ExamopotamiaWhy test HR skills before you hire?
An HR generalist deals with complaints, performance problems, personal information and pay, often on the same day. Getting these wrong rarely shows up in a polished interview, but it shows up later as a mishandled grievance, a leaked medical detail or a dismissal that was not fair. A situational test lets you see how candidates think through these moments in a calm setting, and it gives every applicant the same questions to answer.
What this template covers
- Confidentiality: health information, disciplinary details and the need-to-know principle.
- Complaints and retaliation: responding to a report fairly and protecting the person who raised it.
- Performance management: clear expectations, feedback and a fair chance to improve.
- Fair hiring and pay: structured interviews, job-related requirements and unexplained pay gaps.
- Records and metrics: what goes in a personnel file, exit interviews, engagement surveys and turnover rate.
How to run it well
Twelve questions in 15 minutes is a comfortable length. Because most questions are judgement calls with one clearly best answer, a pass mark of 70 to 75% is sensible. Turn on shuffling for question order and answer options, and send the test before the first interview so you can use the results to shape your questions.
The template is deliberately based on general good practice rather than any one country's employment law. If legal knowledge matters for the role, add your own questions on local rules and have them checked by someone qualified. When you read the results, give the confidentiality and complaint questions extra weight; a candidate who misses those needs a close conversation before an offer.
Who this test is for
It suits HR generalists, HR officers and assistants, HR business partners at an early stage, people coordinators in small companies, and office managers who look after HR alongside other work. It also helps when you promote someone from an admin role into HR and want to know where training should start.
Make it yours
Add questions on your own policies: how leave is requested, how grievances are escalated, which HR system you use and how long records are kept. You could also add a short written question asking candidates how they would open a difficult conversation with an employee. Use the AI generator to draft more scenarios, then edit them so they reflect the real situations your HR team handles.