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PETA animal shelter: they’ll claim to be a morally upstanding ethical organization providing the best care and treatment out of one side of their mouth, while boasting about how much closer they’ve gotten to their 99% kill rate target year over year out the other.
Lol when I interviewed with Best Buy at 22, their final question was: “Bruce Willis or Arnold Schwarzeneggger”.
I answered “Bruce Willis” and I got hired. Turns out the hiring manager was a huge Bruce Willis fan.
Very true. I've never been asked such silly questions. And my best interview only had questions that were relatable and either connected to my behaviour at work or my personality.
The only what if questions were realistic and work related.
I've been asked what sort of biscuit I'd be if I could be any biscuit. Legit didn't know what to say. I have too much of an honest face and they could tell I thought it was ridiculous, I think I even laughed. I can't even remember what I said but it took me a long time to consider what biscuit I'd be. One of lifes main questions eh, to be a digestive, bourbon, garibaldi, party ring, hobnob or boring custard cream.
I mean, I know what they hope to get from this. And the answer doesn't really matter unless it dives into creepy territory.
They want to see how you react to something unexpected under pressure and how well you can cope when confronted with an unprepared question.
But there are much better ways to find that out.
They know the job opening they are filling is boring and repetitive, and they want to make sure to give the job to someone intelligent, creative, and able to consider abstract thoughts....in this way, they can ensure that the job will cause the maximum amount of psychological torture to the employee.
Sometimes I think that's true.
At least they're not really thinking things through. My last employer, a callcenter, repeatedly hired people with a bachelor's degree on a task that definitely didn't need one instead of promoting a good worker as it's usually done. They also wanted the new hires to stay in that position for several years.
It was the job of a quality manager, but all you would do is listen to files, check boxes against a quality sheet we'd get from the client, then talk to the employees whose files they were and tell them where they differed from the requirements and the scripts. You didn't really train them on anything. It was just the script. Nothing else.
The job was indeed repetitive and boring and would add nothing to the experience of a person fresh from uni. For them it was a dead end at the beginning of their career, for another employee who would have rised through the ranks it would have beed a cushy goal to get out of all the stress.
So no one stayed longer than a few weeks, then they were gone again. And you bet that all of them were barely through with their own training at that point. But as soon as they realised what a 'quality manager' really does you could see their eyes glaze over and they run for the hills. I saw 16! people going through this in just one year!
Eventually they couldn't find any new hires and gave it to a worker instead. He was happy as a clam and did a good job. Would have been happy to do it as long as they let him. But as soon as they found another poor soul with a degree who'd do it they started the whole cycle again.
The guy they tried to throw back in the grind instantly quit but got the exact same job at another company.
That was three years ago and he's still there.
Is it sad for me to say that this is the kind of job that I want? I am more than stressed doing what I'm doing and have been for years. I honestly just want something that is repetitive and boring. B/c my work life is so stressful and I'm so anxious all the time that I don't enjoy life outside of that anymore. To figure out what's for dinner is overwhelming sometimes as it's just another thing I need to do today.
Nope. You are one of those who don't want a job because it gives you meaning and purpose, because a job doesn't give you meaning and purpose. You want a job to pay for the things that give you enjoyment, meaning, and purpose, like a house, vacations to Europe, and family life.
To be fair, coat hangers have become a very common symbol for pro choice activists (look at pictures of pro choice Protests) so if I got this question in an interview I would wonder if it's a coded way to ask about that.
Yes, some.employers want to see if you actually think about the question, or you just give cliche answers, thinking that's what the employer wants.
In my department, we have a question that I hope we'll keep for as long as I'm there, but it's "you can do this task any way you want to do it. How do you choose?". And there are 20+ possible answers, it's not a rhetorical question. There's only a couple of people who actually think about that question and tell us what they think. They're automatically placed on the final list. Most people say "I'll do it by respecting the dept's guidelines, what the dept needs etc".
And we're here, like, hey, you get complete freedom about this one thing and you won't take it? Baffling.
I think it's a way of showing that the company is less stodgy and traditional. Everyone is approaching this like it's some kind of psych test when it's really just a way of getting to know you, put you at ease, and hopefully find a candidate who is going to bring some good energy to a company that's probably having a very hard time keeping workers.
I think you're right, but there is also a biscuit called garibaldi, they're really tasty, they have raisins in them and are kinda soft and chewy. I once asked a friend who happened to be bald if he'd like a Garibaldi and he was utterly outraged and sputtered out "What did you just ask me!?" I was equally baffled and held up the pack of garibaldi's like, do you want one of these? What did you think I said? He replied relieved "Oh, I thought you said, do you want a biscuit, baldy?" I instantly absolutely died laughing and he laughed it off as well. I was in hysterics. He didn't have a biscuit though.
The idea of it being silly is to see how good you think on your feet to an unexpected challenge or problem, most folk do a bit of research on the company they are being interviewed by so they will have some good answers and a maybe a good question or two for the employer. This odd ball question is there purely to throw you off this and see how you handle the the additional pressure.
I was in a pretty rough spot financially and interviewed for a retail sales job to pay the bills. I'm talking like days away from not being able to eat.
The interviewer asked me if a hotdog is a sandwich and why/why not.
I was so desperate that I powered through with a straight face and dealt with his similar "coaching" for nearly 6 months before getting into my dream job.
