HR consultants need to delve into different aspects of an organization's operations to analyze how well the company is performing and what can better be done. HR consulting firms generally provide services that range from assessing and developing talent policies, developing succession planning strategies, creating a strong culture and environment, etc. Thus, HR consultants need to be trained and have comprehensive knowledge on several aspects of HRM. They need to be prepared with acumen, sensitivity and insights over a number of domains including organization development and change management. A lot of companies utilize the services provided by HR consulting firms in order to boost the performance of their organizations.

As an organization, you need to determine how HR consultants work and also how they go about it. You have to look for the consultants who are highly trained, sharp and confident in the areas which you are looking out for. There are a few basic questions and answers which need to be asked to help you know more about HR consulting and how it can benefit your organization.

In this article, we will look at:

· What you need to know about HR Consulting?

· How are HR consultants employed?

· What is a good profile of a HR consultant?

· How can you hire a good HR consultant?

· What to look for in hiring an effective HR consultant.

· HR Consultant Interview Questions

· HR Consulting Problems

What You Need to Know about HR Consulting

HR Consulting is the process of identifying, assessing, planning and eventually improving the performance of a company. HR Consultants provide consultancy and consulting services to both organizations and enterprises. HR consultants can be employed in various organizations such as banks, multinational companies and nonprofit institutions, governments etc. HR professionals can also work in consulting firms that specialize in HR Consulting.

How are HR Consultants Employed?

Generally, HR consulting firms employ HR executives and professionals, who have acquired a good knowledge regarding the area in which they will be working. The companies or organizations, which hire HR consultants, look out for the recruitment process. The candidates are further trained to serve their organization in the best possible way. In most of the cases, there are productivity and quality parameters that are adhered to while hiring an HR consultant.

What is a Good Profile of a HR Consultant?

Most of the HR Consultants are generally employed by a company or an organization to find out how they can be more productive. This is done by analyzing the performance of the organization and its employees. They provide consultancy and consulting services to help improve the knowledge level, skills and capability so that better results can be attained.

HR consultants need to have a diverse knowledge of all human resource aspects, which are required for improving productivity, maintaining quality standards, employee engagement and boosting morale. They need to have a good knowledge of the following domains:

· HR policies, regulations and analysis

· Benefits and compensation schemes

· Modern working methods

· Updating processes and practices

· Employee engagement and motivation

· Analysis of performance

· Aligning processes and practices

How can you hire a good HR consultant?

Hiring a good consultant helps your organization to get the best value for money. There are various parameters that you may use while hiring a consultant. Here are a few points which can help you out in deciding which HR consulting firm or company can be hired.

· Competence and qualification:

You can ask for relevant qualification certificates from the candidate. You should be able to assess his/her knowledge and strength in certain areas. You can also look at their past experience, which will give you a clue as to how they would perform in your organization.

· Pricing:

You need to try and find out if there are additional charges involved in hiring a consultant or whether there are fixed pricing packages that are provided by the HR Consulting firm. It is always beneficial to hire a consultant who offers the best pricing packages and deals.

· Risk Management:

Many consulting firms do not provide an in-depth training and development program to their employees. You should be able to assess if they have implemented any kind of monitoring system to check whether there is a good performance and how they are able to use their resources in the best possible way.

What to Look for in Hiring an Effective HR Consultant?

When it comes to hiring a good consultant, you need to ensure that he/she is able to work on the given profile. Here are a few points which can help you out:

· A sense of responsibility: You should be able to identify whether the HR consultant is responsible and reliable. This can be assessed by evaluating their performance level and observing the kind of relationship they maintain with the organization.

· Self-motivated: To be able to work efficiently, the consultant needs to be highly motivated. They need to have their own ideas and they should also be able to express them in a way that they can be implemented in your organization.

· Pro-active: You need to find out if the consultant takes all necessary steps to ensure that he/she is able to perform at his/her best. They need to be proactive and they should be able to take steps so as to make sure that they get the best outcome of their efforts.

· Communication: The consultant must be able to communicate in clear terms, which are understandable by the people who are working with him/her. You can always find out if a consultant is good at communicating with the people in your organization by observing his/her communication skills.

· Organizational knowledge: You should look for consultants who have a good organizational knowledge. They need to have an understanding of the company's business objectives and they should have knowledge about its work flow.

· Confidence and high ethical standards: These are very important in a consultant. A consultant with good ethical standards can establish trust and confidence in your organization. You should be able to assess if the HR consultant is confident and he/she has high ethical standards by observing their performance and personality.

HR Consultants Interview Questions

Asking the right questions during an interview will allow you to get a deeper insight into who the potential candidate is and how they can help your organization. Some of the most common questions asked during an interview are:

· Why are you interested in a job with us?

This question helps you understand what motivates the candidate and what their expectations are from your organization. The answer that is provided by the candidate will also give you a hint about his/her personality, communication skills and confidence level.

· What are your strengths and weaknesses?

This helps you assess how confident the candidate is and how he/she is able to identify their strengths and weaknesses. You should be able to understand if the candidate has a positive attitude towards his/her weaknesses.

· What is your knowledge about our organization?

Asking questions related to your organization helps you assess the level of research that the candidate has done before this interview. If a candidate has done thorough research about your company, he/she will be more confident and will have a better understanding of what needs to be done to perform effectively in this organization.

· What are the areas in which you would like to work?

This question helps you assess the HR consulting firm's expertise and how much they can help your organization. The answer that is provided by the candidate will help you strategize where they could best fit in your company.

· What is your idea about training and development?

This question helps you assess the candidate's expertise in training and development. He/she will be able to explain how they can help you train employees and how they can improve their performance.

· How would you approach the problem of employee turnover?

This question helps you assess the candidate's strength in analyzing various issues that affect employee retention. The answer that is provided by the consultant will also help you get an overall understanding of his/her knowledge levels on this subject.

· How do you plan to measure the progress of our organization?

This question helps you understand how the consultant plans to evaluate and monitor performance. The answer that is provided by the candidate will give you a better understanding of how he/she approaches problem solving.

· What is your idea about managing change?

This question helps you assess the candidate's knowledge about change management strategies. The answer that is provided by the candidate will also help you assess his/her ability to deal with various issues related to change.

· What is your opinion about performance appraisal?

This question helps you assess the candidate's understanding of performance appraisal. The answer that is provided by the candidate will also help you understand how he/she intends to handle this issue in your organization.

· What is your opinion about reward and recognition programs?

This question helps you assess the candidate's knowledge about reward and recognition programs. The answer that is provided by the candidate will also help you get an overall understanding of his/her expertise in this area.

· What are your thoughts about employee assistance programs?

This question helps you assess the candidate's knowledge about employee assistance programs. The answer that is provided by the candidate will also help you get an overall understanding of his/her expertise in this area.

· What are your thoughts on workplace safety?

This question helps you assess the candidate's knowledge in terms of creating a safe and effective work environment. The answer that is provided by the candidate will also help you understand his/her approach towards this issue.

· How will you be able to motivate the team?

This question helps you assess how candidate motivates the team and what strategies he/she follows to make sure that they are able to do their job effectively. The answer that is provided by the candidate will also help you get an overall understanding of his/her level of expertise in this area.

· How will you be able to reduce stress among employees?

This question helps you assess the candidate's knowledge about dealing with stress. The answer that is provided by the candidate will also help you get an overall understanding of his/her expertise in this area.

· What is your idea about personal effectiveness program?

This question helps you assess the candidate's knowledge about self-development programs and how they can improve employee's performance. The answer that is provided by the candidate will also help you assess his/her ability to deal with various issues related to personal effectiveness.