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Practising for the listing HR Consultant, Ask An Expert. Its requirements are filled in below. When you have an answer you like, paste it with your CV in Career Mirror to see which of the job's skills it shows.

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HR Consultant, Ask An Expert
About Gusto

At Gusto, we're on a mission to grow the small business economy. We handle the hard stuff — payroll, health insurance, 401(k)s, and HR — so owners can focus on their craft and their customers. With teams in Denver, San Francisco, and New York, we support more than 500,000 small businesses nationwide and are building a workplace that reflects the people we serve.

All full-time employees receive competitive base pay, benefits, and equity (RSUs) — because everyone who helps build Gusto should share in its success. Offer amounts are determined by role, level, and location. Learn more about our Total Rewards philosophy .

AI is a fundamental part of how work gets done at Gusto. We expect all team members to actively engage with AI tools relevant to their role and grow their fluency as the technology evolves. AI experience requirements vary by role and will be assessed during the interview process.

About the Role:

As part of Gusto’s Ask an Expert team, you’ll serve as an expert small business clients turn to when they need an HR answer. You’ll respond to questions clients submit through chat, using our AI tool to get accurate, practical answers quickly, and you’ll join calls when a client needs to talk something through live. In addition to providing expert advice, you’ll also work on defined projects for clients, starting with employee handbooks and compliance work. You’ll do well here if you get excited about compliance, enjoy moving quickly and balancing multiple stakeholders, and love to find new ways to leverage technology and AI to become more efficient and effective.

About the Team:

Gusto is growing how we support our clients with their HR needs. Ask an Expert gives clients fast access to experienced HR judgment and delivers defined project work, so our clients can feel confident in moving forward. Ask an Expert is a relatively new product, you’ll have the chance to both do hands on work and help define and build the process.

Here’s what you’ll do day-to-day:

• Answer HR questions clients submit via chat, using our AI tool to research, draft, and check responses, and own the accuracy of every answer you send.

• Join client calls when a question needs a live conversation, and help clients work through it with clear, practical guidance.

• Build and update employee handbooks for clients across multiple states, tailored to each client’s locations, headcount, and policy choices.

• Deliver compliance projects, such as policy reviews, multi-state requirement checks, and required notices and postings.

• Take on new project types as the team expands beyond handbooks and compliance, and help build the templates, playbooks, and processes that make them repeatable.

• Recognize when a question needs more than a quick answer, whether that means routing to another Gusto team or recommending the client consult legal counsel, and hand it off with the right context.

• Document your work in our systems of record, and flag patterns in the questions you see so we can improve our AI tool, client resources, and services.

• Test new tools and processes and share constructive feedback and suggestions.

• Step in to support our Gusto HR Partners team, who serve as fractional HR consultants for a set book of business, when additional capacity is needed.

• Provide excellent customer service in every chat, call, and project.

Here’s what we're looking for:

• 4-8 years of HR experience as an HR Generalist, People Operations Specialist, or HR consultant across various industries and company sizes.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. You can turn a complicated question into a clear, accurate answer, whether it’s in a chat thread or on a live call.

• Comfort using AI tools in your daily work, and the discernment to check AI-generated answers and catch what’s wrong or missing.

• Proficiency with HR software and tools such as Google Workspace, Slack, Notion, and Salesforce.

• Ability to handle a steady flow of incoming client questions alongside project deadlines, prioritizing what is urgent.

• Strong working knowledge of multi-state employment law and compliance, including hands-on experience writing or updating employee handbooks and policies.

• Sound judgment about when you have the answer and when a question needs to be escalated.

• Demonstrated agility and ability to thrive in ambiguous, fast-paced, and dynamic environments.

• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle issues ethically and with integrity.

• A perpetual learner who strives for excellence and stays focused on our mission to help clients thrive.

Our cash compensation amount for this role is between $98,000 - $115,000/year in Denver and $98,000 - $110,000/year for Phoenix. Final offer amounts are determined by multiple factors including candidate location, experience and expertise and may vary from the amounts listed above.

