Success depends on a certain amount of luck, but smart people know not to leave success entirely up to chance. In the book Work Your Strengths, the authors identify discuss the 12 strengths that are essential to success. Do you have these skills?

Response inhibition–do you act first, think second? Do you have the ability to think *before* you act?

Working memory–are you good at emembering information? can you remember information while you are performing complex or detailed tasks?

Emotional control–do you or can you control counterproductive feelings such as anger, impatience?

Sustained attention–do you have the ability to focus on the immediate job? Oh look, a shiny thing (LOL)

Task initiation–do you sit and plan rather than just get started. When I was in my 20’s, I worked with a young woman who always said to our boss when asked if she had done a task, “Nooo, but, I’m just fixin to now.” In the words of Nike, Just Do It!

Planning and prioritizing–do you know what is important and what to do first?

Organization–do you have tools and resources available when you need them?

Time management–do you use time as efficiently as possible?

Goal-directed persistence—do you set goals and move steadily toward them?

Flexibility– do you have the ability to adapt to changing circumstances? Always have a back up plan.

Perspective—can you see the big picture and your role in that picture?

Stress tolerance—what is your stress tolerance? do you have the ability to deal with stress?

If you don’t have the about traits, I believe that some things can be learned. I had to learn emotion (Impatience) control. I was fortunate, I had a best friend to complain and b**ch to. However, instead of saying you poor thing, she told me, “Everyone is not like you.”

Check out the book Work Your Strengths: A Scientific Process to Identify Your Skills and Match Them to the Best Career for You.

How can you be sure you are hiring the right person for the job?

     I once had to select someone to work with me for a complicated and sensitive project. She was so good that my boss offered here a permanent job, stayed with us for 15 years. Nothing was ever said to me after the hire, but I was often asked to sit in on prospective employee interviews.

I share this list as an executive assistant. I found that my boss and I often had different ideas as to who would make a good employee. It’s not easy to determine whether a job candidate will fit into your company culture; however, there are some universal signs that indicate an applicant may not be right for your business. Here is the order of interview importance as I see it:

1. Improper dress.This may appear to be insignificant in the larger sense, but this tells me that the job applicant did not do his or her homework about the company or the job; or worse, did and chose to ignore the information.

2. Criticizes former bosses, co-workers, or competitors. Not only is this behavior in poor taste, it also shows that the candidate doesn’t take responsibility for creating positive relationships.

3. Focuses on the next job.Interest in career development is fine, but watch out for candidates who ignore the realities of the job you’re actually trying to fill right now. Employees who are constantly looking to move up may put their energy into pursuing a promotion instead of handling their current job.

4. Displays excessive interest in job perks.Vacation time, sick time, and other perks are important issues, but they shouldn’t be the first and only issues a candidate asks about.

5. Takes credit for team efforts.Candidates who do not share the credit for business accomplishments are less likely to be team players.

Those who remember Johnny Carson know that he loved odd one line jokes, he would have made a great court jester.
  I wonder what he could do with one liners about the bad economy?  Here are a few, all of the one liners start with “The economy is so bad that…”

. The economy is so bad that . . .

• I got a pre-declined for a credit card.

• I ordered a burger at a fast-food joint and the kid behind the counter asked, “Can you afford fries with that?”

• CEOs are now playing miniature golf.

• My ATM gave me an IOU.

• A picture is now worth only 200 words.

• I bought a toaster oven, and my free gift with purchase was a bank.

• The Treasure Island Casino in Las Vegas is now managed by We R Pirates, Inc.