The single most important question and the best answer

Every day, we ask people the question, "Why have you been out of work for so long?" or "What have you been doing since you were laid off?" The single most common answer to that question is, "I have been looking for work." As the market becomes more and more saturated with available candidates, this answer is no longer acceptable to most hiring managers. If you do not pre-plan any other interview question, be prepared to answer this one.

The Ladders, a website for job advice and job seekers offer this article by Tanjia M. Coleman: Why Have You Been Out of Work So Long?

Whatever you do, have an answer to the question — why have you been out of work so long? Whatever you say, don't answer, 'Looking for a job.'

Coleman offers a lot of great advice and some great ideas to tweak for your own answers.

■ I decided to start a business
■ I am an officer of XYZ organization
■ I took some college courses to stay current in my career
■ I am currently researching XYZ subject (ensure that it has business relevance)
■ I volunteer at a local mission
■ I started a networking organization to help those out of work
■ I decided to coach a season of my child’s baseball league

There is something you've done in your period of unemployment that you can talk that will be more impressive to the hiring manager than simply "looking for work."

Check out the entire article for more great ideas.

How to ask the hard questions in an interview

Careerbuilder writer Anthony Balderrama is one of my favorite contributors on all things job related. Today, he posted an article about the things that job seekers are a little hesitant to discuss in the interview process.

Job-search etiquette dictates waiting for the employer to bring up salary, benefits and vacation. Conventional wisdom says that if you bring it up, you appear more focused on the perks than on doing the job, which sends a bad sign to employers. So you interview over the phone and in person, and after days or weeks of conversation about the job, you don't know how much it pays or if you would be able to leave early on occasion to pick up your son from school. These issues can be deal breakers for many job seekers, but they're taboo topics during the interview process.

Balderrama suggest that this shouldn't be the case and that there is a time and a place for every discussion. Check out the full article for more information.

The Darndest Things

I love when Careerbuilder puts out their list of craziest things said by interviewees. They are a good laugh, but also a cautionary tale. Keep in mind what not to do.

Interviewees Say The Darndest Things
By Rachel Farrell, CareerBuilder.com writer

You can always depend on a young child to tell you exactly what they think, or precisely how they feel on any given topic. Want to know if your breath smells bad, if you should wear a different tie, or if you really look fat in that outfit? Find a five-year-old. They will give you an uncensored, honest answer.

Needless to say, we expect more from adults. Especially adults who are interviewing for a job.

For the second year in a row, we asked hiring managers everywhere to tell us the craziest thing they've ever heard in an interview. Keep reading for 37 hilarious (and true) statements from the job candidates:

1. "I interviewed a gentleman who looked great on paper but said two things during the interview that made me think 'really?' When starting the interview I asked him what his hobbies were to lighten the mood. He replied 'I sometimes walk up to perfect strangers just to say hello. I also like to pick up trash if I see some when I'm walking around.' After I asked him how the position would contribute to his professional goals and future plans, he replied 'My main goal is to be a rock star; this is more of a backup plan.'" -- Jessica Harrington, marketing associate, Eastern Michigan University

2. "I remember interviewing a secretary some years ago and asking her 'What is important to you in a job?' Her answer was: 'I want to work close to Bloomingdales.'" -- Bettina Seidman, career management coach, SEIDBET Associates

3. "'When your work load is heavy and you are overwhelmed, how do you handle the stress?' 'I run in the bathroom and cry.'" -- Jessica Simko, Career Branding Guide

4. "We performed mock interviews where our clients were put in an interview session using their real backgrounds, interests; etc. When asked why the client left her last job, which was in a family buffet style restaurant, her response was 'I was hungry and didn't know it would be a problem so I had pizza delivered to the restaurant while was on the clock.'" -- Jacqueline Lisenby, chief visionary officer and president, StatusJ Entertainment Group

