A company spends $20,000 on recruiting for a new marketing director. The costs include a $15,000 external recruiter fee, $2,000 in job board postings, and $3,000 for travel to bring in the final candidate. What is the Cost Per Hire? Before reading on, calculate it. If you said $20,000, you're correct. But what if the prompt also mentioned that the internal recruiter, who earns an $80,000 salary, spent 10% of her time on this search? This is the real trap: knowing which internal costs to include versus exclude.
PHR Workforce Planning and Talent Acquisition covers the strategic process of forecasting staffing needs, sourcing candidates, and legally selecting new hires. It emphasizes applying metrics like cost-per-hire and ensuring compliance with regulations like the UGESP and Executive Order 11246, moving beyond simple recruiting tactics.
Key facts
- Official Body
- HR Certification Institute (HRCI)
- Talent Planning Weighting
- 19% of the PHR exam
- Pass Rate (Historical)
- Approximately 65% according to HRCI's published data.
- Recommended Study
- 80-120 hours for most candidates
- Average PHR Salary
- $70,000 to $120,000, varying by experience and location
- Key Regulations
- UGESP, Title VII, ADA, ADEA, Executive Order 11246
How Do These Practice Questions Mirror the Real PHR Exam?
These questions are a diagnostic tool, not just a knowledge check. They mimic the judgment-based scenarios you will face on the actual PHR, forcing you to choose the best answer among several plausible options. Created by certified HR professionals, each question aligns with the HRCI blueprint for the Talent Planning and Acquisition functional area. Try VoraPrep's free PHR practice questions to see the full range.
You will find a mix of difficulties designed to build your analytical skills.
- Foundational questions on key terms and legal thresholds.
- Application questions requiring you to apply concepts to a short scenario.
- Strategic questions that challenge you to analyze a situation and select the best course of action.
Pay close attention to the explanations. The goal is not just to find the right answer, but to understand why it is the best and why the others are tempting but wrong. This is how you develop the critical thinking the exam demands.
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Workforce Planning and Talent Acquisition Practice Questions
Answer each question before reading the detailed rationale that follows.
Question 1
A company is experiencing high turnover within the first 90 days of employment, particularly in its customer service department. The HR manager suspects the issue lies in the hiring process. Which of the following metrics would be most effective for diagnosing the root cause of this problem?
Answer and Explanation
The correct answer is C) Quality of Hire.This metric directly assesses the performance and retention of new hires against pre-defined expectations. Quality of Hire can be measured using data points like 90-day performance review scores, manager satisfaction surveys, and new-hire retention rates. A low Quality of Hire score for the customer service department would confirm that the hiring process is selecting candidates who are not a good fit, leading to early turnover.
Question 2
A tech startup needs to hire 15 experienced software developers in the next quarter. The company has historically relied on employee referrals, which have been successful but slow. To meet this aggressive hiring goal, which sourcing strategy should the HR manager prioritize first?
Answer and Explanation
The correct answer is B) Partnering with a contingent search firm specializing in tech roles.The key constraints in the scenario are volume (15 developers), experience level ("experienced"), and speed ("next quarter"). A specialized search firm has an existing network of qualified, often passive, candidates. They can deliver a high volume of pre-screened applicants much faster than building a talent pipeline from scratch.
Question 3
During an interview for a sales position, the hiring manager asks, "Tell me about a time you failed to meet a sales quota and what you did about it." This is an example of what type of interview question?
Answer and Explanation
The correct answer is B) Behavioral.Behavioral interview questions are based on the premise that past behavior is the best predictor of future performance. They ask candidates to provide specific examples of how they have handled work-related situations in the past. The phrase "Tell me about a time when..." is the classic opener for a behavioral question.
The most common incorrect answer is A) Situational. Situational questions are hypothetical. They ask candidates how they would handle a future situation (e.g., "What would you do if a major client threatened to leave?"). The key difference is past tense (behavioral) versus future or hypothetical tense (situational).
| Interview Question Type | Focus | Example | Predictive Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Behavioral | Past Actions | "Describe a time you dealt with a difficult coworker." | High |
| Situational | Future Actions | "How would you handle a project with a tight deadline?" | High |
| Unstructured | General Conversation | "What are your hobbies?" | Low |
| Stress | Candidate's Reaction | "Why should we hire you with your limited experience?" | Very Low; low reliability and high legal risk. |
Question 4
A company's selection process for forklift operators includes a test that requires candidates to lift a 75-pound box, which is the weight of the heaviest item they might handle. This selection test most clearly demonstrates:
Answer and Explanation
The correct answer is A) Content validity.Content validity ensures that a selection test adequately samples the knowledge, skills, or abilities (KSAs) that are actually part of the job. Since lifting heavy boxes is a core function of the forklift operator role, a test that simulates this specific task has high content validity. It is a direct sample of the work to be performed.
