How to Guess Someone's Job With 99.999% Accuracy

In many readings, and especially ones for entertainment, clients (read: wise-asses) will often ask if you can "guess" what they do for a living. "Okay Mister Mind Reader, if you're such a psychic, what's my job?"

How would you answer, not knowing this person AND with hundreds of thousands of job descriptions out there?

The best answer you can give is that the person "fixes or repairs something". This line is great in that the vast majority of jobs do actually "fix or repair something." "I'm getting the impression that you are involved with fixing or repairing..."

Think about it. Aside from the obvious jobs like mechanic or dentist. How about a sales person? He or she repairs a company's bottom line. Teachers? They fix a student's' ablility to learn. Taxi drivers? Apart from doing minor repairs to their cabs, they have routes "fixed" in their minds. A receptionist? Maybe he or she doesn't repair or fix anything per se, but there's a good chance their company might.

I'd say almost any job or career can be reframed as one that fixes problems or repairs something.

To get some practice with this, go over your job. . .and the jobs of family members, friends, and neighbours. How do their jobs fix or repair something?

(I got this idea from cold reader Herb Dewey, although he preferred to use the word "rehabilitate.")

Proof You Are Good

When I was in India, I saw this technique used a lot by the wandering psychic readers (and ear cleaners) who frequented the tourist haunts. They would carry a notebook around with them, and after they gave a reading, they'd have the customer write a few lines telling how great the reader was.

Of course, when the reader approached people, he'd show them his testimonial book. That would hook them in, they'd get a reading. The reader would get his fee and another testimonial.

If you are giving readings at events like psychic fairs or restaurants, you might want to start doing the same. After you've given the reading, ask your clients for a testimonial in writing and signed.

Then, once you have enough testimonials, you can have your book prominently displayed proving to prospective clients that you're the real deal.

Quick Cold Reading Tip: Easy Way to Avoid Misses

Here's an important tip to keep in mind, especially if you are just starting out in this field. When giving character readings, try to use conditional statements (can, could, somewhat, etc.) rather than universal quantifiers (always, never, etc.) in your readings. Also be careful of using implied universal quantifiers.

Check out the differences here:

• "You tend to be stubborn." Or, "You can be stubborn (at times)."

to this

• "You are stubborn." Or, "You're never stubborn." (Notice the first statement implies a universal statement.)

It's harder to disagree with the first statements, the ones that are conditional. Therefore, it's harder to miss with these kind of statements.

Here are a bunch of conditional words and phrases you can immediately add to your repertoire:

You tend to..., Now and then you...., Frequently you..., At times...., If you wanted to, you could..., You have a tendency to... Occasionally..., There have been times....

That should be enough to get you started since you have a tendency to catch on quickly.

Psychic Impressions

One of the things you're going to love about this next cold reading language pattern is how effective it is.

It allows you to make statements that can be complete misses and yet will fly right by your client, often encouraging them to add the missing information.

This language pattern and its variations are part of every good psychic's repertoire.

• There's • I get • I'm getting • I'm picking up

an indication... an impression... a sense of...

You can mix and match the above since, for our purposes, they pretty much mean the same thing.

Here's an example:

READER: Looking at the cards, I'm getting an impression of a health concern.
CLIENT: Who? Me? I'm fine. (BLASTED! A MISS)
READER: Yes, that's right. And there's an indication of a health concern with an older member of your family.
CLIENT: Really? My parents are healthy.
READER: But I'm getting an impression of someone older than your parents.
CLIENT: Well, my grandparents have all passed away. Oh, wait, you know, my Uncle Jim had a heart attack two years ago.
READER: I thought so. The cards don't lie.
CLIENT: Wow.

What you tag on at the end is up to you: feelings, events, etc. Since what you're "seeing" isn't very clear and the language you're using suggests that, the client will fill in to help you out.

I'm getting an impression that in the days and weeks ahead, you'll find yourself using this pattern and others with ease and elegance.

(Photo by Stig Nygaard)

Your Cold Reading Persona

How would it feel if you had a quick way to master cold reading? Although it is a skill that does take some practice, there are shortcuts to learning and one of these shortcuts is taking on a psychic's persona.

If you are giving readings to your friends or family, this isn't so important. If you want to pick up a cutie at a pub or do readings with strangers just for fun, you're going to have to at least say that you studied palmistry, astrology, or whatever divination technique, in order to be taken somewhat seriously.

But if you want to give psychic readings for money, you are going to have to develop a persona.

A persona is the combination of characteristics an actor takes on in order to become their chosen role.

What kind of persona? Well, as a psychic reader, how would you like to appear to others? Mysterious? Funny? Gentle? Therapeutic? Wise?

If you can't decide what persona, figure out which performers appeal to you. How about an actor or actress playing a role in a film?

Bear in mind, that your persona doesn't have to be an exact replica of someone famous. It can also be a composite of alluring traits.

Make a list of all the qualities, traits, characteristics, and behaviours you want to have in your persona. Just realizing consciously how you want to appear to others while you're cold reading can help. To take it a step further, however, think of the benefits of each quality, think of why each quality is important.

For example, if I have "speaking in a low voice" on my list of what I want to do during a reading, I might put this: "speaking in a low voice might make people more intrigued with what I say, will draw people physically closer to me as I speak, and develop deeper rapport."

Of course, you'll have your own reasons.

Be aware that this can be subtle. You don't really have to do a 180º in your personality if you don't want to. Remember, you are becoming an actor just doing a role.

By stepping into your cold reading persona and really getting into the tradecraft cold reading, you will be able to give far more convincing readings than if you were just your average joe-shmoe.

I wonder if you've already started to notice how you are subconsciously taking on the persona of a mesmerizing cold reader.