You’ve landed an interview for a position that you really want. You’ve done your homework on the company, networked with insiders, and you’re current on the latest accounting standards and regulations. You know your strengths and weaknesses and can rattle of a list of accomplishments at the drop of a hat. So what happens when your interviewer asks a question that you didn’t rehearse?

In accounting, a firm’s culture is paramount, which is why out of the blue questions may come into play more often. Your ability to work with clients is also key, which is part of what makes your ability to deal with the unexpected so important. The firm wants to measure your creativity, ability to handle pressure, flexibility, and problem solving skills.

If unexpected questions knock you off your game, it’s because they’re supposed to. Your interviewer wants to see how you handle surprises and gauge how you respond to the unexpected. So if you’re asked something that wasn’t on your roster of practice questions, stay calm and demonstrate a good attitude. It’s all part of the test.

One example of an eyebrow raising question could be, “What would you ask if you were me?” This allows you the opportunity to be creative and outline some accomplishments that may have been glossed over, but surprise questions can also let you have a little fun. One good response could be, “When can you start?” Surprise questions let you think outside the box, highlight your background in a more unique way, and show a little more of your personality and style.

This may sound counter-intuitive, but depending on the firm, even a serious interview can be a little fun. Loosen up and relax, and your interviewer is more likely to as well. This can smooth over any bloopers you may make, but it’s also important to remember that you’re interviewing with a human being, not a robot. Showing your personality and style is part of what will make you memorable among other candidates.

No matter how much you prepare, there’s no way to know every question an interviewer will ask. The best you can do is demonstrate a good attitude, be as prepared as possible, and expect the unexpected.

Large-scale layoffs have many finance workers plotting their next moves. While they may have to think a bit more creatively, many have the skills they need to keep their careers afloat. The key to success is identifying and marketing transferable skills.

On Wall Street and beyond, the roar of the bear is deafening. Job cutbacks have been fierce. Working and laid-off professionals alike are taking stock. For many, the focus is on transferable skills – capabilities that can be parlayed into new opportunities.

The key is to think creatively and be flexible. Here are five strategies for landing on your feet – and maybe even a few rungs up the ladder.

Bad Economic Times, Good Job Opportunities

Hedge funds and private equity firms are trolling for profits in the wreckage of companies, banks and other lenders that have succumbed to the grim economy. The sheer number of these distressed assets, as well as the complexity of transforming them into investments, has created a wide range of jobs. Traders, risk managers, accountants, portfolio managers, workout specialists, bankers, investor relations pros, research and business analysts – a virtually limitless number of professionals is needed to turn these problems into profits.

International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Create Opportunities

There’s a revolution brewing and accounting and finance pros are the new revolutionaries. As the shift from GAAP to IFRS gains steam, the revolution will need lots of generals, foot soldiers and everyone in between. Right now, those ranks are pretty thin. From mastering and interpreting the new standards to communicating what they mean to investors and others, the need is huge and growing. In particular demand are people with analytic and problem-solving skills, technical expertise and good judgment (the new standards have fewer hard-and-fast rules). The smart money is on getting training and education now. While IFRS is not yet mandatory, it appears to be just a matter of time before the old order crumbles.

Advance Your F&A Career; Go Where the Money Is.

The U.S. may be in a downturn but the Middle East, China and other areas of the world are booming. Banks, securities firms and other financial institutions are opening and expanding abroad and the need for skilled professionals is high. Specialist are needed in the areas of infrastructure finance, asset management, private equity, risk management, compliance, operations, hedge funds, mergers and acquisitions and insurance. Another way to follow the money: Focus on wealth management. The ranks of rich people, here and abroad, continue to grow and require a range of services, from tax planning to investment advice.

Existing Job Skills, New Career Focus

Let’s say finance is your job but technology is your hobby or you always wanted to work in marketing or entertainment. The opportunity to meld existing skills and personal and professional interest can open new career frontiers. As hedge funds have expanded, for example, they are seeking people to not only crunch numbers but to engage with institutional investors in a client-service capacity, to research and write RFPs, and to market the fund. Also, while the big financial services firms may be shrinking, industries such as healthcare and education are faring better. There are also non-profits, government agencies and smaller companies.

More Regulations, Less Tolerance for Risk

Despite the overall slowdown, there is a sustained increase in regulation for all industries. Financial pros who have experience in research, quantitative analysis and forensics are good candidates for selected jobs in compliance, risk management and insurance underwriting, even law enforcement focusing on financial crimes, to name a few. To be sure, the financial services industry is in an upheaval and job dislocations will continue. But by being flexible and focusing on transferable skills, finance pros can keep their careers on track.

