On Careers

In 2010, the Pew Research Center released a study that concluded what many of us have already observed: Re-employed workers—those who lost their jobs and are then hired elsewhere—are more likely to consider themselves overqualified for their current position, and are less likely to get a sense of identity from their work. In other words, they end up at jobs they don't really want.

Whether you've lost your job and are looking to be the exception to this rule, or if you'd like to trade your current position for one that better matches your qualifications, here are three strategies to help you receive an offer you actually want:

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With more job candidates coming to interviews with prepared and rehearsed answers, savvy interviewers are developing ways of getting beneath the surface so that they can find out what you're really like.

Here are 10 tricks interviewers often use that can trip you up if you're not careful:

1. Silence. Some interviewers will intentionally remain silent when you finish an answer, waiting to see if you'll start talking again. Most people are so uncomfortable with silence that they'll rush to fill it, and in doing so, they might offer information that's too candid or maybe damaging. The best strategy here? If your interviewer is using silence on you, remain silent right back. Chances are good that after about 10 seconds, the interviewer will start speaking again. If not, you can always ask, "Did I answer your question fully enough?"

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There's no back door or short cut. The best way to feel confident when you walk into your next interview is to practice for it ahead of time.

But Judi Perkins, founder of the career-coaching service Find the Perfect Job, says that in her 22 years of recruiting, one of the most common mistakes she sees job seekers make is failing to prepare.

"A successful job search is like building a house," she says. "It needs a foundation, a vision of what the final product will look like, and blueprints and a plan for getting there."

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Greg Smith's very public resignation letter, recently published in The New York Times, gives a scathing account of why he left Goldman Sachs and includes his vivid description of a "toxic and destructive" work environment.

Most people who have been in the workforce for a few years understand the desire to bash a former employer when things go sour. However, most don't actually act on that impulse. The potential harm to your own career is too great. After all, what future hiring manager would see your behavior as favorable? More than likely, they will fear another round of public flogging if you become equally disenchanted with them.

Instead of following in Smith's footsteps, you may want to consider these six tips for a more cordial separation that will preserve, and hopefully, extend your career reputation:

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