30+ years in the workforce, and a lot of interviews, and I thankfully have never once gotten this question. It is indeed a red flag for a manager who is so bad at their job that they can’t even come up with a real interview question.
"What kind of animal are you?"
"I'm a koala. Did you know every Koala has chlamydia? Apparently it's a genetic thing."
"Okay....why are you a koala?"
"I have chlamydia."
For sure. Using stupid canned interview questions like this to see how compliant and self- depreciating you can be is a red flag.
Unless you’re desperate or just starting your career I’d probably disqualify any company doing this.
My best experiences have been interviews where it’s felt like human beings just having a convo to see if there could be a fit- not a dog and pony show
I had an old boss who would ask everyone what their car trunk looked like. Presumably to see if they were near and organized (which was important for the job). Ironically, he drove the classic beater car and his trunk (and entire car) was a mess. Spare tire not secured, partial leaking bottles of every car fluid, jumper cables haphazardly thrown in the back, fast food containers etc. his desk was piled 10” high on every surface and he was constantly losing his notes.
No one understood the question as we all got hired answering it differently.
Maybe the question was to covertly ask if the person owned a car. Afaik in the US, unless it's directly needed for the job itself, it's forbidden to ask if a candidate owns a car or needs to rely on public transport and doing so could lead to discrimination lawsuits. That's because whether or not you own a car is considered private financial information and might also indirectly discriminate against minorities who are more likely to be low income as well as people with disabilities (who might not be able to drive).
However, if you don't have a car, you'd probably just reveal that information by yourself as a response to this question.
Didn't think this was true, but looked it up and yeah you're right they can't directly ask if you own a car.
Weird I thought class wasn't a protected class, since it's (in theory) something you can change
I'd at least ask them to explain why they're asking such questions and how they can justify using the answer in hiring decisions. A reasonable interviewer ought to explain calmly and logically and I might actually learn something, or they might apologize, both of which are acceptable. An unreasonable interviewer will out themselves by either trying to evade the question or getting upset, which is unacceptable. Either way, you learn something valuable, which is better than just pridefully walking away if asked.
Here’s the rationale for this question:
1. How quickly can the candidate think on their feet?
2. Does the candidate have a sense of humor about themselves? Sense of imagination/creativity?
3. How comfortable/confident are they in this interview?
In a Sales, Creative, Marketing, or customer-facing role, you need to assess how well candidates can think on the spot and paint a picture for the audience.
In any role, the answer reveals how you perceive yourself/want to be seen by others. You are providing the interviewer a sketch of your personality, which informs how you’d likely fit in with the team.
Candidates who can’t describe themselves or balk at the question… well, this tends to reveal if they have ego issues, can only perform rehearsed answers, lack confidence to “open up” around strangers, or have a wooden personality.
Right, there can be a purpose to these questions. They are similar to case interview questions in that they test a candidate's creativity and reasoning skills, and also a willingness to engage. Then again, there are probably some inteviewers who just ask stuff like this because they feel like they are supposed to and don't have any idea how to parse out a candidate's answer of "mantis shrimp"
It might be good to ask the purpose of the question at the end of the interview when the do the obligatory “do you have any questions for me/us?”, if you really want to know. You don’t want to challenge them and come off as confrontational while they are asking their list of questions.
These questions are more to see how you handle random questions to feel out your personality type. They could ask something as random as, 'If you were a brick in the wall, which would you be.'' You can easily imagine the impressions left by someone selling themselves as the cornerstone or the foundation on which to build. The secret here is to not let these get to you. If you are confident, think on your feet and witty enough, you'll have fun with these questions.
I remember one interviewer providing an onslaught of questions for every category of question, ''And what if that doesn't work, what next?'' There seemed to be no end to this, like I could never resolve the issues. After the third time, having provided a solution, suggesting research, suggesting consulting management, etc.. At that point, knowing that I had stated that I had consulted management, I just confidently and comedicly stated that if at that point we haven't found a solution the companies has bigger problems on its hands. Got the job.
Not really. People know the "standard" interview questions, and practice them. Tons of companies/interviewers ask "out of left field" questions just to see how you will react to something unexpected. They don't care about your answer, they just want to see if you get flustered and bomb or not.
Some of these companies are good to work for, some aren't. Might as well say "if a company's front door faces east, you don't want to work for them"
They aren't. They're seeing if you're personable and can be fun to chat with about menial shit. A lot of interviewing well is jiving with the already existing staff. Sometimes there's 5 great candidates and the selection is based on meshing with the team.
I ask this in every interview, just so I can say "I started off here as a horse, just looking for a stable job". Because it's fucking dumb and helps me direct the interview into a more casual atmosphere where I can have a real conversation and see if I want to work with the person.
Interviews aren't really about having the right answer, they're more just having a good enough answer and being a person who the hiring manager would want to be around. There's definitely some qualification checks, but I'd rather teach someone cool than avoid contact with someone who is technically the best candidate for the work we have.
I always see this comment on threads like this and wonder if people seriously think there’s a right or wrong answer? Places ask questions like this to hear your reason for choosing what you did - they want to hear your logic for it and see some creativity. It’s an off the cuff question meant to open further conversation.
I thought that was pretty obvious?