At Gusto, we don't use titles the traditional way, as a signal of rank or hierarchy. Instead, our titles describe two things at once — your craft (what you do, e.g. Engineering, Design) and your scope of ownership (what you're accountable for) — which is why you'll see something like "Head of X" instead of a rank word like "Director" that tells you neither. Because of this, the title on this posting may look different from what you'd expect based on the scope and seniority of the role, and from how similar roles are typically titled elsewhere. If you have questions about how this role compares to your current title or level, your recruiter can help translate.

Gusto has physical office spaces in Denver, San Francisco, and New York City. Employees who are based in those locations will be expected to work from the office on designated days approximately 2-3 days per week (or more depending on role). The same office expectations apply to all Symmetry roles, Gusto's subsidiary, whose physical office is in Scottsdale.

Note: The San Francisco office expectations encompass both the San Francisco and San Jose metro areas.

When approved to work from a location other than a Gusto office, a secure, reliable, and consistent internet connection is required. This includes non-office days for hybrid employees.

Reliable, consistent presence: We expect regular and predictable attendance, whether you're working in-office, hybrid, or fully remote, so that you stay closely connected to your team, customers, and stakeholders in real time and ensure colleagues and customers receive the timely support and responsiveness they deserve.

Our customers come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just because it's the right thing to do, but because it makes our company stronger. If you share our values and our enthusiasm for small businesses, you will find a home at Gusto.

Gusto is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in hiring or any employment decision based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or other applicable legally protected characteristic. Gusto considers qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. Gusto is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. We want to see our candidates perform to the best of their ability. If you require a medical or religious accommodation at any time throughout your candidate journey, please fill out this form and a member of our team will get in touch with you.

Gusto takes security and protection of your personal information very seriously. Please review our Fraudulent Activity Disclaimer .

Personal information collected and processed as part of your Gusto application will be subject to Gusto's Applicant Privacy Notice .

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Requirements found

Compliance (must) Customer Service Salesforce Writing Word

What this posting asks for

Level: Senior — The posting asks for 8 years of experience.

Main responsibilities

Answer HR questions clients submit via chat, using our AI tool to research, draft, and check responses, and own the accuracy of every answer you send.
Build and update employee handbooks for clients across multiple states, tailored to each client’s locations, headcount, and policy choices.
Deliver compliance projects, such as policy reviews, multi-state requirement checks, and required notices and postings.
Test new tools and processes and share constructive feedback and suggestions.

Competencies an interviewer will look for

Customer focus Core
In the posting: “We handle the hard stuff — payroll, health insurance, 401(k)s, and HR — so owners can focus on their craft and their customers.” · “As part of Gusto’s Ask an Expert team, you’ll serve as an expert small business clients turn to when they need an HR answer.” · “You’ll respond to questions clients submit through chat, using our AI tool to get accurate, practical answers quickly, and you’ll join calls when a client ne…”
Show it by: Puts the customer's need in their own words; Shows a result for the customer, not only for the company.
Attention to detail and quality Core
In the posting: “You’ll respond to questions clients submit through chat, using our AI tool to get accurate, practical answers quickly, and you’ll join calls when a client ne…” · “In addition to providing expert advice, you’ll also work on defined projects for clients, starting with employee handbooks and compliance work.” · “You’ll do well here if you get excited about compliance, enjoy moving quickly and balancing multiple stakeholders, and love to find new ways to leverage tech…”
Show it by: Gives an example of an error caught before it caused harm; Names the check or standard they used.
Stakeholder management Core
In the posting: “You’ll do well here if you get excited about compliance, enjoy moving quickly and balancing multiple stakeholders, and love to find new ways to leverage tech…” · “Step in to support our Gusto HR Partners team, who serve as fractional HR consultants for a set book of business, when additional capacity is needed.” · “Reliable, consistent presence: We expect regular and predictable attendance, whether you're working in-office, hybrid, or fully remote, so that you stay clos…”
Show it by: Shows how they aligned people with different goals; Explains how they handled a 'no' from someone senior.
Technical skill Core
In the posting: “Proficiency with HR software and tools such as Google Workspace, Slack, Notion, and Salesforce.” · “Engineering, Design) and your scope of ownership (what you're accountable for) — which is why you'll see something like "Head of X" instead of a rank word li…”
Show it by: Names the tools, languages or systems used and how; Explains a technical choice and its trade-off.
Ownership and accountability Core
In the posting: “Answer HR questions clients submit via chat, using our AI tool to research, draft, and check responses, and own the accuracy of every answer you send.” · “Engineering, Design) and your scope of ownership (what you're accountable for) — which is why you'll see something like "Head of X" instead of a rank word li…”
Show it by: Takes a task from start to finish without being chased; Owns a mistake and what was changed after it.
Planning and organisation Core
In the posting: “Ability to handle a steady flow of incoming client questions alongside project deadlines, prioritizing what is urgent.” · “Demonstrated agility and ability to thrive in ambiguous, fast-paced, and dynamic environments.”
Show it by: Shows how priorities were set when everything was urgent; Mentions deadlines met and how.
Communication Supporting
In the posting: “Excellent written and verbal communication skills.”
Show it by: Adapts the message to the listener; Gives an example of explaining something clearly in writing or speech.
Teamwork and collaboration Supporting
In the posting: “With teams in Denver, San Francisco, and New York, we support more than 500,000 small businesses nationwide and are building a workplace that reflects the pe…”
Show it by: Says what they did inside a team, not only what 'we' did; Shows how a disagreement was handled.
Adaptability and learning Supporting
In the posting: “Demonstrated agility and ability to thrive in ambiguous, fast-paced, and dynamic environments.”
Show it by: Describes learning something new quickly and using it; Shows a change of plan and how they adjusted.

