What kind of animal are you?

[madwife2002]

In an Interview recently, I was asked a strange question, "If you were an animal what kind of animal would you be?"

Initially I laughed out loud as I thought it was a trick question or a joke but it was a serious question.

My answer surprised them; they said they had never heard that answer before.

My answer was 'I would be a chicken' and my rationale was that there is a pecking order, but they look after each other and work together as a team, they fight over the scraps but protect each other, they work out a strategy to negotiate difficult situations and they are productive.

We could learn a lot by watching animals who often work together as a team. To me, there is a pecking order in health care. We often fight over things. And, if we are a good team, we look after each other. We are productive and have usefulness in life.

Do we always work together as a team? No.

We need a leader to bring things back into focus. Often we resent the leader and don't understand why we have to change what we are doing. So we push back and become nonproductive. In the animal world, we would be excommunicated or killed. In the real world, we are disciplined or fired.

So after the interview I researched the question on the internet and found that interviewers are now using this scenario to decide if you are suitable for a position.

Really! So if I had said Lion, Tiger, Bull or various other strong killers it would be better.

Apparently there are no right or wrong answers, interviewers just want to see how you react under pressure.

I don't know about you but I think it is kind of crazy to compare yourself to an animal.

Sometimes I shake my head at the interview process because we never get it right.

Somebody who is strong, clever and can say all the right things is considered the ideal candidate for a job, yet I believe we can prepare ourselves so well we can talk ourselves into a job, but it is not the right job for that person.

There appears to be so many strategies out there, so many complicated secret ways in interviewing, I think we get lost along the way.

So did I get the job with my 'clever' answer, no I did not. Maybe it was a good thing as I do not really want to run round like a "headless chicken".

So my question to you, "what kind of animal are you and why?

On a more serious note if I was asked what kind of cereal are you? Before I walked out I would have to say 'FRUIT LOOPS'.

[BostonTerrierLover, BSN, RN]

Now we can ask the age old question, Why did you cross the road?:)

And,... What came first, you or the egg?:)

[LADYVENGEANCE1]

Girl you made my night. I laught so hard at your responds from the chickens to the fruit loops.

If I would had said chicken I would had made a freudian slip and stated chickens pecking each other to death.

I'm still thinking which animal I would be.

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

I thought you provided a pretty good rationale for being a chicken! And however useful these questions may be, they're still frustrating to answer on the spot. I've heard of people being asked what kitchen appliance they'd be. I'm still trying to figure out what the right answer is for that one!

I am too much of a literalist . .. I'd say I wouldn't want to be an appliance either.

This is a funny thread though - love the imagination!

[BostonTerrierLover, BSN, RN]

I would have asked, what kind of animal are you looking for?

I bet a Honey Badger, South American Sloth, and a Jack Ass wouldn't be great answers, but lions(preferred) sleep like 20 hours a day- and spend the other 4 eating, mating, and hunting(I'm game for that!).

I bet Charlie Sheen's answer would have been: "I have Tiger Blood and Adonis DNA!":)

[madwife2002, BSN, RN]

A kitchen appliance-well I would have to be a kettle-always on the boil LOL

[annietart]

Honey badger don't give a s**t. I'd probably give my "spirit animal" though, a tiger. Big, orange, and lovely.

[BostonTerrierLover, BSN, RN]

After much thought, I would be a Blue Whale. However, I would like to keep my reasons personal:)

[wish_me_luck, BSN, RN]

Blue whale, Boston? I thought for sure you would be a Boston Terrier....you would have probably gotten the job if you would want to be a dog (yes, I know it was madwife who went on the interview)...for the reasons mentioned above (they take crap and still wag their tail). LOL

[BostonTerrierLover, BSN, RN]

Oh but if only I could be the "person" my Boston thinks I am!:)

No, actually I have a low threshold for crap in my diet, and watching my Boston, ah- nevermind...:). I keep a "crap-free" diet, both literally, and metaphorically.

So, being any type of bulldog is out for me.

[BostonTerrierLover, BSN, RN]

By the way, that totally redirected the path of my day, laughed harder than have in a while, that was too funny:)

[Wrench Party]

Probably a mule- surefooted, strong worker, independent, intelligent, loyal- until the day you do something stupid

and lose its respect. The mule is stubborn and cannot be cowed or browbeaten into submission, and demands

a positive relationship with its owner. The mule also has an acute sense of safety and common sense, and will

not do things it considers dangerous.

(I grew up around horses and mules, and God help you if you wronged a mule. You'd suffer the consequences

accordingly by being dumped, balking at rivers, braying vindictively starting at 2 am, have to chase loose ones around

you unlocked their gates, etc. It led to many amusing stories around the campfire).

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

Oh but if only I could be the "person" my Boston thinks I am!:)

No, actually I have a low threshold for crap in my diet, and watching my Boston, ah- nevermind...:). I keep a "crap-free" diet, both literally, and metaphorically.

So, being any type of bulldog is out for me.

Bulldogs are not the only ones on that diet. Our Doxie's head straight for the litter box when I let them in the basement. Or the stuff they leave behind on the lawn.

No, I don't wanna be an animal.

But truly, that answer tells the interviewer something.

If they are animal-worshipers, they think I'm a terrible person and would never hire me.

When someone mentioned appliances, I thought of this old saying: " Women are like crockpots and men are like Microwaves".