INTERVIEW QUESTION: WHAT’S YOUR SPIRIT ANIMAL?

WHAT THEY WANT TO KNOW

Hiring managers are really grabbing onto these off-the-wall, personality-type interview questions. Questions like, “What’s your spirit animal?” are intended to break the ice in a job interview and force interviewees to think on their feet. There is no wrong answer to this question, but your goal here is to share an answer that helps illustrate your personality, strengths as a candidate, and, hopefully, connect with the hiring manager. The critical thing to remember is to answer enthusiastically. Now is your time to let your personality shine a little bit. This is a question that will often be asked at the beginning of your interview, so your answer can really set the stage for the entire interview.

‘What kind of animal would you be?’ may seem like an irrelevant question to be asked at interview, but it can give you a chance to demonstrate your analytical thinking and show what an asset you would be to the company you are interviewing for. Here, I explain how to turn a question like this around and use it to show your interviewer what you have to offer, as well as demonstrating that you can think outside the box.

EXAMPLE ANSWERING WHAT’S YOUR SPIRIT ANIMAL

“Wow, that’s a great question. If I had to pick one animal to be my spirit animal, I would probably pick a duck because I always look calm and cool on the outside, but below the surface, I’m working like crazy to get where I need to go.”

Great animals to choose: Fox – The fox is a wily creature, clever and strategic, but with a hint of dishonesty. This could be a good choice, but be careful to explain it thoroughly. Tiger – Tigers are a popular choice, demonstrating intelligence and quick thinking.

SO… WHICH ANIMAL WOULD YOU BE?

Whatever the position you are applying for, there are some answers that will work for this question and some that will not. We have identified some animals that have positive qualities you can build upon in your response, and you can use these to develop answers that are suited to your personality, skillset and the role for which you are interviewing.

Great animals to choose:

Fox – The fox is a wily creature, clever and strategic, but with a hint of dishonesty. This could be a good choice, but be careful to explain it thoroughly.

Tiger – Tigers are a popular choice, demonstrating intelligence and quick thinking. Tigers show great independence of thought, and may not be the ideal choice if you want to show that you are a team player.

Lion – The lion is a great example of strong leadership, showing determination and a dedication to the pack. Try to avoid associations with the way in which lions take long naps – you don’t want to appear lazy in an interview!

Monkey – Monkeys are intelligent and nimble, working well as part of a team and taking an innovative approach to problem solving. This might be useful in positions that rely on good teamwork skills and require you to think outside the box.

Elephant – An elephant is a strong example of a good leader, committed to the group with a thoughtful presence. Elephants may be seen as unstoppable, and certainly have a great memory, but you may wish to point out that you are more agile and flexible than an elephant!

Ant – An ant may seem like a strange choice of animal to represent yourself, but it may be an astute answer. Ants are hard workers, committed to working as a team, and often achieve very impressive results despite their tiny size.

Cockroach – You may not wish to associate yourself with a cockroach, but these are superb survivors, who are very adaptable and resourceful. You will need to explain your choice in detail, however, as this answer may raise some eyebrows!

Dolphin – Dolphins are very intelligent, excellent communicators and real team players, and these are all qualities that will be desirable in many roles. Dolphins are a popular choice with interviewers and applicants alike, and you can adapt this choice to be specific to the role you are applying for.

Butterfly – A butterfly is an interesting choice, always progressing through stages of development, waiting for the right day to fly. This is a choice filled with plenty of potential, and you can bring in some discussion of being an individual waiting to blossom.

Gorilla – A gorilla is a strong choice, gentle but powerful, and a good parent and leader. This choice shows great strength of mind and an independent approach.

Chameleon – A chameleon may be interpreted in many ways, since it blends in well and does not draw attention to itself. This could be seen as clever, but may also appear to be sneaky, so think this through carefully as you give your reasons.

Owl – Owls are seen as being very wise, and are good at seeing the bigger picture. A good applicant would draw associations with strategic planning and precise performance for great results.

Dove – The dove is a peacemaker, always looking for the non violent solution, and this could be a very good animal to identify with if you are seeking a role in HR or personnel management.

Animals that you may want to avoid (at least for this question) include:

Snake – The snake does not have great associations, being traditionally seen as sneaky and dishonest. Most people avoid this connection by choosing a different animal.

Whale – Whales may be seen as majestic and impressive, but also carry connotations of being cumbersome and ungainly, so you may wish to avoid the comparison.

Sloth – Whether it is deserved or not, the sloth has a reputation for being lazy and slow, and these are not qualities you wish to advertise in yourself.

Turtle – Turtles may be seen as too laid back, unable to strike fast even when necessary.

Jellyfish – Not the ideal choice for most roles, the jellyfish is seen to be beautiful to look at but deadly to touch, suggesting you should be handled with extreme caution!

FINAL COMMENTS

Thus, this response is an excellent example of answering, “What’s your spirit animal?” It’s fun, witty, and straight to the point. Moreover, the interviewer gave a reason for their choice, and it does an excellent job demonstrating their work ethic. Overall, this is a fantastic response to this agonizing interview question.