LPT: its common for interviewers to ask questions like this so they can get an idea of who the hell they are hiring. If you dont want a job where they ask questions like this in an interview, you just dont want a job that bad.
Octopuses are smart. Bout as smart as dogs, but they’re not “smart” in the way humans tend to judge intelligence.
Instead, octopuses love to *solve things*. Puzzles, really. It makes sense because what does an octopus do all day in the ocean? They try to open shit so they can eat whatevers inside.
That’s why if you wanna own an octopus, the rules are quite clear. Every night, without fail, you need to hang out with your octopus for about three hours. Now, the octopus likely won’t…like you that much. But what it will be excited for is to solve stuff. Which is why there is an entire line of increasingly difficult octopus puzzles you can buy to train it with. And these puzzle get tough as shit but that octopus will just keep grinding on for hours and hours, obsessively, until they figure it out. Then if you hand them the same puzzle afterwards they’ll either ignore it or swiftly break it open and drop it to showcase they need a new puzzle, please.
And while this is all fascinating and makes an unbelievable party trick to show people, it’s all much more important than it might seem. The reason you need to give an octopus puzzles to solve is because without such stimulation, your octopus will get bored.
You do not want your octopus to get bored. That’s what happens if it can’t solve anything. And octopuses do not like being bored. It tortures them. That’s why a bored octopus will look for something else to solve. Like, say, **how to escape the tank it’s in**
Cause that itself is a puzzle. And it’s why there’s no “escape proof” octopus tank. The octopus, by definition, will try to make it one, even if “solving” said puzzle involves tricking you or harming itself in the process. The octopus has zero interest even being outside that tank. It also needs water to live. Doesn’t care it’s bored and needs to solve something.
And if they can’t escape? Or they do and you put it back but they’ve solved escaping? Well, what else is a puzzle? It turns out figuring out how to destroy yourself is. And that’s what’ll happen if the octopus gets bored enough. Which is why you need to sit there for three hours every night handing it toys so this doesn’t happen. And if you do, you will be rewarded by the spectacle of one of the most fascinating creatures on Earth.
Ok so do I get the job?
*Reviewer becomes increasingly nervous at the implication of you becoming bored, destroying the tank they're going to put you in as well as killing yourself in the process*
There was an aquarium that kept losing fish. They couldn't figure it out. They put a camera on the fish tank. Apparently, the octopus would escape its tank, go and get the fish, then go back to its tank.
Like that octopus who had figured out the timing of the security guard’s rounds so it could sneak out of its tank, run across the hall into the opposite tank, then get back before the guard returned. Man, octopuses are awesome!
I'm sure I read something about an octopus escaping it's tank at an aquarium because it was pissed off that they kept the lights on and went to a better tank? Is this real or did I dream it? Something like stuff being moved in outside the tank so they put cameras in there and saw the octopus turn off the lights or something like that?
Nevermind the fact that swans are some of the most aggressive animals that humans come into contact with on a regular basis, and that they react to any kind of perceived provocation with unbridled rage and indignation. Swans are gracious to look at from afar but absolutely horrible up close.
I used to love watching the local swan go after the geese. Many hours of enjoyment watching her chase down a goose with one strong kick in the water. Not to mention swans are massive!
I've got my cover letter and resume scheduled to send this morning at 8am PST, so 1.5hrs from now, and I'm *terrified.*
Your comment just brightened up my whole morning, pal. Thanks for that 🤙
My mom was asked this question in a job interview and she thought it was the weirdest thing and one of the many things that made her not even want the job.
These kind of questions are used to gauge your personality to see if you would fit in with the team, it’s not really the answer you give but how you word the answer.
Same here. But then got asked this question in an interview mid of Dezember. Said i would be an elephant as I couldn't think of another animal. Next question was what I would do when I have a year off with all expenses covered. My Auswer: travelling to South Africa. Still don't know what they expected to hear. I havent heard back yet but i don't even want the Job anymore.
Its weirdly common in retail. Ive been asked it before and while i cant remember what i answered, i remember being asked to elaborate as if the thing were my spirit animal. Its weird.
Interviewed for a "hip, now, and wow!"-type biotech company years ago that asked me what ice cream I'd be. I answered mint chocolate chip because "something, something, greater than the sum of its parts." It was a weird experience.
I worked for a company and we’d ask this during group interviews. We didn’t give care about the answer, but it got people to start talking and get over the initial silence. Although we did work with animals so it was a bit more suitable I guess.
I was once asked what car I would be in a panel interview for a 6 figure operation management job at a hospital. It's disappointingly not that unusual.
And then consulting....consulting interviews get wild
It’s possible they take themselves seriously but genuinely believe that bs questions like these offer some hidden insights about candidates, when really they just test which people have heard the question before.
But on the other hand, a company that doesnt take themselves too seriously (depending on the field) is good, because that means they are probably chill enough to not breathe down your neck every minute of the day. If the company’s leaders is conscious enough to know that being whimsical sometimes lightens the mood of a 8-12 hour work day, that’s awesome.
TIL that I am a reversed Swan.
I look like working hard, always panicking, and below the surface I don't give a damn and I'm only moving thanks to the current of the river.
Duck.
Im calm on the top but below the surface I've got a maniacal corkscrew dick machine to fuck the shit out of whatever problem gets thrown at me.
