One televised game that is soaring in popularity is poker — specifically hold ’em, in which each player is dealt two cards, then five other cards are gradually dealt face up for everyone to share. Watch and you’ll get some career lessons, even if you don’t know a royal flush from a hot flash.



Here are four things to deal with (read ’em and don’t weep):
— Consider what competition is best. Players who start with two great cards, such as a pair of aces, usually raise the stakes. They don’t want seven or eight people in the pot because there is too much of a chance that someone will get lucky. The raise narrows the field.



But someone with a 9 and 10 of diamonds would want a multi-player pot, hoping to get lucky and squeeze money out of several players.



In job hunting, great networking narrows the field. Instead of being one of 500 anonymous candidates, you’re one of the first to get called.

On the other hand, if you don’t have a great network or stellar resume, an open house or job fair might be best. You can impress people face to face, and might get lucky.



— Don’t raise the stakes unless you know what you’re doing. You can subtly overstate your skills and bluff your way into a good assignment, or bluff your way out of getting blamed for a mistake. But if you lie on a resume, you risk getting fired. It isn’t worth it.



— Over the long term, skill beats luck. Great poker players might lose to a lucky opponent, but they succeed over the long term. Careers have bad breaks, too, from getting laid off to being passed over for a promotion. But eventually talent triumphs.



— The most important skill is reading people. Without that, you’ll have trouble succeeding in any job.