PHR SHRM HR Exam Questions & Answers 2026 (1–10)

Question 1

Which sourcing channel typically produces hires with the highest retention and lowest cost-per-hire?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Employee referrals. Employee referrals consistently show higher retention and lower cost because referred candidates arrive with realistic job previews and a built-in social connection.

Question 2

A job analysis is conducted primarily to produce which foundational HR document?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

A job description listing duties and qualifications. Job analysis systematically identifies the tasks, duties, and required KSAs of a role, which are then documented in the job description.

Question 3

An employer's cognitive ability test predicts job performance accurately but disproportionately screens out a protected group and a less-discriminatory equally valid alternative exists. Under EEOC guidance the employer should:

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Adopt the equally valid less-discriminatory alternative. When a selection procedure has adverse impact, Title VII requires using an available alternative that is equally valid but less discriminatory; ignoring it can establish liability.

Question 4

Under the EEOC's 'four-fifths' (80%) rule, adverse impact is generally indicated when the selection rate for a protected group is:

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Less than 80% of the rate of the highest-selected group. The four-fifths rule flags potential adverse impact when a group's selection rate is below 80% of the rate of the most-selected group.

Question 5

Which interview format asks candidates to describe how they handled real past situations to predict future behavior?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Behavioral (STAR-based) interview. Behavioral interviewing rests on the premise that past behavior predicts future behavior, often elicited with the Situation-Task-Action-Result framework.

Question 6

A company received 400 applications and made 20 hires. What is the selection ratio?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

0.05. Selection ratio = hires divided by applicants = 20/400 = 0.05; a lower ratio means greater selectivity.

Question 7

If 1,000 applicants yield 250 interviews, and 50 of those interviewees receive offers, the yield ratio from interview to offer is:

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

20%. Yield ratio for that stage = offers/interviews = 50/250 = 20%.

Question 8

An employer value proposition (EVP) is best described as:

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

The set of rewards and experiences an organization offers in exchange for an employee's skills. The EVP is the unique mix of tangible and intangible rewards (pay, growth, culture, purpose) that attracts and retains talent.

Question 9

Effective onboarding is most strongly associated with which outcome?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Faster time-to-productivity and higher new-hire retention. Structured onboarding accelerates role clarity and social integration, improving early retention and time-to-productivity.

Question 10

A realistic job preview (RJP) primarily reduces turnover by:

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Setting accurate expectations so poor-fit candidates self-select out. RJPs share both positive and negative job realities, allowing candidates to opt out before hire and improving fit of those who join.

PHR SHRM HR Exam Questions & Answers 2026 (1–10)

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