Have you ever prepared for an interview using an ”interview how to book”? Then you did everything by the book and walked out of the interview knowing in the root of your soul that you aced every question. Yet, you still did not get an offer!!!

If it is any comfort you are not alone- but who needs comfort when you have to eat, right!

The reason you did not get the offer is that you failed to understand the most powerful law of human motivation-we like people who are like ourselves and that goes for the hiring process –the decision maker a.k.a. “The boss” likes people who are the same as her that is who have the same “Hiring-Archetype”. There are only 4 hiring-archetypes. Once you establish which archetype you need to influence during the interview, it all becomes real simple-to deliver your secret weapon.

Sales–Archetype – You need to be a seller

How to identify- look for them to be confident, candid, direct, high-energy, closers

This type of hiring manager is a survivor, a fast talker, fast thinker, someone who is hard to nail down. She has not spent much time thinking about the “real candidate” vs. “ideal candidate”. This is the take charge type who wants someone who is sharp and has a “proven track record” and she controls the whole hiring process.

She knows it when she sees it. If you think quickly on your feet, you are polished and look and dress the part, as well as have the right answers- she might even hire you on the spot. She will rewrite the job description. This is the type you can influence the easiest as long as you have rehearsed your lines and can deliver like an actor.

What to do in the interview- be polished, spit shined, answer quickly and sharply and to the point- make sure to let your interviewer dominate the interview. It is OK for you to point out that you are a bit of a rebel, you can break the rules in order to get the job done and you can work independently.

Service-archetype- You need to be a server

How to identify- these are the friendly talkers-they can not shut up, they may even
have cookies or candies on their desk

This archetype is the structured and the rules type, since customers are their number one priority they want to make sure they hire employees that can follow the rules and balance the rules without giving away too much to the customers. No matter what type of industry insurance, telephone, and cable you name it, these archetypes track and control employees with computers. Everything is measured and quantified.

No decision is made independently here- everything is done by committee.

This is where the resume is the most important part of the whole process. If the resume is customised to the job description then the pre-screening is done ahead of time-the interview is just a formality. In most cases the references are done before the interview.

You have to patient, nice and service-oriented and play by the interviewing rules and you will get the job.

What to do in the interview-Be friendly and communicative. Make sure not to get caught up in a chit chat- you need to take control of the interview so you can actually talk since the interviewer tends to talk too much and use up all the time. Make sure you make your answers precise so they actually register with the interviewer,. When they are focused they will key on the resume for most of their questions so make sure you know your resume.

Creativity archetype-you need to be a creator

How to identify this type-they are artsy, and usually disorganized or a bit crazedthings are usually unstructured and or unpredictable. They usually don’t like to talk too much- they want to get back to creating.

These are people that are artistically driven and/or designers or inventors like in the advertising industry, fashion or even the high-tech industry. They hire randomly andunpredictably from many different industries. The industry is not as important as the projects the person has done.

A resume does not mean much here nor does an interview unless you bring along patents, a portfolio, or mock-ups etc… these are “the resumes” that get you hired in an interview.

What to do in the interview–It is harder to get hired here because if you are this type you are usually unruly, you do not fit well with the corporate culture, you tend to beat to your own drum and your HR interview is like having your teeth drilled without any anaesthetic. So with your potential boss you must show your creative abilities and with HR you must show that you are reformed and a good rule follower and you are looking for a long term opportunity- you must force yourself to be communicative remember HR is a service archetype.

Scientific archetype-you need to be scientists

How to identify this type-controlled, cautious, rule oriented, planner who has an orientation towards accuracy with a compulsion to try and reduce risk.

This is the type that has a system or a test. The process is always the longest it goes through checks and double checks and then a probability of candidate success is tabulated. If you score +/- 5% within normal range then it goes back to the hiring committee for verification of the numbers. Then and only then do they make an offer. Usually they make you an offer at a lesser level telling you that once you prove yourself they will promote you. Even after your hired they are still not sure if they made the right decision since there is always a possibility that their calculations were wrong.

The trick here is to crack the test. What is most important to them? What are they keying on? Once you know the test and the personalities involved you are on your way to an offer.

What to do in an interview- make sure you have the numbers and the facts straight. Cowboys are not welcome, tread carefully and cautiously make sure you pay attention to details. One wrong answer puts you out. Instead of guessing say with confidence ”In this case, I would do as I normally do, that is go and find out or figure out the RIGHT answer before I proceeded. And then for good measure I would re-check it or have it checked for accuracy. (They will really like the double checking it part).

Your secret weapon
Know your archetype and deliver accordingly- like attracts like

Does this ever happen to you, you are all gung ho, you have read the latest on making marketing calls and selling yourself to decision makers directly by telephone. You have your list of 10 targets to call and after 5 calls all you have hit is voice mail. You remember the instruction you read “do not leave a message, call back instead” so you plod on. After 10 calls, still no humanoid, so you throw in the towel and go back to clicking and sending your resume. STOP! Hold on to the towel you will need it for wiping off the champagne bottles.
Come on, I know you are dying to leave a message but what type of message should you leave?

Try these out:
The pre-emptive strike! (One of my favs)
This one works because you are anticipating the major objection the decision maker, you are calling, will have… and that objection my friend is skepticism. Bill, this is John Doe calling and I am calling to find out if you can use a top notch professional on your team. And believe me …I know you are probably getting a pile of calls like this every day from desperate people looking for work. Saying the same thing, over and over.
Bill, I want you to know that I am really different and my skills and ability to grasp problems and eliminate problems and make positive contributions have been proven year after year.
Could you please return my call so we can discuss how I can help you?

The rapport builder
This one is great at building rapport with your target. The approach is to leave a query message and to keep in mind less is more –you are simply playing to their curiosity so that they call you back.
Bill,…Do you ever look for senior engineers for your team? I have an interesting proposition to discuss with you. Please call me at ……

How to know when to make a follow-up call and how many total messages to leave.
I am frequently asked “How many messages should I leave and when should I follow-up?”
Use the 4/3 rule. Leave up to 4 messages 3 days apart and leave the same message 3 times; the 4th message- you put a twist on it. The 3 day pause leaves enough time for the person to respond and also spreads it out enough that you are not viewed as a stalker. By using the 3 day spread it is still close enough that you are remembered. When you get to the 4th call it’s been 12 days and by now the person thinks of you as a friend (OK you hope)-it does work.

The last message put a twist on it, like this:
Bill, its John Doe calling. This is important. I have tried reaching you but we have not connected yet. If the day time is not the right time to have a discussion, can you leave me a message with a time and date when I can reach you and I will make sure to make that call. Thank you, Bill. Here is my number again…