Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to crawl inside the head of the recruiter sitting on the other side of the desk to find out IF he or she is actually considering you for employment? It can be difficult to read the poker faces of recruiters. They tend to be somewhat hard to gauge because they deal with so many people all the time.

But what if you could tell why someone might or might not hire you? Here, we spill the beans on why an employer may offer you the job, or not.

Employers hire people for their personality and knowledge, most of the time.

It’s not about college degrees, who you know, or what your favorite color is. When an employer is serious about hiring you, it’s because you’ve allowed your personality to shine through and you’ve demonstrated your knowledge about the industry and the job requirements at hand.

Employers hire people that will fit in well with the existing team.

Very often, a recruiter is given a description of the kind of person the company is looking for and the recruiter has to work very hard to find this person. This is to ensure that the new hire fits in well with the team and can quickly integrate into the company culture.

Employers are looking for the best deal for their investment.

When interviewing for a job, make an effort to indicate how your skills and knowledge and connections can benefit the company in some way. Think about the bottom line of the business – efficiency, self-management, leadership skills, ability to build rapport with customers, etc. — all relate to the needs of the company.

Employers will hire someone who wants a higher salary.

Don’t be shy when talking salary with a potential employer. In fact, to demonstrate your worth even more, ask for a salary at least 10 percent more than what you are making now. Go in cheap and you look desperate. But, be ready to talk about why you are worth more.

Employers like to hire via staffing agencies when they can.

Many companies have downsized their recruitment teams and have turned to staffing agencies to handle the details of sourcing and screening candidates. Be sure to register with local staffing agencies as there will be more jobs posted here than online.