Hiring Hands: Choosing Good Employees:

Many human resources people depend on a variety of tests to choose the right employees for their company. These tests may measure skills, such as math or typing, or they may be psychological and creativity tests. If you work in human resources, or if you are in a position to be hiring employees, you might also want to use some of the concepts behind palmistry to get a better idea of a candidate's mental and psychological fitness for the job.

While interviewing job candidates, look especially at the shape of the hand, the length and shape of the fingers, and evaluate how firm the handshake is; these are all good indicators of general character and can give you a quick read of a person without the necessity of reading each line on their hands.

Getting into Specifics:

Certain professions and professional categories are marked by very specific indications on the hand:

• The teacher's square: A small square on the Jupiter mount that demonstrates your ability to teach, lecture, or instruct. This is a good sign that your should look to a teaching profession, if not in a school or college, perhaps as a tutor, giver of business or other seminars, football coach, or crafts instructor.
• The line of Mars: A sign of courage, the line of Mars is found on the thumb side of the palm between the heart and head lines. Because of what it represents, this is a line that indicates you would have success as a police officer, soldier, fire fighter, or in some other protective position that requires bravery and a sense of service and duty.
• The ladder of success: If you have many lines that run parallel to the fate line near its top, you will get to the top of your professional career — whatever it may be — through hard work and your own efforts.
• The ring of Solomon: An arch-shaped line that goes through the Jupiter mount, this ring indicates that you have a propensity toward metaphysical or psychic ability (especially if your hands are marked by the lines of intuition, which begin on the Luna mount and swerve upward to the mount of Mercury), or that you are interested in people and have deep insights about their motivations and desires. In this case, therapy or psychology are good career options for you. Often, those with a ring of Solomon have good leadership skills and excel at managing other people by appealing to their nature.
• The medical stigmata: A series of at least three tiny vertical lines above the heart line on the Mercury mount, where the Mercury (health) line ends. This marking indicates that you have an interest in the healing professions, and you might want to explore life as a physician, medical technician, nurse, or massage therapist.

A Finger in Every Pie:

Once you've had a chance to see what your mounts have to tell you about your life's work, switch your attention to your fingers. They can tell you a lot about yourself, such as how you carry out your duties and use your talents.

Check Your Jupiter Finger

The Jupiter finger is the prime indicator of success in business. Pay careful attention to both the Jupiter finger and its corresponding mount. Having a straight Jupiter finger shows you are sensible and honest. If it leans outward, you are a financial risk-taker and an adventurer, as well as ambitious. If it leans inward, you are more careful and may even lack confidence in your own ability. The closer the Jupiter finger is to your Saturn finger, the more cautious you are with money. And if your Jupiter finger is longer than the Apollo finger, you are a dominant person and would always seek to do better professionally and promote yourself.

What does it mean if I have differently shaped fingertips on the fingers of one hand?
If you have differently shaped fingertips, your quest for job satisfaction depends on which finger has what kind of shape. The combination of fingertip and finger will give you information specific to that area of life.

Long middle sections of the finger, the phalanges, show that you have good financial and managerial abilities. If the bottom part of your Jupiter finger has vertical lines, it means you are very organized, but if that is overscored by horizontal lines to form a grille, you can be manipulative in the office environment and like to play politics there.

Measuring Up

Let's go on to see what else your fingers and fingertips can tell about you and career choices. If you have longer fingers, you should choose detail and precision work where speed is not a factor but accurate analysis is. If you have shorter fingers, it is just the opposite — you are a quick thinker, intuitive rather than analytical, and you see the big picture rather than the small details. You are goal-oriented rather than process-oriented.

If you have a long Mercury finger, you should look for a job in communications, such as a writer, broadcaster, public relations person, or clergyperson.

At Your Fingertips

Your fingertips can tell a lot about the kind of person you are and how you should work:

• Square: In general, those with squared fingertips are organized, thorough, and goal-oriented. Secretaries, clerks, and many businesspeople fall into this category.
• Spatulate: Those with spatulate fingertips love action and getting things done right away. Many of these people are successful business owners and athletes.
• Pointed: Those with pointed fingertips are imaginative and aesthetically oriented, and they have a great sense of idealism.
• Rounded: Those with rounded fingertips are indeed well rounded. They can be successful in many different professions and need to look for further guidance in other areas of the hand.

