When Was the Last Time You Made a Career Deposit?

When I was a child, my mother often talked about living through the Depression. As the oldest child, she was sent to live with relatives when her family could no longer afford to feed all three children. Even though her time away from the family only lasted about a year, it greatly affected her life.

She hated antiques. She thought of them as old, and old stuff meant poverty. She wasn't a tightwad, but neither did she spend money she didn't have. She carefully monitored the family finances every month, and was meticulous in balancing the checkbook and making sure that something went into savings every month.

She never forgot the lessons of such a difficult period in her life, even though she was only about 6-years-old.

I've been thinking of her stories about what she learned from the Depression as I've watched -- along with everyone else -- the devastation many people are experiencing because of this economic mess. And what I see makes me realize that when we have gotten past this difficult time, we will not only have learned economic lessons that will govern the rest of lives, but career ones as well.

How many of us have kicked ourselves for not being better networkers so that when the layoffs came, we didn't have many places to turn for help? How many of us have regretted that we didn't promote our skills and abilities better so that when bonuses were scarce, we didn't garner one for ourselves? How many of us regretted not attending those seminars or training sessions or take advantage of tuition reimbursement from our employers that might have helped our chances of landing a better position during these tough times?

Of course, hindsite is 20/20. But I do think that when we pull out of these difficult times, we need to learn important financial lessons just like those who survived the Depression did. We need to learn those financial lessons -- and those career ones as well.

Specifically, it's time we all stopped living just for the next promotion or title and started putting something in our career "savings account." For example, career investments should include:

* Going back to the early days of your career and re-establishing contacts. You might be surprised that the guy who washed dishes at your first job now owns his own company, or that the girl who was an intern with you now is a top executive. Check out online sources to track people down and start investing in these contacts.

* Fix your burned bridges. Sometimes in the heat of the moment we say or do things that we regret. Now is the time to start making overtures to those who may think you'd run them over with your car given half a chance. Your reputation is the most important commodity you have -- you don't want anyone thinking less of you because you never know who they're influencing.

* Get a second opinion. Have someone you respect in your industry review your current resume. Even if you're not currently looking for a job, get some ideas on where they think "holes" exist, and what you can begin to do to patch them.

* Help someone. Every day, try and do something on the job that helps another person, whether it's pitching in with a project, making a recommendation for someone on LinkedIn or writing an article for an industry newletter. It's a way of saving a little bit all the time in your career "bank."

What are some other lessons we can learn during these difficult times?

My 25-Cent Career Investment

Today, I put five nickels in my pocket.

Now, you may be thinking that five nickels (25 cents) won't do me much good. After all, there is hardly anything that can be purchased for that amount, not even a stamp. But I believe my five nickels are going to buy me a lot.

I believe that 25 cents, which I found rattling around at the bottom of my purse, will by the end of the day have a) made me feel good; b) be a great investment in my career; and c) perhaps help someone else do great things.

That's a pretty powerful 25 cents, right? Maybe you think this is some sort of magical group of nickels, but that's not the case. Let me tell you how it works.

Many years ago I remember talking to a manager of a large company who put 10 dimes in his left pocket every morning. Each time he complimented someone, he moved one of the dimes to his right pocket. His goal: to have all the dimes in his right pocket by the end of the day. The next day, he did the same thing, again putting the 10 dimes in his left pocket.

I began thinking about this manager's story after I interviwed Bob Burg, author of the new bestseller, "The Go-Giver." The book, written in the parable style that is popular today, tells the story of how one man learned that if he wanted to have true success and happiness, he had to look at life in terms of not what he could take from others, but from what he could give.

So, that's why I've decided to load my left pocket with five nickels. (I decided to start with only a quarter's worth of goodwill since I wanted to keep my efforts honest and not assault some stranger on the street with "love the hat!" and then switch a coin from one pocket to the other. I'm hoping to work up to the 10 dimes.)

I also came up with my own rules. Instead of it just being compliments, my criteria for moving a nickel from the left pocket to the right pocket includes that I:
1. Make a sincere effort to connect. When I speak with someone on the phone today, or exchange e-mails, I will try and find out a little bit more about this person -- how they do their job and the challenges they face.
2. Add value. When I make a connection, I will look for ways to help this person do his or her job. That means I may offer a name, phone number or e-mail address, refer someone to a helpful Web site or just offer a new idea.
3. Offer positive feedback. OK, I think everyone (especially on a Monday) deserves a pat on the back. According to my personal rules, this has to be as work-related as possible, because it's too easy to tell someone "wow...you look great today!" and then do a nickel switch. I will be looking for ways that each person's abilities and talents add to an experience.

That's it. Pretty simple, huh? I wanted to keep it that way so it could become an effortless part of my day, something I wouldn't stress out about every time I heard the change rattle in my pocket. I don't plan on "keeping score" of who or what caused me to make a nickel switch -- I'm just hoping that by the end of the day, my left pocket is empty and my right pocket contains five nickels.

I think it may be the most valuable 25 cents I've ever had.




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