EDITORIALS

One of my friends used to call me “the can do” guy. (Now he calls me “Mr. Chairman.”) I know he meant it in the nicest possible way, and I suppose that in many respects I am the can do guy. There really isn’t much that I won’t tackle. Perhaps it comes from my Midwest self-reliance or the f...

I have often been heard to say, “Cash is a four letter word.”It is for this reason that taking a sound approach to your job search REQUIRES that you have your financial house in order. There is nothing that is more distracting than to be concerned about your finances during a search.With a...

As you all know, I get a lot of email. Most of it is actually pretty routine.There are the inevitable members asking me to reset their password for our website or to have their email address changed. Each week I also get a few good news announcements. (I always enjoy being the first to kno...

We are fortunate in the financial professions to be blessed with a very high degree of transferable skills.Still, the next job for most of us isn’t going to be all that much different from our last one. While it is certainly possible that we will change industries, it is less likely that w...

I have written on many occasions about how to structure your resume. I have also written about bringing your resume through stages of development. Like any selling document it is essential that you keep it growing and fresh.Going through the birth pangs of building your resume can often fe...

There was a cartoon I saw many years ago. The picture was of a man playing a piano in what was obviously a western saloon. The sign above the piano read: “Don’t shoot the piano player. He’s doing the best he can.”I have often lamented that the most difficult task I face each day is getting...

I am always impressed by the eternal truthfulness of the many members of this august body. Unfortunately, it is one of the many things about us as financial folks that gets in the way of our finding a new job.As many of you know, I spent 9 years as Chief Financial Officer of an advertising...

I often get the feeling listening to members of The FENG that they feel like they are selling from an empty wagon. Friends, it just isn’t true.What triggered tonight’s editorial is the continuing comments I get from our members about the issue of dates for your college degrees. The “produc...

Although we are all familiar with the above expression, I am not sure if everyone understands the importance of this idea to his or her search and how to get to where you need to be.The “big show” is of course an interview. When you finally get yourself in front of a hiring manager all asp...

I still remember with fondness the cell phone commercial where the technician is in the middle of a swamp somewhere and he is testing his cell coverage. I don’t know where he might be, but he wasn’t here in Weston, Connecticut where we have limited cell coverage. (Thank goodness we can now...

The fun never stops here at world headquarters of The FENG. I get more amusing emails probably than anyone else on the face of the earth.Let’s start with the use of “Matt’s secret decoder ring.” Thank goodness it is made out of a durable electronic material. Each day about 75% of the email...

In one of the jobs I had early in my career I was Business Manager for the College Publishing division of CBS.It was an interesting job. All of the folks around me were well educated and always testing my knowledge and experience. They were also great teachers.One of our most popular books...

Although everyone thinks that spring is a time of renewal, actually (just like networking) any point in time and any excuse will do, as will any season.For those who are in their 40’s and 50’s, periods of unemployment early in our career have probably been non-existent. The experience of b...

Although I would never willingly admit it, over the nearly 40 years I have been sailing I have had occasion to go aground. (It is always an embarrassing situation.)One time I dragged anchor in a storm (that I can assure you was not in the forecast) and the other times I managed to wander t...

So, you have actually done it. A company has put you through the wringer and forced you to interview with just about everyone at the firm. You have beaten the competition to a pulp. You are standing all alone in your victory.Now comes the moment of truth. They ask you for references. Like ...

I hope we all spend a lot of time networking. (To paraphrase René Descartes, the famous French philosopher: I network, therefore I am.)So you have been hard at it. The FENG Member Directory Search feature is causing smoke to rise from your computer from over use, but incredible as it may s...

One of our chapter chairs called me some time ago, and as usual when he calls, we had a wide ranging conversation about members of The FENG, friends (sometimes these two overlap), and family matters. There generally aren’t many moments of silence since we always have so much to talk about....

I have never actually read any of the books that begin with the title I selected for this editorial, but I think I know what they were all about.Okay, maybe I don’t. Still, the thought comes to mind upon reading one of the responses I received recently that there is one aspect of your requ...

The world of job search is filled with a lot of cruel jokes.I have often argued that when the answer is no with respect to your candidacy, the best thing you can probably do is stop listening. The reason is that just about everything that follows will either not be entirely true or will be...

It is a true fact (as opposed to a false fact) that most people over value job leads. Perhaps I have said this before, but the real deal is networking, networking and more networking.That said I thought it might be of interest to all of you for me to share my own personal theories as to wh...

The FENG is a circle of friends, not a job listing service. The question I would have for each of you is, have you recently worked to expand your inner circle of friends within The FENG?Regardless of when you joined our august body, and even if you went through our membership directory at ...