5. "I interviewed a senior engineer for one of our open positions. He demanded coffee and proceeded to spill coffee in his lap. Then he pointed to his groin area, laughed and said, 'It looks like I wet myself!' Needless to say, he didn't get the job." -- Lisa Hall, HR trainer and author, "Taking Charge of Your Own Health"

6. "I recently had the craziest interviewee ever come into our offices for a copywriter position. I wanted enthusiastic but this guy was so over the top, I almost laughed in the middle of the interview. He high-fived someone on my team after hearing that my team member just got engaged. He talked about how terrible his boss was for a good 20 minutes. He said he felt like he was already working with us. And then he left something behind so that he could come back and get it. He called wondering when he could come back and we [saw] him prepping in the parking lot." -- Amanda Halm, senior copywriter, editor, Bridezilla.com

7. "Without a doubt, the craziest thing I ever heard came from a candidate for an entry-level management position. He looked perfect on paper so we scheduled a phone interview for 3 p.m. He answered the phone and when I introduced myself he said, 'Hold on, I'm at a bar. Let me finish this shot and go outside.' Amidst the noise of an active game of pool and a rowdy bar crowd, he slipped outside and told me, 'You know what? I'm a little drunker than I thought. Can we reschedule?' Needless to say, we did not." -- Heather Lytle, senior partner, H&L Media Partners

8. "While I am not the interviewer for a corporation, having been in many interviews for opportunities, I have actually heard a number of interesting, crazy, less-tactful things said from the interviewer side. The worst was, I drove two hours to do an in-person, one-hour interview and the interviewer was 30-40 minutes late to the interview, even though she walked by me in the lobby six or seven times with a bag of chips talking about her personal life to the receptionist. When she finally came out to get me, she didn't even act shocked or sorry for the delay, and just said, 'I was munching on a bag of chips and time flies when you're eating chips.' Let's just say I knew then it wouldn't be a good fit." -- Chris Perry, founder of Career Rocketeer

9. "We recently asked a job candidate, 'what do you know about us?' He leaned back in his chair and replied, 'Not much. Why don't you fill me in?' He wasn't hired." -- John Kramb, Adams County Winery

10. "We always include a casual lunch or dinner portion during an interview to continue our discussions in a more informal manner. This candidate let their guard down, falling out of their 'interview mode', during the friendly and casual mealtime discussions. They went so far as to share that they installed an illegal second network in their office with coworkers and would spend their afternoons gaming on the clock. They then went on to further share how regularly in the mornings and afternoons they would sleep at their desk during working hours. Bragging that they had never once been caught in either of these acts. Needless to say, this candidate was not hired. Prior to this meal time, more casual discussions they were likely to be made an offer. The lesson learned and to be shared is that you are on the interview from before you arrive at a location until you have returned home. I was truly surprised that such a smart individual would make such a stupid mistake by sharing such obviously unacceptable work practices with a potential new employer." -- Zachary Z. Zguris, chief technology officer, Lime Design, Inc.

11. "The interview was for a highly visible administrative assistant position. Clearly, I was looking for someone who would exercise tact with top-caliber people who would come into our office. I opened the interview with a fairly standard question:
'What is it that attracts you to this job the most?' Without hesitation, she replied, 'My mother thinks this will be the right job for me.'" -- Bill Lampton, president, Championship Communication

12. "We have the standard lists of questions you'd expect to hear, but at any given moment, I'll interject with, 'If you were an animal, what animal would you be and why?' The most shocking response was, 'I'd be a cat so I can lay around all day and not have to do anything.'" -- Efrain Ayala, account executive, Walt Denny Inc., The Home Products Agency

13. "The man's phone kept ringing. Finally, he answered it and he said, 'Hello. No. I'm fine. OK.' Of course, it was rude and uncalled for in my opinion, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt and asked if everything was OK. He basically said nothing was wrong but that his wife was checking in. He had not flown in for the interview. He was local." -- T. Murray, author of "Stuck on Stupid: A Guide for Today's Professional Stuck in a Rut"

14. "The most bizarre experience I ever had was regarding a candidate who was offered a position with my client. Because she had disclosed that she had a college degree, she was required to produce proof in the form of transcripts, diploma, etc. She told us that she was unable to produce the required documentation because her identity had been changed and that the information the firm was seeking was in her previous name. Due to safety reasons, she was unable to produce proof (in any name she had or was using)." -- Cathleen Faerber, managing director, The Wellesley Group, Inc.