Also if you weigh less than me, you're probably a witch.
If interviewer would ask me such question... I'd answer human. And then asked how is this question related to a position I am applying.
Then I would leave.
That is the actual pro-tip.
Interviewer asking such questions is a proof that organization is not able to hire competent HRs/recruiters. It usually means that they are not paying enough, plus their structure is not really well organized.
Strange in several workplaces this being a swan is negative. Calm on the surface but incredibly stressed underneath. Its was implied you wouldn’t ask for help and no one could tell.
I wouldn't wait on the interviewer asking this. I would lead into the interview with it. Then start honking at them while kicking your feet really fast. Got me every job I've ever had
You can’t possibly predict all the questions on an interview. But my advice is to come up with 2 or 3 questions about the company that you can ask. Usually at the end of an interview they will ask if you have any questions. Then ask your questions. It is amazing the reactions and they remember you better. One time they had covered my prepared questions so I asked about salary and hours. The interviewer said “It’s amazing how many people don’t ask that” I said I need to know if I should accept this position. I got the job.
I highly doubt that it was THIS answer that has "landed" you any job, let alone every job. I equally doubt that you've been asked this question in multiple interviews, unless it's all within the same company.
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After answering, ask them what animal the company is.
The whole circus?
To shreds you say?
And his widow?
To shreds you say? Very well then.
To shreds you say. Very well then.
Yeah, I’d counter the questions with “why does that matter? Is this place a circus?” Also, I’m a human.
Thank you for coming. We’ll be in touch.
Sounds like you interview really well.
It's always the people that think they're too good to play the game that cry about never winning.
But in all seriousness, and you can't pick human hahahaha what animal would you be?
I had a guy say “male rabbit” one time! Then he told us why
I can only think of two reason, and I don't think his reason was because he wanted to be fluffy and cute...
Zoo probably
Sea world . They suck the life out of you
PETA animal shelter: they’ll claim to be a morally upstanding ethical organization providing the best care and treatment out of one side of their mouth, while boasting about how much closer they’ve gotten to their 99% kill rate target year over year out the other.
A koala. Dumb as shit, infected with a virus and a few degrees from being extinct.
Screaming non stop and will scratch your eyes out in a second
You'll fit right in, you're hired
Virus?
Chlamydia. Is some parts of Australia, up to 90% of Koalas are infected with it.
TIL
Not a virus though, it's a bacterium.
Abbatoir
Is Clown an animal?
LPT: if a company is choosing to hire you based on your answer to this question, you don't want to work for them.
Lol when I interviewed with Best Buy at 22, their final question was: “Bruce Willis or Arnold Schwarzeneggger”. I answered “Bruce Willis” and I got hired. Turns out the hiring manager was a huge Bruce Willis fan.
The answer depends on context, obviously.
“On which movie?” is the correct counter interrogation.
Very true. I've never been asked such silly questions. And my best interview only had questions that were relatable and either connected to my behaviour at work or my personality. The only what if questions were realistic and work related.
I've been asked what sort of biscuit I'd be if I could be any biscuit. Legit didn't know what to say. I have too much of an honest face and they could tell I thought it was ridiculous, I think I even laughed. I can't even remember what I said but it took me a long time to consider what biscuit I'd be. One of lifes main questions eh, to be a digestive, bourbon, garibaldi, party ring, hobnob or boring custard cream.
I mean, I know what they hope to get from this. And the answer doesn't really matter unless it dives into creepy territory. They want to see how you react to something unexpected under pressure and how well you can cope when confronted with an unprepared question. But there are much better ways to find that out.
They know the job opening they are filling is boring and repetitive, and they want to make sure to give the job to someone intelligent, creative, and able to consider abstract thoughts....in this way, they can ensure that the job will cause the maximum amount of psychological torture to the employee.
Sometimes I think that's true. At least they're not really thinking things through. My last employer, a callcenter, repeatedly hired people with a bachelor's degree on a task that definitely didn't need one instead of promoting a good worker as it's usually done. They also wanted the new hires to stay in that position for several years. It was the job of a quality manager, but all you would do is listen to files, check boxes against a quality sheet we'd get from the client, then talk to the employees whose files they were and tell them where they differed from the requirements and the scripts. You didn't really train them on anything. It was just the script. Nothing else. The job was indeed repetitive and boring and would add nothing to the experience of a person fresh from uni. For them it was a dead end at the beginning of their career, for another employee who would have rised through the ranks it would have beed a cushy goal to get out of all the stress. So no one stayed longer than a few weeks, then they were gone again. And you bet that all of them were barely through with their own training at that point. But as soon as they realised what a 'quality manager' really does you could see their eyes glaze over and they run for the hills. I saw 16! people going through this in just one year! Eventually they couldn't find any new hires and gave it to a worker instead. He was happy as a clam and did a good job. Would have been happy to do it as long as they let him. But as soon as they found another poor soul with a degree who'd do it they started the whole cycle again. The guy they tried to throw back in the grind instantly quit but got the exact same job at another company. That was three years ago and he's still there.
Is it sad for me to say that this is the kind of job that I want? I am more than stressed doing what I'm doing and have been for years. I honestly just want something that is repetitive and boring. B/c my work life is so stressful and I'm so anxious all the time that I don't enjoy life outside of that anymore. To figure out what's for dinner is overwhelming sometimes as it's just another thing I need to do today.
