Interviews are about as stressful as first dates, except in this case your risking a better job with a better salary, not a guy who will make you fall in love with him until you discover he has a foot fetish and possibly a drinking problem. (Too much?)
Whether this is your first time or your coming out of a long term relationship job, it never hurts to brush up your answers on the most popular interview questions. Be warned, most are trick questions where the person interviewing you doesn’t really care to know what your greatest weakness is. And no, working too hard, caring too much and being too invested in your job are not weaknesses. (Please tell me one of you recognizes that reference.)
Before your next interview grab your resume, cover letter and the job posting, and take some real time to answer the questions below. There’s a 100% chance you’ll get asked at least have of the questions listed, so it’s better to mess up your answers in front of your pet, mirror and friends than in the actual interview. Along with the questions I added a straightforward guide on possible ways to answer each question. 
Tell me about yourself.
This is the time to not only reintroduce yourself, but mention where you studied, currently work and something interesting about yourself to set yourself apart and make you memorable. I’m not recommending you share something odd like your Gilmore Girl’s DVD collection, but mentioning that you studied abroad or volunteer somewhere is a good alternative.
What interests you about this job?
You want to sound like you want it, but at the same time not sound too desperate. Talk about how you meet the qualifications while also having certain aspects that you are interested to learn more about. If your degree ties into the job field, mention why you chose that field of study, and if not, discuss what interests you about that career path.
What do you know about the company?
As someone who has worked in the hiring department of a company, I know that this question can make or break an interview, and it’s usually one of the first ones asked. Take the time to read the company’s website, learn what ongoing projects they have and what their mission statement is. If you don’t know much about the field, at least you can learn what the organization believes it is working towards.
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What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Don’t try to be cute and give some fake ass weakness, it’ll just annoy them and most likely lead them to just have to ask you again. Come up with one real weakness along with what you are currently doing to combat it. For your strength, mention something that ties into your last job role or one of the job requirements for the position you are interviewing for.
Why did you leave your last job?
Never insult your coworkers or the organization you once worked for, because at the end of the interview it reflects poorly on you. Instead mention that the job wasn’t a good fit with a brief synopsis of what made you begin to look elsewhere. If your coworkers were the problem, you can translate that into saying you much rather work in a team oriented environment, or whatever sounds best for the job you’re applying for.
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How do you deal with conflict/stress in the workplace?
If you work in a retail setting, this is one of the most important questions, but in a professional setting, it says more about how you handle uncomfortable situations. Employers tend to prefer answers that illustrate you taking control of a situation instead of running to HR, although there’s nothing wrong with needing extra support. As long as you’re ready with a strategy of how you plan to combat conflict and stress, there is no real wrong answer.
What’s one of your biggest professional accomplishments?
Do not mention anything that doesn’t directly apply to the position, this is your chance to mention relevant work skills that make you look like an ideal candidate. Use buzzwords like cooperation, managing multiple priorities and setting benchmarks for your goals. Practice this one until you get it right, because with the right example it can set up apart from all the other candidates.
Tell us about a time you failed.
A time you failed professionally! Not personally, just in case you were wondering if your last relationship was worth mentioning. Don’t set yourself to look like a failure though, bring up an example where you took steps to never make that mistake again or learn from the experience. It’s perfectly fine to say something didn’t go as you planned, as long as you can explain what you took from the situation.
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Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I’m a bit different from most people when they answer this, in the sense that I’m brutally honest in telling employers what my five year plans actually are. Currently I work in the administrative end of a law firm, and during my interview I let them know I had no interest in human resources or law, I just needed something to do until I earned my masters. Most people don’t do this. You can choose how to answer this, the important thing is to emphasize how you are currently qualified for the job. If you can do the job well now, they shouldn’t be too worried about where you plan to be in five years.
Why should we hire you?
This is your chance to brag about yourself, so don’t be shy! Mention your work experience, past projects and what your plans are if you do get the position. Employers don’t expect a perfect answer, but they don’t want to see you advocate for yourself. Feel free to mention specific needs mentioned in the job posting or interests you have in projects they already have going on.
What’s the hardest question you’ve ever been asked in an interview?
Once in a while on this blog I mention the struggles that come my version of having it all, including not having much of anyone to spend the holidays with. This past Christmas I had the option to spend Christmas with a family I’ve gotten to know, but for the first time in years I passed on the invitation, wanting to reclaim the belief that I can be whole and happy on my own.
I feel as if I took a very long vacation, except it was anything but. Within the past three months I moved myself and all my favorite belongings across the country to live and work in Washington DC, did what I was supposed to do there and then lugged all my junk back to California to attend my college graduation. Time honestly flew by so quickly, and having never worked a 9 to 5 job meant I came home too tired to even think about logging onto my blog.