15. "I was interviewing an older women for a position in my company. I thought she had a great personality and was considering hiring her. Then at the end of the interview she asked if I would be able to give her a ride to work and then back home again everyday! Umm, no." -- Janice Celeste, president and CEO, Celeste Studios Film & Video

16. "I had a women come in and tell me that she ran a business around the corner and that she would be working this job, as well as managing her business during business hours. I wanted to be sure that I understood her correctly -- that she would be taking time away from the position with me to 'check in' on her store periodically. But when I asked her a few questions to clarify, she became upset with me and ended up storming out of my office." -- Shay Olivarria, speaker and author of "Bigger Than Your Block"

17. "One job candidate arrived late for the interview, in a not-so-gracious mood. 'The commute is terrible,' she said. 'I'm so glad I don't have to do this every day.'" -- Sammie Samuella Becker, CEO, TigressPR

18. "I had a candidate in the final interview stages. He pretty much HAD the job. He was invited to interview with a couple of people who would become peers as last step in the process. One would-be peer asked my candidate to demonstrate to them his work ethic and drive, to which he replied, 'You can just strap a saddle on my a** and ride me!' Apparently, he was hoping to show what a work horse he is. As you might imagine, he did not get the job." -- Jenny Foss, recruiting agency owner, recruiter and job search consultant

19. "I interviewed a candidate over the phone for a sales position. Less than five minutes into the call, I began to hear water swishing and realized that the candidate was taking a bath during the phone interview." -- Jessica Miller-Merrell, SPHR, owner, Xceptional HR

20. "I had a candidate come into my office with her child and proceed to breast feed her baby boy during the interview. There was no acknowledgment or mention from the woman I was interviewing about the baby or him eating." -- Miller-Merrell

21. "While interviewing a young lady who was wearing a revealing top, at the end of the interview, she leaned forward and said in a sultry voice, 'I'll do anything to get this job.' She got people's attention, but eliminated herself from getting hired." -- Ronald Kaufman consultant, author "Anatomy of Success"

22. "One [candidate] came in dressed very professionally and really looked like she had made an effort to look the part. Some people assume because we are laid back and bring our pets to work, that we are extremely casual and will show up for an interview dressed in jeans, so this was a nice change. Toward the end of the interview, I complimented her on how professional she looked. She got this huge smile and looked down at her clothes and said, 'I know... I think I look like Mary Tyler Moore, that's why I wore this!' We ended up hiring her and she was such a quirky, fun, enthusiastic employee with a style all her own." -- Cindy Lukacevic, owner/vice president of marketing, Dinovite, Inc.

23. "While wrapping up a seemingly decent interview with a young lady for an administrative assistant position, I asked her if she had any questions. She asked one or two default questions about the company then ... drum roll ... she says, 'I used my last bit of change to put gas in my car to make it here. Is there any way that you could help me out?' Needless to say, I was floored and the candidate did not get the job." -- Clorissa Wright, senior publicist, WrightWay Marketing and Consulting

24. "'I like to date the young ones, is that bad?' and 'I love older women, do you really only have women working in your organization?' Those are the two I will never forget." -- Greg Palomino, CWP, CEP, CRE8AD8, LLC