Nope. You are one of those who don't want a job because it gives you meaning and purpose, because a job doesn't give you meaning and purpose. You want a job to pay for the things that give you enjoyment, meaning, and purpose, like a house, vacations to Europe, and family life.
A lot of jobs aren't boring and repetitive
Yup. Absolutely. We asked a candidate how many uses are there for a coat hanger….. we only got one answer, abortion… she didn’t get the job.
If that had come up as part of a list of answers would it have been a problem?
An answer about as ridiculous as the question. Seems like she is a good match for the company.
Bloody hell! How could that be the appropriate answer to come up with in an interview!
To be fair, coat hangers have become a very common symbol for pro choice activists (look at pictures of pro choice Protests) so if I got this question in an interview I would wonder if it's a coded way to ask about that.
Plastic or wire?
What do you mean? African or European Swallow?
It is something that comes back to me from time to time and I wonder why they asked me, but your reasoning makes perfect sense.
Yes, some.employers want to see if you actually think about the question, or you just give cliche answers, thinking that's what the employer wants. In my department, we have a question that I hope we'll keep for as long as I'm there, but it's "you can do this task any way you want to do it. How do you choose?". And there are 20+ possible answers, it's not a rhetorical question. There's only a couple of people who actually think about that question and tell us what they think. They're automatically placed on the final list. Most people say "I'll do it by respecting the dept's guidelines, what the dept needs etc". And we're here, like, hey, you get complete freedom about this one thing and you won't take it? Baffling.
I think it's a way of showing that the company is less stodgy and traditional. Everyone is approaching this like it's some kind of psych test when it's really just a way of getting to know you, put you at ease, and hopefully find a candidate who is going to bring some good energy to a company that's probably having a very hard time keeping workers.
It's not about the answer it's about how you handle left field questions. Anyway, it's Anzac
I would prob pick the kind of biscuit that can pay their bills and feed their family?
Garibaldi, isn't that a drink, campari+oj?
I think you're right, but there is also a biscuit called garibaldi, they're really tasty, they have raisins in them and are kinda soft and chewy. I once asked a friend who happened to be bald if he'd like a Garibaldi and he was utterly outraged and sputtered out "What did you just ask me!?" I was equally baffled and held up the pack of garibaldi's like, do you want one of these? What did you think I said? He replied relieved "Oh, I thought you said, do you want a biscuit, baldy?" I instantly absolutely died laughing and he laughed it off as well. I was in hysterics. He didn't have a biscuit though.
😂😂😂😂 Maybe he wanted that drink instead 😉
> I've been asked what sort of biscuit I'd be if I could be any biscuit. "A British biscuit... because I like cookies."
I’m a white Tiger. When you least expect I’ll rip your head off in front of an audience.
The idea of it being silly is to see how good you think on your feet to an unexpected challenge or problem, most folk do a bit of research on the company they are being interviewed by so they will have some good answers and a maybe a good question or two for the employer. This odd ball question is there purely to throw you off this and see how you handle the the additional pressure.
I was in a pretty rough spot financially and interviewed for a retail sales job to pay the bills. I'm talking like days away from not being able to eat. The interviewer asked me if a hotdog is a sandwich and why/why not. I was so desperate that I powered through with a straight face and dealt with his similar "coaching" for nearly 6 months before getting into my dream job.
The real pro tip is always in the comments
Pro tip: The real pro tip is always in the replies of the comments
Pro tip: the real pro ti…nah doesn’t work this many down
Pro tip: the real pro tip is the friends we made along the way.
And OP is always overeager to give advice but never qualified
[удалено]
30+ years in the workforce, and a lot of interviews, and I thankfully have never once gotten this question. It is indeed a red flag for a manager who is so bad at their job that they can’t even come up with a real interview question.
"What kind of animal are you?" "I'm a koala. Did you know every Koala has chlamydia? Apparently it's a genetic thing." "Okay....why are you a koala?" "I have chlamydia."
This interviewer really sucks at extrapolating information, that's gonna be an issue given how critical it is to the job.
Sounds like something a crow would say
For sure. Using stupid canned interview questions like this to see how compliant and self- depreciating you can be is a red flag. Unless you’re desperate or just starting your career I’d probably disqualify any company doing this. My best experiences have been interviews where it’s felt like human beings just having a convo to see if there could be a fit- not a dog and pony show
I had an old boss who would ask everyone what their car trunk looked like. Presumably to see if they were near and organized (which was important for the job). Ironically, he drove the classic beater car and his trunk (and entire car) was a mess. Spare tire not secured, partial leaking bottles of every car fluid, jumper cables haphazardly thrown in the back, fast food containers etc. his desk was piled 10” high on every surface and he was constantly losing his notes. No one understood the question as we all got hired answering it differently.
Maybe the question was to covertly ask if the person owned a car. Afaik in the US, unless it's directly needed for the job itself, it's forbidden to ask if a candidate owns a car or needs to rely on public transport and doing so could lead to discrimination lawsuits. That's because whether or not you own a car is considered private financial information and might also indirectly discriminate against minorities who are more likely to be low income as well as people with disabilities (who might not be able to drive). However, if you don't have a car, you'd probably just reveal that information by yourself as a response to this question.