Question 5
A company with 50 employees has a federal contract valued at $75,000. Under Executive Order 11246, what is this company's primary obligation?
Answer and Explanation
The correct answer is B) To develop a written affirmative action plan (AAP).The threshold for requiring a written AAP under Executive Order 11246 is having 50 or more employees and a federal contract of $50,000 or more. This company meets both criteria. Therefore, the primary obligation under this specific Executive Order is to develop, implement, and maintain a written AAP.
- Threshold 1 (Employees): The company has 50 employees. This meets the "50 or more" test.
- Threshold 2 (Contract Value): The contract is $75,000. This meets the "$50,000 or more" test.
- Conclusion: Because both conditions are met, a written AAP is required by EO 11246.
For more practice on foundational HR topics, check out our Free PHR Business Management Practice Questions (2026).
Question 6
A recruiting department spent $25,000 on sourcing activities for its sales department in Q3. This resulted in 500 applications, 50 qualified candidates passed to hiring managers, 25 on-site interviews, and 10 hires. What is the yield ratio of qualified candidates to total applications?
Answer and Explanation
The correct answer is B) 10%.A yield ratio measures the efficiency of a recruiting step by dividing the output of a stage by the input. The question asks for the ratio of qualified candidates to total applications.
- Input: 500 total applications
- Output: 50 qualified candidates
- Calculation: (50 qualified candidates ÷ 500 total applications) × 100 = 0.10 × 100 = 10%
Question 7
A company uses a pre-employment skills test to screen applicants. Of the 100 male applicants who took the test, 80 passed. Of the 50 female applicants who took the test, 30 passed. According to the 4/5ths Rule, do these results indicate adverse impact?
Answer and Explanation
The correct answer is A) Yes, because the pass rate for females is below 80% of the pass rate for males.The 4/5ths Rule (or 80% Rule) is a rule of thumb from the UGESP to determine if a selection practice has an adverse impact on a protected group. You must compare the selection rate of the group with the lower rate to the selection rate of the group with the higher rate.
- Calculate the selection rate for each group.
- Divide the lower selection rate by the higher selection rate.
- If the result is less than 0.80 (80%), adverse impact is indicated.
- Male Selection Rate (Higher Rate): 80 passed ÷ 100 applicants = 80%
- Female Selection Rate (Lower Rate): 30 passed ÷ 50 applicants = 60%
- Comparison: 60% (lower rate) ÷ 80% (higher rate) = 0.75 or 75%
Since 75% is less than 80%, this result indicates adverse impact. B and C are incorrect because they rely on simple majorities or raw numbers, not the specific comparative rate required by the UGESP. D is incorrect because it misinterprets the result; the rate of 75% is indeed below the 80% threshold for compliance. The exam tests your knowledge of the specific rule, not a general sense of fairness.
Calculate Your PHR Score & Study Hours by Domain
Adjust your practice scores across official PHR blueprint domains to predict your pass probability and generate a domain-weighted study schedule.
How Did You Score?
Tally your correct answers. Your score on this quiz gives you a valuable signal about your readiness for the PHR's Talent Planning and Acquisition section.
- 6-7 Correct: You have a strong command of the core concepts. Your task is to refine your knowledge of nuanced scenarios and legal details. You are ready to use an adaptive learning engine like VoraPrep's PHR course to target any lingering weak spots.
- 4-5 Correct: You have a solid foundation but likely confuse related concepts, such as different types of validity or compliance thresholds. Spend more time working through practice questions with detailed explanations to see how these concepts are applied.
- 0-3 Correct: You may be in the early stages of your studies. The key is to build a systematic study plan. Do not just drill random questions. Start with foundational lessons on workforce planning, sourcing, selection, and legal compliance. A low score might also be a sign you need a new plan, which is a common reason for a PHR Exam Retake Strategy (2026).
Get More PHR Practice on VoraPrep
This quiz is just a small sample. To truly prepare for an exam where the pass rate hovers around 65%, you need a comprehensive tool. The VoraPrep PHR course provides a complete 6-pillar system designed for busy professionals.
Instead of forcing you to watch hours of passive video lectures, VoraPrep uses a modern, interactive approach. Our platform includes:
- Complete Textbook-Grade Lessons: Interactive lessons with embedded questions that ensure you understand a concept before moving on.
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- 1:1 Exam Simulators: Full-length, timed mock exams that perfectly replicate the real testing environment.
- Spaced-Repetition Flashcards: A smart flashcard system that schedules reviews based on memory science to ensure you retain key terms and legal thresholds.
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Our entire system is built to help you master the material faster and pass with confidence.