis of the training programs for the employees and also proposed suitable
automation to ease the work of L&D function with minimal human intervention. I also
created a roadmap to implement the proposal for automation and suggested required
resources such as SAP.
33. What fields of business administration are you interested in? Why?
Human Resources. Human resource is the center point of all the actions in an
organization.
34. List all extra-curricular activities that you have ever participated in. Also mention the
awards.
 I was one of the Winners of the eduPreneurship Quiz Contest organized by National
Digital Library held at Global Entrepreneurship Summit at, 2017, IIT Kharagpur
 Runner-up in Biz-Spree’17 organized by Jharkhand Rai University, Ranchi
 Got involved in engaging activities on leadership skills, entrepreneurship skill
development, and business school fundamentals at Ensemble-Valhalla’s Future
Leaders Program, XLRI Jamshedpur
 Master of Ceremony at the 5th International Endangered & Lesser-known Languages
Conference held at Central University of Jharkhand, Ranchi
 Workshop on Operations Management-Amazon India at The Red Brick Summit, IIMA
 Workshop on Supply Chain Management-PepsiCo at The Red Brick Summit, IIMA
 Workshop on Product Management-Uber India at The Red Brick Summit, IIMA
 Workshop on The art of creating successful brands-Ogilvy & Mather at The Red Brick
Summit, IIM Ahmedabad
 Workshop on Sustainable Social Enterprise-Tata Trust at The Red Brick Summit, IIMA
 Workshop on Design Thinking-Centre for innovation Incubation and Entrepreneurship
at The Red Brick Summit, IIM Ahmedabad
 Workshop on Introduction to Data Science at The International Business Summit, IIM
Bangalore
 Workshop on Build a Stock Portfolio at The International Business Summit, IIMB
 Workshop on Microsoft Excel for Business Growth at The International Business
Summit, IIM Bangalore
35. List your hobbies/interests.
 I love to play the guitar, I also like to play table tennis and whenever possible I take up
gardening.
36. Tell me about your family.
I have my mother who is retired and two younger siblings. Sadly, my father passed
away 11 years ago. The youngest of my siblings are studying in college and the other
one is preparing for competitive examinations.
37. Have you considered starting your own company?
Although I have given thought to this idea and certainly would like to become a
successful entrepreneur but it’s definitely not the right time for me yet.

For students with prior work experience

38. Tell me something about your previous company.

39. Give me some strong and weak points of your previous organization.
40. Describe your manager.
41. Why did you leave your previous company?
42. Tell me about a situation where your work was criticized by your manager/colleagues.
43. What has been your learning from your job? What could you have done better in your
previous job?