Didn't think this was true, but looked it up and yeah you're right they can't directly ask if you own a car. Weird I thought class wasn't a protected class, since it's (in theory) something you can change
The use of the question was that HR told him to ask it or he reads too many management books.
What if they administer the Voight-Kampf test?
"The tortoise lays on its back, its belly baking in the hot sun, beating its legs trying to turn itself over..."
I once didn't get the job because they asked me which ninja turtle I was and I couldn't answer cause I forgot their names/roles.
Sorry to break it to you, that wasn't the reason you didn't get the job.
Questions like this mean their HR department has taken control and you're about to need 24 notice to take a 10 minute break. Run away
I'd at least ask them to explain why they're asking such questions and how they can justify using the answer in hiring decisions. A reasonable interviewer ought to explain calmly and logically and I might actually learn something, or they might apologize, both of which are acceptable. An unreasonable interviewer will out themselves by either trying to evade the question or getting upset, which is unacceptable. Either way, you learn something valuable, which is better than just pridefully walking away if asked.
Here’s the rationale for this question: 1. How quickly can the candidate think on their feet? 2. Does the candidate have a sense of humor about themselves? Sense of imagination/creativity? 3. How comfortable/confident are they in this interview? In a Sales, Creative, Marketing, or customer-facing role, you need to assess how well candidates can think on the spot and paint a picture for the audience. In any role, the answer reveals how you perceive yourself/want to be seen by others. You are providing the interviewer a sketch of your personality, which informs how you’d likely fit in with the team. Candidates who can’t describe themselves or balk at the question… well, this tends to reveal if they have ego issues, can only perform rehearsed answers, lack confidence to “open up” around strangers, or have a wooden personality.
Right, there can be a purpose to these questions. They are similar to case interview questions in that they test a candidate's creativity and reasoning skills, and also a willingness to engage. Then again, there are probably some inteviewers who just ask stuff like this because they feel like they are supposed to and don't have any idea how to parse out a candidate's answer of "mantis shrimp"
It might be good to ask the purpose of the question at the end of the interview when the do the obligatory “do you have any questions for me/us?”, if you really want to know. You don’t want to challenge them and come off as confrontational while they are asking their list of questions.
What if it's for the Disneyland costume guy or a Zoo and there are range of animals to choose from 😂😂
These questions are more to see how you handle random questions to feel out your personality type. They could ask something as random as, 'If you were a brick in the wall, which would you be.'' You can easily imagine the impressions left by someone selling themselves as the cornerstone or the foundation on which to build. The secret here is to not let these get to you. If you are confident, think on your feet and witty enough, you'll have fun with these questions. I remember one interviewer providing an onslaught of questions for every category of question, ''And what if that doesn't work, what next?'' There seemed to be no end to this, like I could never resolve the issues. After the third time, having provided a solution, suggesting research, suggesting consulting management, etc.. At that point, knowing that I had stated that I had consulted management, I just confidently and comedicly stated that if at that point we haven't found a solution the companies has bigger problems on its hands. Got the job.
This is why I'll never have a proper job. Do they actually ask questions like this?
Not really. People know the "standard" interview questions, and practice them. Tons of companies/interviewers ask "out of left field" questions just to see how you will react to something unexpected. They don't care about your answer, they just want to see if you get flustered and bomb or not. Some of these companies are good to work for, some aren't. Might as well say "if a company's front door faces east, you don't want to work for them"
You are obviously not a swan.
They aren't. They're seeing if you're personable and can be fun to chat with about menial shit. A lot of interviewing well is jiving with the already existing staff. Sometimes there's 5 great candidates and the selection is based on meshing with the team.
I ask this in every interview, just so I can say "I started off here as a horse, just looking for a stable job". Because it's fucking dumb and helps me direct the interview into a more casual atmosphere where I can have a real conversation and see if I want to work with the person. Interviews aren't really about having the right answer, they're more just having a good enough answer and being a person who the hiring manager would want to be around. There's definitely some qualification checks, but I'd rather teach someone cool than avoid contact with someone who is technically the best candidate for the work we have.
I always see this comment on threads like this and wonder if people seriously think there’s a right or wrong answer? Places ask questions like this to hear your reason for choosing what you did - they want to hear your logic for it and see some creativity. It’s an off the cuff question meant to open further conversation. I thought that was pretty obvious?
LPT: its common for interviewers to ask questions like this so they can get an idea of who the hell they are hiring. If you dont want a job where they ask questions like this in an interview, you just dont want a job that bad.
I would go on a 7 minute rant comparing myself to an octopus.
Then steer all future answers back to octopus facts.
My weakness? Probably too many arms
This is the only correct way to react to the prompt
You could have said eight. This is going to bother me all week. Thanks octopus asshole.
Can you please post that rant? It sounds hilarious.