Finance is a competitive industry, and it’s often difficult to stand out from the huge group of people hunting for the exact same accounting job. When it feels like tired old job hunting tactics aren’t getting results, is there a way to introduce creativity into the process?

While it’s good to be creative, candidates shouldn’t go over the top. It’s finance, after all, not the circus. Sending a mariachi band to serenade a potential employer with your name may sound like a great idea when you’re desperate at 2 am, but it will make you memorable in all the wrong ways. Instead, find ways to use traditional resources in less conventional way.

For example, consider online networking sites such as LinkedIn. While many job seekers use these sites to hunt for jobs and maintain their own personal networks, few push the limits of what networking sites can really do for them. The most successful candidates are the ones who scroll through employees at a desirable company until they find a connection, then use their network to find a bridge in. Digital networking is a great tool, but it’s better when used as a means to a real live handshake.

Online networking sites aren’t the only way to use the Web. VisualCV.com is a free site that lets users build online resumes as well as post photos and presentations. This is a great way to highlight your attributes in a non-traditional way and show employers skills you might not be able to illustrate in a traditional interview.

Creativity can also come into play in the way you listen. In an interview, find out what the firm’s key issues are, then make a point of illustrating how you can address them. Treat yourself almost as a consultant and demonstrate the value you would add to alleviate the firm’s concerns. Highlight your skills and knowledge in conjunction with the firm’s ethics and culture.

When thinking of ways to be creative, don’t neglect the traditional search methods and etiquette. Follow through, keep your promises, and continually edit and improve your resume. A great resume, a trimmed cover letter, and a broad network are always the best job hunting tools.

At first, the idea of your friend being your boss may sound great. You love spending time with friends, and maybe you’ll even be cut a little slack from time to time, right? Not quite. If you’re thinking that way, consider your friend’s promotion from another point of view.

Acknowledge that things are different. With long hours, shared goals, competition, and a team dynamic to consider, workplace relationships within the finance world can be complicated. Bosses face a lot of pressure to carry out objectives, stay organized, and keep clients happy. They also have a new set of human resources rules to keep track of and a much higher accountability level. Casually pretending that your friend is still just a friend will make both your jobs harder.

Be mindful of what you share. It might be fine to tell a friend that someone said something inappropriate to you at a recent convention party, but telling your boss changes the context completely. Your friend might laugh with you, but your boss might view it as a complaint that needs to be addressed. This is especially important in the finance world, where conflict of interest, legal issues, and client relationships are factors that can heavily impact a firm.

Keep your friendship and your boss relationship separate. Some people find it helpful to designate “friend time” versus “work time” and never cross the line. Talking work on the weekends will taint the friendship and bring too much work into both your personal lives, and discussing weekend plans at the office might make your boss seem partial to you over your peers.

Be happy for them. It’s natural to feel a little jealous of your friend’s promotion, but if you want to maintain your relationship, you’ll process through the jealously quickly and start being happy for them. Knowing they have your support will make your friend’s job much easier and will strengthen your relationship inside and outside the office.

Most of all, don’t slack off just because you’re buddies with the boss. They deserve the same work ethic you would demonstrate for anyone else. In any relationship, whether friendship, coworker, or employee/boss, respect is always the bottom line.

According to the International Association of Financial Engineers (IAFE), financial engineering is a diverse field that can draw on tools from applied mathematics, computer science, statistics, and economic theory. With such a broad range of tools to choose from, there is also a huge variety of careers and fields that financial engineers can work in.

Job titles can include financial engineer, financial consultant, quantitative analyst, financial modeling analyst, tech consultant, and quantitative research associate. Demand is high for candidates with knowledge of financial theory, methods, and mathematics.

Other jobs include financial software engineer, business analyst, collateral valuation and risk modeler, trade analyst, strategy manager, and capital manager. While jobs can be demanding and stakes are high, financial engineers also earn a great income. According to PayScale, they earn between $50k to over $130k per year.

But top jobs also require top education. Skilled financial engineers often have doctorates in computer science or math, although more and more are now opting for specialized master’s degrees such as Master of Financial Engineering or Master of Quantitative Finance.

While financial engineering is usually utilized in the securities and banking industries, it’s also used by qualitative analysts and consulting firms. Manufacturing and service firms, corporate treasuries, corporate finance, and risk management roles also employ financial engineers.