The Subtle Art of Priming Executive Interviewers to Sing Your Praises

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The Subtle Art of Priming Executive Interviewers to Sing Your Praises

Jacob here.

Ready to dive into some next-level executive interview jujitsu?

Today, we talk about how to turn your interviewers into your personal hype squad without them even realizing it.

Before you start clutching your pearls and crying "manipulation," let me be clear: this isn't about being fake or dishonest.

It's about strategically presenting yourself in a way that makes it easy – even irresistible – for interviewers to champion your cause.

From now on, I don't want you only to be a master of executive interview preparation.

No — you must go further to win in a highly competitive market like ours.

You must use advanced interviewing and behavioral psychology techniques to subtly train your interviewers to become advocates—and take an unfair advantage over your competition.

Here's the deal: most candidates passively answer questions and hope for the best.

But you?

You will actively shape the narrative and plant the seeds for your interviewers to become your biggest fans.

Here's how:

• The Power of Suggestion: Drop hints about your strengths to make the interviewer feel like they discovered them.

"You know, you reminded me that in my last role, my team often said I was ruthlessly optimistic. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I suspect that's a trait you are looking for in this turnaround role?"

• The Inception Technique: Plant ideas that the interviewer will later think were their own.

"You've got me excited about the potential to innovate in this role. What kind of new thinking has been successful prior—and if you were in my shoes, where do you think we should start?"

• The Reverse Interview: Ask questions that subtly highlight your strengths.

"Typically, investors like yourself reach out to me because I've built revenue from inception to $150m a few times — Is that why you're reaching out to me today? What excites you about my background?"

• The Strategic Vulnerability: Share a carefully chosen "weakness" that can unlock new information throughout the interview to give you an advantage.

"Thank you for bearing with me. I'm naturally curious, and I ask a lot of questions. If it's too much, please stop me. Can you explain the product to me like I'm a child?"

• The Future Projection: Paint a vivid picture of what you could achieve in the role. I've also referred to this as "Selling the Vacation."

"Fast forward six months. You and I have improved our processes, hit revenue targets, and are now pushing our targets forward. What do you anticipate our goals to look like in a few quarters? What do the investors care about most? How do we make sure all of our board meetings only have happy surprises?"

• The Forced Strong Feedback: Get the feedback that you want to hear by suggesting that everything went very well—not by waiting to see where you stand.

"It sounds like we got through most of the agenda today and we're both excited—and we have plenty more to discuss with Carol, Susan, and Ranjit. Is there anything that I should have asked that I didn't? Knowing what you know about me today, do you have any hesitation moving me forward?

• Building Team Rapport and Advocacy: Turn your interviewers into your biggest advocates and use them to coach you throughout the interview process.

"Thank you for walking me through the team and the game plan moving forward. It sounds like I have your support. I appreciate you being an advocate for me. Since you know everyone so well, how can I best prepare to speak with Carol? What does she care most about? What should I avoid?"

The key here is subtlety. You're not trying to browbeat anyone into submission. You're artfully guiding them to see your value on their terms—and asking them to guide you successfully through the entire process.

Remember, your goal isn't just to answer questions correctly.

It's to leave your interviewers thinking, "Holy shit, we need to hire this person before someone else snatches them up."

So go forth and practice your psychological armbars. Just don't be surprised when your interviewers start finishing your sentences and nodding enthusiastically at everything you say.

Stay subtle, my friends.

See you next week.

PS. If you know someone who might benefit from these advanced interview techniques, forward them the newsletter. They'll be glad you did!