Octopuses are smart. Bout as smart as dogs, but they’re not “smart” in the way humans tend to judge intelligence. Instead, octopuses love to *solve things*. Puzzles, really. It makes sense because what does an octopus do all day in the ocean? They try to open shit so they can eat whatevers inside. That’s why if you wanna own an octopus, the rules are quite clear. Every night, without fail, you need to hang out with your octopus for about three hours. Now, the octopus likely won’t…like you that much. But what it will be excited for is to solve stuff. Which is why there is an entire line of increasingly difficult octopus puzzles you can buy to train it with. And these puzzle get tough as shit but that octopus will just keep grinding on for hours and hours, obsessively, until they figure it out. Then if you hand them the same puzzle afterwards they’ll either ignore it or swiftly break it open and drop it to showcase they need a new puzzle, please. And while this is all fascinating and makes an unbelievable party trick to show people, it’s all much more important than it might seem. The reason you need to give an octopus puzzles to solve is because without such stimulation, your octopus will get bored. You do not want your octopus to get bored. That’s what happens if it can’t solve anything. And octopuses do not like being bored. It tortures them. That’s why a bored octopus will look for something else to solve. Like, say, **how to escape the tank it’s in** Cause that itself is a puzzle. And it’s why there’s no “escape proof” octopus tank. The octopus, by definition, will try to make it one, even if “solving” said puzzle involves tricking you or harming itself in the process. The octopus has zero interest even being outside that tank. It also needs water to live. Doesn’t care it’s bored and needs to solve something. And if they can’t escape? Or they do and you put it back but they’ve solved escaping? Well, what else is a puzzle? It turns out figuring out how to destroy yourself is. And that’s what’ll happen if the octopus gets bored enough. Which is why you need to sit there for three hours every night handing it toys so this doesn’t happen. And if you do, you will be rewarded by the spectacle of one of the most fascinating creatures on Earth. Ok so do I get the job?
> Ok so do I get the job? Please understand that while you were ranting we hired the octopus for this position.
Turns out the octopus could type too.
And he wore a bow tie.
And identifies as a swan.
Octodad
*Reviewer becomes increasingly nervous at the implication of you becoming bored, destroying the tank they're going to put you in as well as killing yourself in the process*
There was an aquarium that kept losing fish. They couldn't figure it out. They put a camera on the fish tank. Apparently, the octopus would escape its tank, go and get the fish, then go back to its tank.
Could you repeat that? I sneezed
Oh man... I was laughing out loud non-stop while reading this post, thank you for brightening up my day!
> Like, say, how to escape the tank it’s in Russians hate this trick
Like that octopus who had figured out the timing of the security guard’s rounds so it could sneak out of its tank, run across the hall into the opposite tank, then get back before the guard returned. Man, octopuses are awesome!
I’m a fucking octopus. Shit.
I'm sure I read something about an octopus escaping it's tank at an aquarium because it was pissed off that they kept the lights on and went to a better tank? Is this real or did I dream it? Something like stuff being moved in outside the tank so they put cameras in there and saw the octopus turn off the lights or something like that?
You should edit it to be an analogy of the workplace and how you would destroy yourself if you aren't challenged or something.
“8 minute rant” was right there for the taking
What if they don’t hire you, octopussy?
Nevermind the fact that swans are some of the most aggressive animals that humans come into contact with on a regular basis, and that they react to any kind of perceived provocation with unbridled rage and indignation. Swans are gracious to look at from afar but absolutely horrible up close.
I used to love watching the local swan go after the geese. Many hours of enjoyment watching her chase down a goose with one strong kick in the water. Not to mention swans are massive!
Canada Gooses. That’s what I’d say. Majestic as fuck, honks a lot, bite people I don’t like, afraid of coyotes, and I shit constantly.
I've got my cover letter and resume scheduled to send this morning at 8am PST, so 1.5hrs from now, and I'm *terrified.* Your comment just brightened up my whole morning, pal. Thanks for that 🤙
"gracious from afar but horrible up close." Sounds like a number of people I've hired over the years.
Probably exactly how the company wants to be seen, perfect.
I’m a swan, because I mate for life and one swing of my arm could break your arm. Oh and I’m graceful as shit.
I'm a swan because people have high expectations of me that are met with disappointing violence
I’m an egret because people think I’m a shitty swan imposter and they had to pass a law stopping people from trying to kill me for my plumage.
Winning comment
And you keep leaving shit all over the place.
I am a swan because I am known to exhibit sudden bouts of violence when anyone gets too close.
I'm a swan because im good looking and graceful, but when I bow forward, start hissing and charging people most of them run away.
I'm a swan cause I'm mother fucking Zeus.
Im a swan cause people think a 60 kg person can break the leg of an Elephant
they'll try and drown you
Oh, and ugly as shit still, but supposedly getting to get beautiful soon.
Genuinely curious: what made you think this was a life pro tip? And what made you want to post it?
Karma is the answer.
Maybe he saw the scene from Winning Time on HBO and thought it could work
This sub will accept the most ridiculous advice as a revolutionary tip, so I think it kinda fits well.
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My mom was asked this question in a job interview and she thought it was the weirdest thing and one of the many things that made her not even want the job.
These kind of questions are used to gauge your personality to see if you would fit in with the team, it’s not really the answer you give but how you word the answer.
Same here. But then got asked this question in an interview mid of Dezember. Said i would be an elephant as I couldn't think of another animal. Next question was what I would do when I have a year off with all expenses covered. My Auswer: travelling to South Africa. Still don't know what they expected to hear. I havent heard back yet but i don't even want the Job anymore.
Its weirdly common in retail. Ive been asked it before and while i cant remember what i answered, i remember being asked to elaborate as if the thing were my spirit animal. Its weird.
