Ever wonder what the hiring managers who arescreening your resume, interviewing you, and—maybe—making you an offer are really thinking throughout the hiring process? Here are 10 secrets that most hiring managers share:

1. Most interviewers aren't very good at interviewing. You might be going into interviews assuming that your interviewers know what they're doing, but in fact, many interviewers are inexperienced, unskilled, unprepared, or otherwise unable to conduct effective interviews. Some of them are even nervous. Most interviewers don't get good training on how to interview well, and a lot of them are winging it.
2. We want you to talk about salary first for exactly the reason you fear. Salary conversations are frustrating and nerve-wracking for job-seekers because they risk low-balling themselves by naming a number first. And that's exactly why employers push candidates to throw out a number first. In an ideal world, employers would simply let you know the range they plan to pay, but in reality, plenty of them take advantage of the power disparity by making candidates talk money first.
3. We're being really friendly because we want you to let your guard down. Good interviewers will do everything they can to put candidates at ease—partly to be nice, of course, but also because they want candidates to let their guard down. Not only do we want to know what you're really like (as opposed to your formal "interview face"), but we also know that you're more likely to reveal something unflattering if you feel comfortable.

4. Fit really, really matters. You could have all the qualifications an employer is looking for, but if they decide that you wouldn't mesh well with the manager, team, or office culture, you're probably not getting the job. Employers aren't just looking for specific skill sets; they're also looking for people who will thrive in their specific environment.
5. Saying you can start...