interviewing

Our friends at LearnVest share the top tips for acing your job interview:

Job interviews: Nobody likes them, but they inevitably stand between you and your dream job.

Unfortunately, “What’s your greatest weakness?” is no longer the only hard-to-answer question hiring managers will throw your way.

RELATED: 11 Things Hiring Managers Won't Tell You

New techniques, designed to do everything from measure your ability to handle criticism in the moment to downright intimidate you, are now being wielded more frequently by HR managers.

Life and Career Coach Anna Goldstein, founder of SelfintheCity.com, walks you through eight curveball interview techniques you might encounter, and the best way to ace each one.

Read on to find out what made the list

When the hiring manager asks you if you have more questions during an interview, take this as an opportunity to help him visualize you at the job. In a thread on Reddit, some commenters suggest asking questions like "What is one thing I could accomplish in my first six months here that would have the most impact?" and "If I were chosen for this position, what would a regular day at work look like for me?"

This helps the interviewer form a mental image of you being part of their team and company, which can make you more memorable. However, be sure to keep it subtle, and avoid direct and aggressive questions like "When do I start?" or you might turn your interviewers off.

Would you rather be a fork, a spoon, or a knife? Is that job interview question more or less nerve-racking than "what's your weakness?"

Most of us carefully consider our answers to typical interview questions, but some of the nation's top companies are known for throwing curveballs at interviewees that require fast thinking. We've rounded up some of the craziest interview questions that would catch anyone off guard without the proper preparation. Some are actually fun, while others have a major stump factor — read on to ensure you're prepared for anything that comes your way.

Glassdoor sifted through tens of thousands of interview questions submitted by job candidates over the past year to come up with a list of the top 25 oddball Interview questions for 2013. Here are a few:

• "If you were to get rid of one state in the US, which would it be and why?"
• "What do you think about when you're alone in your car?"
• "A penguin walks through that door right now wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he here?"
• "What song best describes your work ethic?"
• "What kitchen utensil would you be?"

Top human resource and hiring managers gave CareerBuilder the lowdown on which interview questions surprised job candidates the most. Check out a snippet:

• "Have you ever been the dumbest guy in the room?"
• "If I gave you a brick, what would you do with it?"
• "What do you do when you see a spider in your house?"
• "Do you bake or buy?"
• "Do you believe in UFOs?"

How would you answer them? And what's the craziest question you've ever been tossed in a job interview?

You may have heard this line before: "It's not you, it's me." OK, maybe it's more common to hear it from an ex, but it's a similar spiel companies give you when they send out an automated rejection. But, sometimes, it may actually be you. You may be unknowingly giving prospective employers a reason to pick another candidate. Look through this list to make sure you're not sabotaging your own job search:

• Nonexistent LinkedIn. One of the first things your prospective employer will do is google you. Having a LinkedIn is a good way of getting the information you want them to see instead. Setting up a LinkedIn also makes it easier for recruiters to find you, so you may not even have to look for the job yourself. In this day and age, having a LinkedIn is almost the norm, and not having a profile can make you look outdated.
• Suspect online evidence. You know all those pictures or tweets about that "crazy night"? It is a good idea to remove them from the Internet. Remember, what you upload or say online has a habit of coming back to haunt you, so if you don't want the risk of exposure, just don't put it out there to begin with. Even if you set privacy controls, you may make a mistake, the privacy controls may change without you knowing, or your friend may take a screenshot of your comments and pass it around. Anything can happen, so be very careful!
• Not following up. It's common courtesy to thank the hiring manager after the interview, and this gesture of thanks can go a long way. It's also good to follow up (but not too much!) to check in with them, because accidents do happen and sometimes emails can go missing.

Read on for more.

Interviews can be stressful, but worry no more. LearnVest has shared a few questions to ask and a few questions to avoid in your next interview.

“So, do you have any questions for me?”

This common refrain toward the close of a job interview can make even the best of us stammer when the tables are turned. But with the national unemployment rate over 8%, sharp interview skills are more important than ever.

Whether or not you’re currently looking for a job, try your knowledge: Do you have the right questions to ask your interviewer?

RELATED: If You're Ready to Work From Home, Here's How to Ask

The goal, of course, is to ask a few smart questions – thoughtful ones that show you’ve been paying attention and have done your homework when it comes to researching the company, and the specific job you’re after. At the very least, you want to ask something.

Most employers agree that, “No, I have no questions,” is the worst possible response. “The most frustrating thing for a recruiter is when you don’t have any questions at all,” says recruiter Abby Kohut of AbsolutelyAbby.com.

We asked professional recruiters to brief us on the top ten most common interview questions to scratch off our lists immediately–plus five effective ones to ask instead.

Read on for more.

So you were fired from your last job, and you're fretting about how to address it in your interview — don't worry, all is not lost. In fact, given the job market slump and companies tightening their money belts, it's quite understandable to be unemployed. If you have the right attitude and approach, being fired from your previous job won't hinder you too much. Here are some tips to get you through this possibly awkward encounter:

• Don't burn your bridges: Even if you're leaving your job, be sure to leave gracefully. There may be a time when future employers or schools might call back for a reference, so you definitely want to make sure they'll have good things to say about you.
• Be honest: Your boss can easily find out the reason for your departure, so make sure you're truthful in your explanation. This doesn't mean you have to go into details, because it's best to keep your answer short.
• Don't be bitter: Don't be negative and bitter about your firing, because it will just be a red flag to your potential employer. Your interviewer might start worrying about your ability to get along with others.
• Say what you learned from the experience: Focus on the positives of that experience and say what you've learned from it. For example, if you were unemployed for a time, make sure you explain how you've been productive with your time. Perhaps you've been taking classes, volunteering, or doing freelance projects.
• Prepare your answer: Write down your answer and try to practice it so you won't be trying to figure out what to say during the interview. Here are some sample answers recommended by career expert Joyce Lain Kennedy that are all really succinct and appropriate ways to address your firing: "Although circumstances caused me to leave my first job, I was very successful in school and got along well with both students and faculty. Perhaps I didn't fully understand my boss's expectations or why he released me so quickly before I had a chance to prove myself," "The job wasn't working out so my boss and I agreed that it was time for me to move on to a position that would show a better return for both of us. So here I am, ready to work," and "I wanted my career to move in a different direction, and I guess my mental separation set up the conditions that led to my departure. But by contrast, the opportunity we're discussing seems to be made for me and I hope to eventually grow into a position of responsibility."

If you haven't been receiving callbacks from interviews, then perhaps you need to revamp the way you present yourself. Instead of emphasizing what you have done, try to steer the focus toward what you can possibly do.

There's a new study by the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology which found that recruiters favored potential over past achievements. The promise of what the person could achieve apparently stimulates more interest in people.

Draw up a list of things you hope to achieve at the job you're interviewing for, and try to make a case for why you are the right person to make those moves. To really impress the interviewer, tell her what you plan to accomplish in your first week to make your future achievements seem more realistic and tangible. Remember, don't give too much attention to your past achievements unless you can tie them into how they will help you in this new position.