June 27, 2025
Advice for New College Graduates | When Life Gives You Rubi
maximios Blog
As of lately every time I open my Instagram or Facebook app, I’m showered with photos of graduations and cap and gowns. It’s crazy to me that three years ago I walked across the stage, well, more like waddled. I should have known my first year after graduation would me a mess. The sign? Oh nothing big, I just got my period in the middle of the my graduation ceremony.
No big deal. I didn’t work four years to walk across the stage while bleeding through my dress. Whatever.
To be honest, my entire graduation was a mess. Family drama ruined the day, I spent the night with a guy I kinda couldn’t stand, and I’m almost sure I cried myself to sleep. The entire experience was not what I had imagined, but it was what came after that was even more unplanned.
If you’re a recent college grad or a few years out, it’s always nice to hear how other people manage to figure their shit out. I may not be at my end goal, but hey, I make my rent, have a job I love and managed to find a pretty good guy in a pool of weirdos. Okay, let’s get into the advice!
I don’t think I ever cried so much as I did during my first year out of college. Whether it was stress from graduate school, paying my bills or finding new friends, it was all a lot. Don’t think you’re any different because you get overwhelmed by all the new responsibilities thrown at you. Just because no one talks about sometimes hating their life doesn’t mean they’re not feeling the same way. Break down, wipe your tears and get back to being the badass you are.
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Just like high school was not the best years of your life, neither was college! Yeah college had its fun moments, but being able to control my life fully beats college parties, nonstop exams and worrying about how I was gonna feed myself. Being a twenty something isn’t always fun and games, but there are definitely moments when I stop and appreciate all that I now have because of how hard I worked in college.
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Social media makes this so hard to do, but don’t feel any worse about yourself because someone online looks to have it all. I have old classmates on my feed with seemingly perfect boyfriends, jobs that take them on trips, and parents who pay off their loans. Meanwhile I’m at home yelling at my boyfriend for eating my snacks, with no trips booked for the year, and I avoid answering calls from my loan adviser.
Most people only post the highlights of their life online, which is why you can’t believe everything you see. If you follow me on Instagram you might know that I made it a goal this year to post the good and the bad, meaning I want to authentically show what it’s like to be a twenty something living in the city. If you want someone on your feed to totally relate to, you can follow me on Instagram @whenlifegivesyourubi.
While this isn’t necessary, it’s what helped me figure everything out on my own, all at once! By moving from California toWashington DC I had to find a job, make friends, figure out the city and really define who I was without the help of others. Moving away from home helped me enter adulthood without the crutches my friends had, plus it gave me the sense of starting new after college.
I know, this sucks, but we all do it at one point. For me, it was a minimum wage position at a nonprofit in the city. The job was great, it was my coworkers who made each day feel like an eternity. The year I spent here motivated me like crazy to job hunt the next summer, both increasing the level of responsibility I wanted to take and the wages. Trust me, a job you hate will give you the kick in the butt you need to make your next position one you’ll thrive in.
My initial reason for choosing to live in Washington DC was because of graduate school, although I think I would have come back at some point anyways. Thankfully I’ve always known what I wanted to do with my life, which made graduate school an easy decision for me. If you’re not sure of what to do next, don’t go to grad school just for the sake of going.
If you can avoid it, don’t leave your college campus without having the career center look over your resume. If you’ve already graduated, I have a resume writing post that has helped tons of people create a resume that gets them actual interviews! Ignore what everyone is saying and stick to these basic rules; one page, with relevant job experiences, and skills that will benefit the organization. That’s it! For more advice, click on over to my resume writing post.
No one warned me that after graduation I would lose touch with over half of the people I spoke to in college. And I’m not talking casual acquaintances, I mean best friends who I would spend all my hours with. New jobs and cross country moves will do that, plus friendships are a lot easier to maintain when you live on the same college campus. It’s not that anything is wrong between the two of you, life just gets in the way and you make new friends as you enter new stages of your life.
I’m gonna be honest, due to working full time and going to grad school, I haven’t been traveling as much as I would like. But even if you’re situation is similar to mine, there is always room to travel just a bit. Take advantage of the years where your income is disposable and you don’t have to worry about buying a ticket for your children. Go abroad, travel your own country, just get out of your regular routine at least once a year. You can even reconnect with those old college friends on a yearly trip.
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As a new therapist, it’s hard for me to ask clients what they want out of life, cause who really knows the answer to such a big question? You know what we do know. What we don’t want. Take a few minutes and think about what you don’t want, whether it’s in a new boyfriend or new job. Such a small exercise can help you avoid giving something a chance that is totally wrong for you, and it helps you avoid wasting time. Try the exercise out, then keep the list somewhere next time you’re making a big decision.