EDITORIALS

There are lots of good reasons to keep you chin up. Of course, the most important reason is that it is easier to hit!Okay, I am just kidding with you. But seriously, some members have been active in their search for so long, that I fear many of them are beginning to believe things that hav...

Probably one of the most difficult interviews to pull off well is a telephone interview. (I much prefer Zoom!)Let’s start off with the idea that the lack of face-to-face contact prevents you from seeing if the words and ideas you are presenting are playing well. A live audience, or a Zoom ...

There was a time in the not too distant past when our evening newsletter on Sunday evening ran to over 120 pages. The newsletters during the week were typically 50-75 pages.Now that we have a Job Board, I no longer have a “page” count, but we are running at about 50 active jobs. After my r...

In keeping with the spirit of networking that makes The FENG a remarkable organization, it is appropriate that we share our contact information. And, when other members reach out to you, it is EXPECTED that you will take the time to respond.(Yes, I know you are busy, but so am I and I need...

One of the foundations upon which The FENG has been built has been relying upon our members to exercise good judgment about the jobs for which they are a fit and only responding when they are. I could no more police this activity when we were smaller than I can now that we are huge.In the ...

I have never considered myself a social butterfly, but I guess for many of us financial types it is difficult to start a conversation with someone we don’t know.If you give a little thought to conversations you have had over your life with people not known to you, you will fondly remember ...

One of the most vexing problems potentially facing those who are active in their search is the decision to accept a job offer you don’t really think is right for you.The agonizing issue of turning down a job offer is only matched by the difficulty of getting one in the first place. Those w...

If losing your job wasn’t bad enough, the reluctance of business associates at your former company, as well as those who serviced your company as attorneys, accountants or recruiters to return your phone calls can be particularly disheartening.Actually, if you gave it some thought, you wou...

I am always chatting with potential sponsors for The FENG and from time to time the character of each of our chapters comes up. They are, of course, all different.Here in the Northeast I suppose there almost aren’t any boundaries. Pre-COVID-19 we used to get visitors to our Westport chapte...

Sometimes the phone here are world headquarters gets a little quiet. Several minutes can go by and no one calls. It is enough to get you a little out of practice in answering the phone. So, from time to time I just pick up the phone (even though it isn’t ringing) and say hello to see if my...

Let’s start with the fact that she weighs about 22,000+ lbs., and instead of being on dry land with wheels in firm contact with asphalt, it is more like driving a car on glare ice, only harder.I have been heard to say that there are only two difficult times when you are sailing – leaving t...

It is well understood that men don’t like unsolicited advice. It is for this reason we tend not to ask for directions at the gas station. It is a macho thing driving around for hours, lost beyond hope, and yet not stopping for help. (Thank goodness for GPS!)One of our many fine traditions ...

As I am sure all of you know, one of your responsibilities as a member is, to the best of your ability, to only respond to job postings when you are reasonably qualified.The greatest majority of job postings in our newsletter come your way through the good offices of your fellow members. I...

As we used to go around the table at our meeting here in Connecticut (pre-Covid-19), I was always surprised by the time devoted in 90 second announcements to where folks wouldn’t move and what kinds of jobs they wouldn’t take.I have always been of the philosophy that I will go anywhere to ...

Over the past few months I have gotten several notes from members commenting on how they responded to a posting in our newsletter even though they hadn’t seen it.How did this miracle occur you might ask? One of their fellow members took the time to send it to them to ensure that they saw i...

I know that many of our members are faced with the unpleasant truth that they have been out of work for a significant period of time. Having been out of work myself for almost two years, I know that this unpleasant question of “Why have you been out so long?” gets asked. Like anything else...

One of the trends I have noticed in the past few years is that the people you would like to contact disappear earlier and stay away longer around holidays.I sent out a mailing this morning to our many friends in the search community and was floored by how many “out of office” notes I got i...

I don’t know about you, but I am always misplacing things. I work pretty hard at keeping my papers organized, but like anything else, papers can get lost. When they do, it makes me absolutely crazy. Even when I have another copy on my computer, I am obsessed to find the copy that is on my ...

I hope that all of you have plans for the Labor Day weekend. Please know that every gathering is a networking event.Although I don’t recommend bringing resumes to the various barbeques you may be attending, do bring business cards and that winning smile of yours.People know people. And, if...

The number of qualified candidates in major metropolitan areas is always strong. The problem faced by our members in “one horse towns” is dealing with the issue of relocation when they apply for opportunities.Most of the folks I talk to who are not from major metropolitan areas feel they a...

As all of you are out and about networking, I hope you are aware that one of your most important member responsibilities is to invite your new and old friends who are Senior Financial Officers to join The FENG.While it is certainly true that The FENG dominates our space. And, it may even b...