25. "I was working for a private investigator and interviewing applicants for a decoy position, in which they could possibly be confronted with various situations while investigating everyone from potentially cheating wives to drug dealers. I asked a guy in his early twenties, 'What would you do if you were working undercover and someone you were investigating starting using drugs?' He laughed, 'Oh, it wouldn't bother me. I mean, I have a medical marijuana card and all. You know, anxiety and stuff.' 'Oh, really?' I noticed his eyes were slightly glassy. 'Yep.' He grinned. 'So, are you high now?' I asked. A chuckle. 'Just a little!' 'Oh, just a little?' I replied. 'When did you last smoke?' 'Oh, before I left my place to come here.' He didn't get the job." --Lauren Gard, Infinite Public Relations, LLC

26. "Over a nice dinner, the president of a company conducted a final interview with a vice president of sales candidate. At the end of the interview, the job was going to be offered to the candidate. The waiter brought the bill and the candidate, who was employed at the time, took it, pulled out his company credit card and said, 'Don't worry about this, I'll put it on my company's expense account.' The president later said he didn't know which shocked him more, the lack of ethics or the candidate's stupidity. Obviously the job offer was never extended." -- Brian Marchant-Calsyn, Health Career Agents

27. "An executive search recruiter was explaining the qualities needed for the job: multi-tasking, hard-working, time management skills, attention to detail, etc. The candidate responded with 'I can't do that. I'm not a robot.'" --Andrea Friedman, public relations coordinator, The LaSalle Network, a Chicago professional staffing and recruiting company>

28. "A recruiter was in the midst of an interview, when the candidate asked 'Do you mind if I use your kitchen to eat my turkey sandwich?'" -- Friedman

29. "An executive search recruiter asked the candidate, who was previously an accounting manager, what their ideal job would be. The candidate responded with 'A playboy photographer.'" -- Friedman

30. "I had to interview for a position that required organization, time management and attention to detail. My candidate was young, in his early 20s, and wore all black to the interview. We were a very casual office, so I thought nothing of it. But when I asked him to describe for me an instance when he had managed his time effectively, he cited managing his time in dungeon raids in the online game 'World of Warcraft.' When I said I knew the game and had even played it a bit, he took that as his cue to answer all my questions with 'World of Warcraft' examples. The word 'necromancer' came up far too many times. Needless to say, I was looking for real-world examples and he didn't get the position." -- Jennifer Escalona

31. "One of the funniest things an applicant said to me was in response to my question, 'What do you like in an office environment?' The applicant said, 'I like 42nd and Broadway.' Needless to say, that wasn't what I was asking, and that wasn't anywhere near our office location." -- Sharon Armstrong, author of "The Essential Performance Review Handbook"

32. "'I have a hunch that someone in your office is dating an ex-boyfriend/acquaintance of mine and I feel that's too awkward of a conflict of interest. I will not accept any job based on this kind of porkchop recommendation.' Especially amusing because no one in our office at the time was dating any men. We still have no idea where the candidate came up with this theory, or what exactly she means by 'porkchop recommendation,' for that matter." -- Anne Howard, Lynn Hazan & Associates

33. "In an interview, the oddest thing has to be a candidate asking if we had any
food that she could have." -- Howard

34. "When I interview candidates I always ask the following questions in this order: What are you most proud of? What do you enjoy doing? Why did you leave your previous jobs? Here are the answers I received from one candidate: 'I am most proud of my wife and children.' 'The thing I enjoy most is spending time with my family.' 'I decided to quit. I had an affair with a co-worker and when we broke up there was too much tension in the office.' And he said it without batting an eye." -- Bruce, executive recruiter and career counselor, Hurwitz Strategic Staffing, Ltd.

