Page 12 - How To Get Rich

Some people give such great interviews that you’re ready to make
them vice presidents on the spot, until you realize that their true talent is
simply giving a great interview. That’s why, in a sense, every new hire is a
gamble.

Impressive credentials don’t always add up to a great performance or a
good fit. Nonexistent credentials don’t necessarily mean a no-talent. Being
circumspect helps a lot and keeps you from being surprised. People can
offer an interesting mix of pros and cons. Time will do the weeding out for
you. All you have to do is pay attention.
What I look for in employees is a sense of responsibility that goes
beyond what is merely sufficient. Some people do the bare minimum, and

some people will actually be concerned about the organization as a whole.
They see themselves as having a direct relationship to the success or
failure of the company they work for. They believe they are important, and
their work shows it. If you can instill this sense of worth in your
employees, you will have a tip-top team working for you. People who take
pride in their work are the kind you want to have around—and the kind I

like to keep around.
I especially like employees who spend—and, more important, save—
the company’s money as if it were their own. Companies suffer when
employees don’t make enough of an effort to control costs. The employees
who feel a personal responsibility for their budgets, who view the
company’s bottom line as an extension of their own personal savings
account, are often the ones who get the best results. If you let your boss

know that you’re watching out for his or her bottom line, you’ll always be
appreciated.
I respect employees who can think on their feet. So does George Ross,
my senior counsel. His assistant, Carole Berkowitz, was helping out at the
front desk one day when she received a call from a stranger who said she

was about to commit suicide. Carole deemed the call credible and took a
few moments to listen to the distressed woman.
Carole asked her where she was from, and the woman replied that she
lived in Southern California, not far from the beach. Carole responded,
You live in California? Near the beach? Do you know how cold it is in
New York today? It’s eight degrees outside! And that’s without the
windchill. I almost froze just getting to work. If I were you, I’d go out
right now, take a long walk on the beach, and sit in the sun for a while.