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Practice questions

Tell me about yourself. Dedicated step-by-step practice.
If an interviewer asks something improper How to respond to questions about age, family, origin or health.
Built from this posting (8):
Describe a time you went out of your way to solve a customer's problem. From this posting
Tell me about a time you caught an error before it reached a customer or a report. From this posting
Tell me about a time you had to get agreement from people who wanted different things. From this posting
Walk me through a piece of work where you used your strongest technical skill. What exactly did you do? From this posting
How have you used compliance in your work? Walk me through one real example. From this posting
Tell me about a problem you solved using customer service. From this posting
Tell me about a time you helped someone on your team get better at their work. From this posting
Tell me about a time you had to explain something complex to someone outside your field. From this posting
This posting reads as Finance & accounting: its questions come first.
How do you make sure your work holds up in an audit? Finance & accounting
Tell me about a time you found an error in a financial report or reconciliation. Finance & accounting
Walk me through how you build a budget or forecast. Finance & accounting
It is the last day of month-end close and a balance will not tie out. What do you do? Finance & accounting
Describe a time you explained a financial result to a manager outside finance. Finance & accounting
Tell me about an analysis that saved money or found revenue. Finance & accounting
Three urgent requests arrive during close. How do you decide the order? Finance & accounting
Describe a finance process you made faster or more reliable. Finance & accounting
A customer is angry about a delay you did not cause. What do you do?
How do you keep your pipeline organised?
Describe a time you handled an upset customer or colleague.
Tell me about a time you had several deadlines at once. How did you decide what to do first?
Give an example of a mistake you caught before it caused a problem.
Tell me about a time you taught someone how to do something.
Describe a time you took the lead without being asked.
Tell me about a time you had to explain something complicated in simple terms.
Describe a process you improved.
Do you have any questions for us?
Why do you want to work here?
Why is there a gap in your employment? Difficult question
Why did you leave your last job? Difficult question
Why are you changing careers? Difficult question
What is your greatest weakness? Difficult question
What are your salary expectations? Difficult question
You seem overqualified for this role. Why do you want it? Difficult question
Improper-question practice: How old are you? / Do you have children? / Where are you from originally?
How do you keep track of many open customer requests?
Tell me about a time you could not give a customer what they wanted.
You find that the inventory count does not match the system. What do you do?
Tell me about a time a shipment or delivery went wrong.
How do you make sure safety rules are followed on a busy shift?
Two managers ask you to book the same room at the same time. What do you do?
How have you used spreadsheets in your work?
Tell me about a time you had to enter or check a lot of data accurately.
Tell me about a sale or agreement you are proud of.
A prospect says your price is too high. How do you respond?
Tell me about a technical problem you solved on your own.
You find a bug right before a release. What do you do?
Walk me through how you would check whether a report's numbers are right.