I Want to Be a Bumble Bee: Think About the Animal Job Interview Question

Bumble Bee - Maybe Not Quite the Answer to Give in a Job Interview

By Aly Adair, published May 19, 2008
Published Content: 378  Total Views: 377,308  Favorited By: 113 CPs
Rating: 4.6 of 5
During the past year, I have been on numerous job interviews where I was asked the question, "If you could be any animal, what would you be?"

If you are going on a job interview soon, you may want to do a little research on animals and pick one that shows leadership, teamwork, ambition, family values, integrity, work ethic, responsibility, adversity to risk; you know like those adorable furry rats at Meerkat Manor on Animal Planet. Oh no, did I say RAT - like the kind at the top of the employment food chain? Or, the kind that sits next to you in the cubicle and tells your boss when you are making too many personal phone calls? Maybe you don't want to answer meerkat in your interview.

Who knows what is the right answer to the animal interview question? I would not ever say bumble bee in an interview, but maybe in life itself, I want to be a bumble bee. Why?

Like a bumble bee, I want to fly around all day finding beautiful flowers and sucking all the sweet stuff out.
(day dreamer in life, but productive in the work place)

Like a bumble bee, I want a skunk to be my only dangerous predator who likes to eat me. I can deal with a skunk.
(optimistic in life, but cautious in the workplace)

Like a bumble bee, I, the female, will be the only one that stings. Male bumble bees don't sting.
(self-assured in life, but sexist in the workplace)

Like a bumble bee, I want my hair to be all those cool colors at one time.
(not a follower in real-life, but sometimes forced to conform in the workplace)

Like a bumble bee, I want to be social, not hoard the honey, and live in a small community.
(team player who gets along with people and shares ideas, but get me out of Fortune 500 and all the hoarders)

Like a bumble bee, I want to control my body temperature.
(needs comfort in life, but workplace environments are not always comfortable)

Like a bumble bee, I want to protect myself against the Cuckoo Bumble Bee that invades my nest, kills me - the Queen, and forces my young worker bees to raise my little bees.
(instinctive and intuitive, but not willing to adapt to overzealous, power-hungry, controlling cuckoos in the workplace.)

So: "If you could be any animal, what would it be?"

Sources:

I Want to Be a Bumble Bee: Think About the Animal Job Interview Question

I Want to be a Bumble Bee

Credit: Aly Adair

Copyright: Aly Adair

Comments
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Very fun and creative :) Sheri

Posted on 06/23/2008 at 5:06:43 PM

 
Great article!

Posted on 06/13/2008 at 7:06:56 PM

 
This was clever!. Now I have to think of something I would choose, LOL Dreamweaverr

Posted on 05/23/2008 at 8:05:47 PM

 
Terrific Aly! I'm going to pass this around :)

Posted on 05/21/2008 at 11:05:31 AM

 
Aly - this one still gets me and I've shared the link with many HR (human resources) types, who have been discussing. Picking a bumble bee was a real attention getter in your title. :)

Posted on 05/21/2008 at 9:05:33 AM

 
Tremendous piece...beautifully written!

Posted on 05/21/2008 at 9:05:28 AM

 
Excellent artlce

Posted on 05/20/2008 at 5:05:55 PM

 
Never say "neigh." ;-)

Posted on 05/20/2008 at 4:05:11 PM

 
Clever and cute

Posted on 05/20/2008 at 2:05:43 PM

 
Excellent article! I'll have to do some research and get back to you on the animal I would be. I like your take on bumblebees.

Posted on 05/20/2008 at 1:05:16 PM

 
I love your take on the bees world and linking it to the workplace. It's great. I'm not sure what animal I'd be.

Posted on 05/20/2008 at 1:05:50 PM

 
Good Job, take care, Judy

Posted on 05/20/2008 at 12:05:32 PM

 
Very nice and interesting, Thanks for this !

Posted on 05/20/2008 at 12:05:01 PM

 
Very interesting!

Posted on 05/20/2008 at 10:05:43 AM

 
Very good.

Posted on 05/20/2008 at 9:05:04 AM

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