By Diane Domeyer, executive director of Office Team

Most job-hunting aficionados can effortlessly recite their greatest strengths and weaknesses, succinctly describe their future career goals and present a compelling case when asked why they should be hired. Yet these types of sound bites, while helpful, may fall short when it comes to nailing down a job offer. Today's employers recognize that traditional interview questions such as, "What are your strengths and weaknesses?" tend to yield rehearsed responses, so they're branching out into new territory. For candidates, this means preparing to answer new queries.

Following are three types of questions you might encounter and how best to respond to them:

By Ed Orum for AOL Find a Job

It takes more than a good résumé to land a job in this market. You have to be savvy and a step ahead of other applicants. Cosmopolitan recently teamed up with the Society for Human Resource Management for a survey on what it takes to be a winner in these highly competitive times. Turns out the smart use of technology often tops the list.

Let's start with those social networking sites you're on when you're not scanning job sites. While you might share every detail of your life on Facebook or MySpace, it's a good idea to make sure hiring managers don't have access to your profile. A majority - 86% - said unprofessional behavior makes you less desirable as a candidate. Yes, this includes party pics and off-color comments. Not that recruiters are always looking - 70% of the organizations surveyed said they do not Google you or check out social networking sites while making a decision. Still, better safe than sorry.

Rachel Zupek, CareerBuilder.com writer

In the current economic climate, people are finding themselves in dire situations. Veteran workers find themselves laid off after 20-plus loyal years with the same company. College graduates, with their diplomas hot off the press, can't find a job. Parents, who perhaps have never had to work before, find themselves desperate for a job.

Sometimes, these parents find themselves job searching in an even more unique situation: with their children.

5 ways to shake things up

Rachel Zupek, CareerBuilder.com writer

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 38 percent of full-time workers were unemployed for 27 weeks or more in September 2009. That's equivalent to more than 5.4 million people.

Whether you're out of work for five days, five weeks, five months or five years, any period of unexpected unemployment can be frustrating -- especially when it seems to go on forever. Although the economy seems to be showing signs of recovery, any job seeker who has been out of work for a long period of time will tell you: It's still not easy to find a job.

Joe Turner, the Job Search Guy

"I was fully qualified and it makes no sense."

"They simply don't know how to hire."

"They told me that I was overqualified."

Randy Block, a seasoned career transition coach and consultant in the Bay area, hears these comments often.

If you're an "older" job hunter, more than likely, you already know that the ultra competitive job search process in today's economy is especially hard on you. Part of the challenge you're facing is a major generation gap between Baby Boomer job hunters and the Gen-Xer hiring managers of today. As Block noted, "30-somethings don't want to hire their parents. Unfortunately, that's how we often come across - as their parents."