35. "One time during an interview, a candidate removed his flip-flops and literally stuck his foot in my face. Another time, I was interviewing a candidate who asked me out on a date three times in five minutes. I had to remind him that he was on an interview ... not speed dating." -- Heather Araneo, branch manger, Snelling Staffing - The Wyckoff Group

36. "Interviewer (president of a mid-sized company): Do you plan on having children?
Answer (me/candidate): Yes, at some point.
Interviewer: Do you intend to continue working then?
A: Yes.
Interviewer: 'What are you going to do, be a like a cow and drop it in the middle of a field?'"-- Janice Warren, director, OneReport, SRI World Group

37. "One day, I met with a candidate who, on his résumé, had good experience and education. I was going through the normal interview questions with him when I asked him which accounting system he had implemented. His response was immediate: 'PEACHTREE!' But then he started shaking his head and saying "No, no, no' and then he slapped himself across the face and said 'NO! QUICKBOOKS!'" -- Meghan Norman corporate recruiter

One Simple Step: Research!

As you've read here, there is a lot of advice for job seekers. Some of it is contradictory so it is difficult to figure out which to use to your advantage and which to follow. This article from MSN Careers provides a key piece to the job search puzzle - researching the company. This is a step not to be missed and it can be the difference between a rejection letter and an offer letter.

Keys to Researching Your Next Employer
By Beth Braccio Hering, CareerBuilder Writer

"I know right away when a candidate doesn't know the current news about our company," states Chris Brabec, director of leadership talent acquisition for Western Union. "If you don't know the CEO is retiring, or if a company made a big acquisition recently, that's not a good sign. If a candidate can't tell me what the company does (or thinks Western Union still does telegrams), that's another sign she hasn't done her homework."

In a job market where applicants frequently cast a wide net with the hope that anybody will respond, job seekers sometimes cut corners by not thoroughly checking out potential employers. But failure to know about the place you claim you want to work at can make you seem unprepared and disinterested -- and cost you a job offer.

Here, experts weigh in on things you should learn before seeking employment and how to go about finding that information.

What to know

"Companies have told us that one of the things they use to weed out candidates is that the student didn't know anything about the company," says John M. Thompson, executive director of career services at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas.

Among the things Thompson encourages his students to find out are:

What does the company do?

What are its products?

What is the company's mission?

Where are its offices located?

How big is the company in terms of employees/revenue?

How is it positioned in its industry?

"Everyone (but particularly for more senior-level roles) should know our stock price," says Yolanda Bush, director of human resources for Western Union. "Research the company's leadership team and the company's efforts around corporate social responsibility. This will help candidates position themselves to discuss how their skills and experience will help us succeed in the marketplace."

Julie Rulis, a senior recruiter for Western Union's talent acquisition team, agrees with her colleague's advice and adds, "If you are doing an interview at a company, find out if it's in the Fortune 500 and where it is on that list. Even better: Find out where it was a year ago, and if it's different, maybe ask why. It shows you've done your homework. A job candidate should know our products and services beyond just the basics. With all the tools available nowadays, there's no excuse not to know."

How to play detective

The "tools" Rulis is referring to are all the different ways a job seeker can go about finding information. Abby M. Locke, master résumé writer and personal brand strategist for Premier Writing Solutions in Seattle, Wash., offers these suggestions on how to find information on the company:

Review the company's website.

Read press releases.

Pay attention to industry publications.

Use Google alerts to stay on top of current company news.

Do an informational interview with past or current employees.

Talk to a representative at a career fair or trade show.

Follow key decision-makers on Twitter.

Utilize LinkedIn groups and other online social media tools.

Online directories such as Bloomberg and Standard & Poor's also give information on many businesses. For additional help in finding appropriate databases, job seekers may want to consult their local library or the college career center of their alma mater.

Show what you know

Finally, while you don't need to be a walking fact book, be ready to incorporate your knowledge of the company into correspondence and conversation when opportunities arise.

"I ask job candidates questions like what they know about the company beyond what's on the website, how they feel they fit in with our overall values and corporate culture, or what they found out about the company in their research that they didn't know before," Rulis says. "This is a great opportunity to show off your preparation -- talk about our competitors or the fact that you read that we're entering an entirely new business segment."

Get to know your potential employers, and chances are they will want to get to know you!