Fingerprinting for Success

Your fingerprints, too, will give you clues as to the right career choice to make. Of course, these remain unchanged by time, but they do give you an idea of what is in your genes that cannot be changed and must be dealt with when it comes to your life work. Take a look at your fingerprints. Do you see any of the following?

• Arches: People with fingerprints that are mostly arches are practical and down to earth; they like to work with their hands, whether it be as a surgeon, a mechanic, or a potter.
• Whorls: If your fingerprints contain whorls, you are likely to want to specialize in one particular topic and to become renowned for it. You like to work alone so that you can control the work environment and focus on the project at hand, and you tend to be temperamental and innovative.
• Loops: Those with fingerprint loops love teamwork and can adapt to many situations. They like the stimulation of changing surroundings and having a lot going on, and they can be either serious or fun-loving, depending on the type of loop displayed on their fingertips.
• Composite patterns: Those with composite fingerprints are good at seeing all points of view, and this makes them good at being arbitrators and jurists.

In any profession, people who have a large mount of Venus will bring a great deal of dedication to the job and sincere concern to those persons with whom the job brings them into contact, outshining any other reward the job may bring.

You can also look at the joints of your fingers to learn more about the attributes you have that will make you valuable in a particular job. If you have knotty joints, you tend to look at things logically and love to do research and solve problems. Think about science, law, or any other rational professional as a career. If you have smooth joints, you use your intuition to make quick assessments, and you like to work with others and to create new projects and ideas of your own rather than studying those of the past.

Mounting a Career Choice:

 The mounts of the hand are a second way to see what life work you are best suited for. The mounts show where your energies and talents are stored, and the higher the mount, the more likely you are to have talents in a particular area. A wider mount means that while you do have talent in that area, you are not directing that talent appropriately but squandering it.

The Jupiter Mount

The Jupiter mount is the place to find leadership potential and a sense of justice and authority, so look here if you have plans for a judgeship or want to be a business executive. CEOs typically have square “practical” hands and a large Jupiter mount. An enlarged Jupiter mount also gives a sense of independence and outgoingness, or a “going-against-the-grain” attitude, so many entrepreneurs are square-handed with enlarged Jupiter mounts.

The Saturn Mount

Healing hands often feature medical stigmata and a Solomon ring

The Saturn mount is the repository of wisdom and responsibility. If you have strength in this mount, you will have good research skills and partake in solitary occupations with a more serious purpose, such as a scientist, librarian, cleric, or philosopher. Craftspeople and engineers are also found in this realm. Doctors often have a strong Saturn mount coupled with medical stigmata and a ring of Solomon — which represents wisdom in making good choices for their patients.

The Apollo Mount

The Apollo mount shows creativity, flair, and an aesthetic sense that would lead you to a career in the arts (either fine or applied), or one where you would enjoy public contact, such as advertising or public relations. Other public communicators such as lecturers and receptionists have this mount featured as well. It is interesting to note that most professional writers have deep head lines, along with creative markings on the girdle of Venus and long, thin, and open fingers.

Stars correctly placed show financial success. On the Jupiter mount, they mean success in life recognized by financial gain. On the Apollo mount, a star means the possessor has some great creative talent that will bring fame as well as fortune. And a star on the Apollo line means that the financial gain will be a result of luck, such as winning a contest.

Mount of Mercury

Mercury is the sign of the communicator and businessperson, so if you have a prominent Mercury mount, you are in good company with teachers, journalists, broadcasters, bankers, salespeople, and lawyers — all of those who must interact well with others. Healthcare workers may also have a prominent Mercury mount.

Luna and Venus

The Luna mount is larger on the hands of those who have a vivid imagination, high sensitivity, and lots of empathy, which are traits favored in many different careers — social work, teaching, health care, art, writing, or music. Look to see if you have travel lines or a life line with a branch toward the Luna mount. If such is the case, being a travel guide or flight attendant would be a good career for you.
Those who have a larger-than-average mount of Venus tend to be very excited about and dedicated to their career. If you have a large Venus mount, choose a profession that requires your completed involvement and dedication.

The Mounts of Mars

If you have a large Lower Mars mount (the mount between the thumb and the mount of Jupiter), you are a person with a great deal of assertiveness and who demonstrates integrity. Becoming an accountant or banker would be good options for you.
If you have a large Upper Mars mount (located under the mount of Mercury), you have courage and fortitude and should consider a job that includes physical competitiveness — you would make a good soldier, athlete, or policeman. Other professions that require physical accomplishments would be well suited as well. These include construction work, farming, and forestry.

