Put Your Hand Out

Blog, it's been awhile but I've been reading and thinking about this economic mess and its impact on career and business opportunities and how to increase one's options. How tempting it would be to throw in the towel while the alternative of pushing ahead and remaining warily optimistic seems so much more appealing to my sunny nature.

This morning as I was heading out the door, I pulled the Times Business section from yesterday for a second look. The story about Neel T. Kashkari, 35, a former Goldman Sachs investment banker whom Secretary Paulsen has tapped to oversee the $700 billion bailout effort caught my eye.

How did someone like Mr. Kashkari with only six years of experience in finance and government get on Mr. Paulsen's radar screen? Before I could read further, my imagination took flight: Was he a former Navy Seal? A Fulbright winner? Had he written a novel while commuting to his office? Or perhaps he 'toddled' (never mind prepped) at one of those Park Avenue pre-schools that send their graduates to run hedge funds?

None of the above. He has impeccable credentials, of course, but most importantly, he's the consummate networker.

Two years ago, Mr. Kashkari's supervisor helped him set up a meeting with Mr. Paulsen, who was then Goldman Sachs chief executive. The so-called reason for the meeting: Mr. Kashkari was interested in government service and Paulson had worked in the Nixon administration. (Rule #5 in trying to get ahead: When attempting to get on someone's radar screen, have an advocate set up an information-gathering meeting.)

According to Mr. Kashkari, Paulson was encouraging. And when President Bush asked Mr. Paulson to serve as Treasury secretary, Mr. Kashkari called him, reminded him of their conversation and asked for a job. (Rule #9: Don't be afraid to ask for the position, internship, meeting, referral or order.)

Mr. Paulson hired Mr. Kashkari as his special assistant in that he took on special projects that caught the secretary's interest. It didn't come with real estate as Mr. Kashkari shared a cramped official with another junior official (Rule #7: Don't worry about the a la carte when trying to move ahead. Focus on the entree.)

Mr. Paulson soon gave him a bigger portfolio and while he had mixed success, he was soon promoted, winning Senate confirmation to be assistant secretary for international economics. (Rule #2: Don't dwell on the projects that didn't fly. Just keep spinning the stuff you're superb at.)

And so today Mr. Kashkari, who is remembered by his teachers as a "gentle and persuasive student" will be in charge of like, the world's financial stability. Is he up to the task? (Is anyone?) All I can tell is that he's very very good at soothing and caressing brobdingnagian egos.

Can I overstate the importance of connections? Or having the confidence to put your hand out and ask for some help? I don't think so....