Have you ever been overloaded with work?
Work overload can happen from time to time. Talk to the interviewer about a time that you have been overloaded at work. How did you handle it, and what was the feedback from your supervisor?
"Last month my relief zookeeper fell very ill and she went on short term disability. This increased my workload significantly even though my employer tried their best to have others fill in. I handled it all in stride, knowing that this wasn't a permanent situation. I did take breaks to avoid over-exhaustion and was able to get all of the required work done. My supervisor was very thankful and gave me a small bonus at the end of the month to show her appreciation."
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
After having a staff member leave unexpectedly, my daily workload increased significantly, causing quite a stressful environment. I had to learn how to triage different daily tasks to ensure all essential things were completed and had to increase my multitasking skills to be more efficient. For example, I carried out backwashes whilst doing another take in the same area.
Amanda's Feedback
Occasionally, everyone has to adapt to meet changing needs and this can mean an onslaught of new tasks. You've answered well by sharing that you face stressful situations head-on. You can strengthen your response by talking about the tools or strategies you've used to handle an increased workload. This helps show how increased pressure actually helped you work more productively and illustrates your ability to transform stress into action, successfully turning a negative into a positive, to accomplish your goal.
Unlock all 32 Zookeeper questions
Prepare for questions about animal welfare, emergency response, and husbandry skills.
Get Started