The Shape of Prosperity:

The shape of your hands, along with the lines on it, can tell you a lot about how you regard money — both how you make it and how you deal with it after you get it. The primary indicator of your relationship with money can be seen in the shape of your hand.

A line rising from the mount of Venus to the Saturn mount shows wealth gained through your own hard work. A line rising from the mount of Venus to the mount of Jupiter is a sign of financial success, especially when it ends in a star. If you have a line from the mount of Venus to the Apollo mount, look for a lottery win or other cash explosion.

• Air-handed: These people are savvy about money and how to get it. They have a taste for commerce and a good business sense, are in the know about stocks and bonds, and take care to make the most of their investments.
• Earth-handed: These people are careful with money and like to save it methodically in order to be ready for any emergencies. The money that they make is generally earned through hard work.
• Fire-handed: These people generally do have enough money, but may be short of cash at various times. Their money comes from a surprising variety of places and in differing amounts, too often through speculation and other risky ventures.
• Water-handed: These people rarely think about money and prefer to spend time on creative pursuits rather than entering the commercial arena. Luckily for those who have talent, they will find that their artistic powers may bring them unlooked-for wealth regardless.

The Right Job for You

In addition to finding clues as to how you earn and retain your money, your hand shape can help you figure out what type of a job or career is right for you.

• Earth-handed: These people are skilled with their hands and like to work outdoors at a slow but steady pace. They are practical and like to see the outcome of their work and know what to expect each day, so they like to stay with one job. Farmers, loggers, and mechanics are generally earth-handed.
• Air-handed: These people like jobs where they have the opportunity to communicate, either in traditional roles such as teaching, law, writing, and politics, or in electronic communications and computer work. They are good administrators and are well organized, and they respect rules and are very reliable. They like to look at connections and relationships, so this group includes engineers and accountants as well.
• Fire-handed: These are leaders who like to be in control, and who do well under stress and when challenged. The fire-handed are extroverted, and they like adventure and innovation, so they also excel in the performing arts or safety forces. Business executives and entrepreneurs are also found in this category.
• Water-handed: Creative, with innate taste and talent, these people may become sculptors, graphic designers, models, or hairdressers. Because they are usually thoughtful, sensitive to others, and studious, they may also use their talents in the healthcare professions such as nursing, therapy, or library work.

Finding Your Life's Work:

Next, it's time to look at your head line, which can help you with ideas for a career that's right for you. Because it shows your intellectual and mental ability, and how you think, it can give a good idea of the skills you bring to any business undertaking.
There are two kinds of head lines, and each reveals a different personality and skill set. A curved head line shows creativity of thought, and if you have one it means you should look for work in the arts and humanities, perhaps in the media, advertising, or design. It also indicates sensitivity to others. A straight head line, on the other hand, denotes a logical mind of an analytical person who should pursue science, accounting, or engineering. His or her skills will be in working with figures rather than people.
If you have a very long head line, it means you have the ability to focus on your work, indicating you would like a career in pure scientific research or academics, while if you have a shorter head line, you might pursue interests on the practical, hands-on side of life.
Next, take a look at your fate line, which is also known as the career line, along with the Apollo line, which follows it and which deals with overall career success and retirement. The fate line depicts the course of your career and financial life, notes your achievements and losses, and records job changes. It provides a time line to follow so that you can chart your professional and material progress, and it shows financial joys and woes, business setbacks and victories, and so on.

Career Satisfaction

Because the fate line shows your overall career satisfaction and how you've fulfilled your life's work, it becomes deeper and stronger the more you feel satisfied with your career. A weak fate line shows that you have not fulfilled your ambitions; a wavy line means you have wavered in your dedication and spread your energies too thin.
If you have no fate line at all, but the rest of your hand is a powerful and positive one, it may mean that you live a life of adventure and nonconformity. You may have had many different jobs, but your overall life is one of substance, if not stability. However, if the line is missing from a hand characterized by broken lines and with little of a positive nature to note, the adventure and nonconformity shown by the lacking fate line may indicate a life of crime and dissipation.

Signs of Indecision

The presence of two fate lines can mean you have two careers, or perhaps one career and one strong cause or pastime that is like a career to you. Having many weak lines in this area means that you have not yet determined your life work and are instead pursuing a wide variety of unfulfilling jobs.

