It's really hard these days to scope out what a potential employer wants. But if you are lucky enough to get called in for a job interview, be prepared to respond to questions that may seem nasty, stupid or even irrelevant.

EWeek.com blogs about the potential pitfalls of a job interview, based on a recent article from CIO.com. And it makes the idea of any job interview a scary proposition.

You may get stumped by one of these questions, which really has nothing to do with your IT skills. So be forewarned and prepared to take them on without rolling your eyes, laughing or looking incredibly stupid.

Among the kinds of questions out there:

• Why have you been out of work for an extended period of time?
• How many people were on your team, and how many were laid off?
• Why do you think you were selected for the reduction in force?
• A year from now, what is going to keep you at this company?
• What are your weaknesses and some of your failures?

Think long and hard about these questions if they are thrown your way. These are not about your IT skills, but your survival skills. Practice as much as you can and never let any potential anger toward your former employer show up in any of these interviews.

Remember, the job market is about the survival of the fittest, not the flippant.

For more on how to answer interview questions:
- check out this eWeek.com article

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