What kind of animal are you?

Interviewers are using weird, wonderful and off the wall questions during interviews. These include what kind of animal are you? What kind of fruit and even what kind of cereal. So what kind of animal would you be and why? So in preparation for your next interview, don't worry about clinical issues think about some weird and wonderful question you may be asked. Nurses Job Hunt Article

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'.

Specializes in SDU, Tele.

a dolphin!! smart, quick, social, beat sharks butts, etc.

or a raptor. to help the lion finish off the HR people.:dead:

Specializes in Psych.

Yep, dolphin. As smart as I currently am and I get to play all day. What's not to like?

"For instance, on the planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much--the wheel, New York, wars and so on--whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man--for precisely the same reasons." -- Douglas Adams

Specializes in Adult/Ped Emergency and Trauma.

Someone's got to be a buzzard, and clean up the mess you guys make in the HR Department, and I'm guessing that it will be a poor CNA:(

haha, Boston. So, the correct answer for a CNA is "buzzard" and perhaps "dog" for a nurse? Good to know if I ever get asked that question.

Something tells me the dog breed is important. Based on my family's pet, chocolate lab can't possible be the right answer!

"Yes, ma'am, I am mostly motivated by food and naps, and I only enjoy teamwork that involves me getting all the attention."

Or perhaps, my friend's dachshund?

"If something changes, I will be the first to know about it. I will make sure to yell loudly so everyone else is aware, even if it's just someone using my pen. Also, I will eat anything."

I still think I'm a lemur. Friendly, a little quirky, curious, and slightly escapist. Don't forget the dark circles under the eyes!

Specializes in Correctional/Psych.

I have been asked that question before but, never in a job interview. I've always wanted to be a Blue Whale.

Hmm, a lot of people want to be blue whales for some reason. There must be something about them I'm not seeing....

Specializes in Adult/Ped Emergency and Trauma.

Hahaha, bragging rights!!!:)

Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

I wonder if the question was reversed and they asked me what animal does your current manager remind you of?

I would have to say a snake, or a slug, or a worm! Yep I know not really animals but these are the descriptions that came to mind when I thought of my previous manager

:roflmao:

Specializes in Adult/Ped Emergency and Trauma.

Mine: that squirrel on Hoodwinked(after the coffee).

I would like to be chimpazee.This is because they live in groups, gather food together and love to groom each other.I watched the movie on T.V,and I was so facsinated to see that in time of danger they alert each other and even try aggressively to attack the stranger.After the incident is over,they will sit together and start playing,grooming,eating e...t.c.This lowers the heart rate,and even has a calming effect.When humans are in stress we tent not to groom and socialize,instead we go to barber shop,massage,shopping beach to calm ourself.Anyway I admire the chimpazee lifestyle.It is very intresting.

This could be a fun question if you didn't really care if you get the job or not. Just creep them out for the heck of it. You could be weirdly specific, and say you would want to be that talking horse from the Pippi Longstocking movies. Or say you'd want to be that cat on the news that knows when the nursing home patients are going to die.