A line rising from the mount of Venus to the Saturn mount shows wealth gained through your own hard work. A line rising from the mount of Venus to the mount of Jupiter is a sign of financial success and especially when it ends in a star. If you have a line from the mount of Venus to the Apollo mount, look for a lottery win or another means of coming into money quickly.

The later your fate line begins at the base of the palm, the later you will decide what your work will be. If the fate line is conjoined with the life line at its beginning, it may be hard for you to set yourself up in your chosen career; if your fate line actually begins inside your life line, it means that you have made an incomplete break from your parents and that their influence is holding you back from beginning your public life.
If your fate line originates in the mount of Luna — the area of imagination and sensory input — it may meander a great deal, meaning that you will have several jobs or careers.
 

Changing Directions

If the fate line changes direction, a change in career situation — if not an entirely new career — may be in store for you. This may mean a promotion or move to a new city for the same employer. A branch from the fate line that goes up adds strength to your career path at that point, and one that goes down represents a setback. Notice where the branch goes to find out more about the kind of influence to expect.
Breaks on your fate line represent changes of direction or transitions in a career. If there is a complete break, you will suffer a change in your financial situation that was inflicted from outside, such as a stock market crash or job layoff. An overlapping break means that you made the decision to make the change at that point in your life, perhaps by choosing a new career. The wider the distance between the breaks, the greater the change. A parallel line next to a break means that you will find the ability to minimize the results of that break through some outside means.

Not all breaks are bad ones. Sometimes changes or transitions can be for the good — you could have been traveling down a path that would have brought you much unhappiness.

Overcoming Obstacles

A cross bar on your fate line represents an obstacle to happiness in your career, such as a difference of opinion at work or a financial worry. Fortunately, such obstacles can be overcome with extra effort. An island on your fate line signals a longer-lasting obstacle that will demand that you find additional patience or else a creative new way around it to overcome the problem.

At the End of the Line

Where your fate line ends is indicative as well of your career's success:

• If your fate line ends at your head line, you may have a crisis in your mid-adult years when you are reassessing your life. At this point, you may be led astray from your intended career path.
• If your fate line continues to your heart line, your career will take its usual route and end in a normal retirement. (A long, straight heart line shows that the owner of the hand is willing to work hard in his or her chosen career.)
• If your fate line continues into the mount of Saturn, you will have an active retirement or perhaps even a second career.
• If your fate line ends in the mount of Jupiter, your career has much to do with your leadership skills or has resulted in high status.
• If your fate line ends between the mounts of Saturn and Apollo, your career involves creativity and will result in fame or financial reward.
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The Apollo line is a good indicator of success. If it is strong, you are happy at work and feel rewarded for it. Having many Apollo lines means you are a flexible person and possess many talents. You may change jobs frequently due to boredom.

Similarities and Differences:

Similarities and Differences tries to free your thoughts from their usual tracks by deliberately introducing the unusual and strange. Therefore if you think that the technique sounds weird and you feel strange doing it - its working.

The process

Start by deciding on your problem as an object, rather than an action. Then decide on another object. This can be anything, but things of an organic nature often work best. Write down all the similarities you can think of between your problem object and the comparison object. This can be as simple as they are both white, and can include actions they perform or abstract characteristics they have.
Once you have run out of similarities, start on a list of differences. These should refer to actual characteristics of one object or the other and is likely to result in a much longer list.
Once you have a completed list you can group similar elements together. It is then a case of first looking at the similarities and determining if the functionality completely overlaps, or if the missing elements might add to your original problem object.
You can then move on to the differences and determining whether the way that a function or characteristic is exhibited by the two objects can be used to provide new ideas for your problem object.

An Example

Perhaps your problem object is an IR (Infra Red) sensor, and your comparison object is the human eye. These have obvious similarities (optical system, image forming, delicate, etc.) which suggest that the two are closely related. From the similarities the question comes as to the moving of the human eye vs the fixed nature of some IR sensor.
From the differences other questions arise. The human eye has variable resolution across its field of vision, the IR sensor may not. The human eye constantly maintains small movements which can be used to enhance apparent resolution (literally taking another look), but vibration may be seen as a fault in an IR sensor. The human eye usually comes in pairs, but the IR sensor is usually singular?

Conclusion

Taking these finding together gives the innovator the opportunity to think outside their usual understanding and potentially find new ideas for further investigation