By now I think you know that my focus is to work with professionals who want to accelerate their careers, but don’t know how. I do this because people in our community could use the extra boost on how to stand out and move up in their careers. With that said, let’s talk about how to answer the dumbest job interview question ever asked.
I am sure you have had several interviews throughout your career. Perhaps some were great, others not so wonderful. Along the way there were probably interview questions that left you dumbfounded. One of those questions could have been: “If you could be any animal in the world, what animal would you be?”
Talk about a “WTH” question!
I could argue that this question was designed to assess your body language when an unexpected topic comes up. Maybe it was to test your ability to remain poised when confronted with an unforeseen problem. It may have even been just to determine if you have a favorite animal. Nonetheless, how would you answer this question?
Would your answer be…
• A lion, because you are always on the hunt
• A tiger, because you are quick and ready to go in for the kill
• An eagle, because you are a leader and possess a keen sense of direction
Or would you have the courage to say something even more unexpected? Perhaps a turtle because you are a risk taker, you possess a growth mindset, you have the grit and the grind to go far beyond your comfort zone. Just like a turtle, you are willing to stick your neck out there to make progress.
BOOM!
That is the best answer to the dumbest interview question I have ever heard. I recently heard this answer when I interviewed Dr. Isaac Rodriguez, Ph.D., Co-Founder of a biotech firm called SWEET BIO, on my YouTube show. Is there a better way to leave a great impression on an interviewer than by using such a descriptive metaphor?
I am sure other answers could be just as impactful but if there are I have not heard them yet. I love the confidence this response demonstrates, the clarity of who you are as a person and the contributions you will make to the organization. You will pull them forward!
No matter what your answer what matters is having the courage to respond with confidence and show that no matter how crazy or unexpected the question or situation might be.
If you have a different answer to this question, I would love to hear it. If you have a different “dumb” interview question with a great answer, share that with me too.
If you have any questions about how to prepare for an upcoming interview or want to talk about your career, reach out to Jesse Mejia at his website jessemejiaspeaks.com