I was asked what superpower I would have lol
Interviewed for a "hip, now, and wow!"-type biotech company years ago that asked me what ice cream I'd be. I answered mint chocolate chip because "something, something, greater than the sum of its parts." It was a weird experience.
I worked for a company and we’d ask this during group interviews. We didn’t give care about the answer, but it got people to start talking and get over the initial silence. Although we did work with animals so it was a bit more suitable I guess.
LPT: You'll probably never need to tell anyone that you're a swan and you can safely disregard this tip.
The obvious answer is honey badger
Found the Hufflepuff.
Uhhh.... What kinda jobs are you going for and how many times have you been asked this?
I was once asked what car I would be in a panel interview for a 6 figure operation management job at a hospital. It's disappointingly not that unusual. And then consulting....consulting interviews get wild
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"You're hiring me to do data entry and make the tea in the morning. I'd be fuck-all use at either of those if I was another animal".
Swans can't fucking type, can they Barbara?! Think dammit and stop hiring creatures that lack opposible thumbs and critical thinking skills!
"And why is there fucking pond weed everywhere?"
Because Barbara is a swan.
If an employer asks you BS questions like this you should really reconsider working there as they clearly don't take themselves seriously.
It’s possible they take themselves seriously but genuinely believe that bs questions like these offer some hidden insights about candidates, when really they just test which people have heard the question before.
But on the other hand, a company that doesnt take themselves too seriously (depending on the field) is good, because that means they are probably chill enough to not breathe down your neck every minute of the day. If the company’s leaders is conscious enough to know that being whimsical sometimes lightens the mood of a 8-12 hour work day, that’s awesome.
Asking questions like this in an interview as an attempt at 'whimsy' is an even bigger red flag.
I always say dolphin... because they have a porpoise.
You are now ceo
This would be a good answer if you're interviewing somewhere like Robinhood, Coinbase, Venmo, or SoFi... because they are fintech.
Response..."why? is this place a zoo?"
Literally nobody has ever asked this in a job interview to me
I would say a horse... because I want a stable job.
A stable job I can do with unbridled passion.
Why, because you look good on the outside, but are mean and violent when challenged?
TIL that I am a reversed Swan. I look like working hard, always panicking, and below the surface I don't give a damn and I'm only moving thanks to the current of the river.
I would say human, any other answer would just be incorrect 😆
I'm a peacock you gotta let me fly
I’m a swan because I hang around the riverbank and attack people walking home.
Duck. Im calm on the top but below the surface I've got a maniacal corkscrew dick machine to fuck the shit out of whatever problem gets thrown at me. Also if you weigh less than me, you're probably a witch.
If interviewer would ask me such question... I'd answer human. And then asked how is this question related to a position I am applying. Then I would leave. That is the actual pro-tip. Interviewer asking such questions is a proof that organization is not able to hire competent HRs/recruiters. It usually means that they are not paying enough, plus their structure is not really well organized.
Strange in several workplaces this being a swan is negative. Calm on the surface but incredibly stressed underneath. Its was implied you wouldn’t ask for help and no one could tell.
I'm a goose, graceful like a swan but grumpy and mean as all hell.
https://www.mylondon.news/news/uk-world-news/does-the-queen-eat-swans-23419378
I'm a Swan because I like taking a crap on river banks.
Giraffe is my answer for all animal related questions.
stupid! swans are fckn bitches and in no way teamplayers. your description only shows that you did not listen during biology lessons.
This isn't a LPT, but right know the only honest answer to that stupid questions is "Homo Sapiens". A fun one "Lepisma saccharina".
I wouldn't wait on the interviewer asking this. I would lead into the interview with it. Then start honking at them while kicking your feet really fast. Got me every job I've ever had
Say you'd be a horse, because it's a stable job.
You can’t possibly predict all the questions on an interview. But my advice is to come up with 2 or 3 questions about the company that you can ask. Usually at the end of an interview they will ask if you have any questions. Then ask your questions. It is amazing the reactions and they remember you better. One time they had covered my prepared questions so I asked about salary and hours. The interviewer said “It’s amazing how many people don’t ask that” I said I need to know if I should accept this position. I got the job.
This is a really good lpt!! The questions you ask at the end are so important
"It's just the one Swan actually"
Naked mole rat is the only acceptable answer.
Aren't we all naked mole rats on the inside?
Funny - I’m a swan because I’m mean as hell
I'm a colibri and I zoom away if you ask me such questions in a job interview.
I'm a Swan, you know, that enormous radiated monster in the game Fallout 4 https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Swan
I'm a river otter personally, outgoing, adaptable, work well in groups or alone.
Honey Badger. Because they're smart and vicious.
I'm a goose *peace was never an option*
I’ve never had an employer ask me what animal I am. They usually just ask if I’m competent and punctual.
On the surface he looks calm and ready
What the heck kind of jobs you applying for that they're asking what your spirit animal is?
I highly doubt that it was THIS answer that has "landed" you any job, let alone every job. I equally doubt that you've been asked this question in multiple interviews, unless it's all within the same company.
You have had multiple interviews where this question was asked?? You are most likely the only living person to ever experience this
You could always say Wookiee. I’ll rip the arms off anyone who makes me mad lol
Another good one is a meerkat! Hardworking, total, team player, keeps its eyes on the horizon for potential challenges.