EDITORIALS

Making networking benefit YOU

Networking

Making networking benefit YOU Cover Image

I am always trying to explain networking to users. Tonight I am going to try to explain networking to givers. The common misperception is that networking is a give and take. You give to others and they take. Nothing could be further from the truth. Networking as I suggest it be pra...


Jan 29, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Sharing with the family Cover Image

Job search can be a lonely business. There you are, in your home office from the moment you get up in the morning until just before you go to bed. Emails are going out. Letters are being sent. Appointments are being made. (And, the only time you leave the house is for this purpose.) The...


Jan 28, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

E I E I O Cover Image

I suppose I could be wrong about all of this, but I find the use of “, MBA” as part of your name to be a bad idea. Yes, I know that not everyone has an MBA, but in my opinion unless you are a CPA or a Ph.D., you need to exercise a little caution in the initials you place after your nam...


Jan 25, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Attention to detail Cover Image

Stop me if I am wrong, but I always thought that financial folks were known for their attention to detail. Aren’t we known as total compulsives, or did I miss something? Sad to say, but it apparently isn’t true. Most of my daily communication is from fellow financial executives and I...


Jan 24, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Save the Nauga Cover Image

I assume that most of you are unaware that in addition to being Chairman of The FENG, I am also president of the Save The Nauga Society. I have been actively involved in trying to save the nauga from extinction for many years. While naugas existed in most parts of the world in large num...


Jan 23, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

They aren’t making any more of it

Being Out of Work

They aren’t making any more of it Cover Image

Ah, that very useful invention of mine, the day stretcher. If only it actually worked. Not only doesn’t it work, but it would also appear that there is nothing one can do about time that is lost. Once time has passed, it is gone. (When sailing, it is similar to what I call the sploosh s...


Jan 22, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Selling from a full wagon

Interviewing Resume Writing

Selling from a full wagon Cover Image

Although it is certainly true that it isn’t possible to sell from an empty wagon, the difficulty of selling from one that is full is greatly under rated. As senior financial professionals, and as individuals not seriously trained in sales, we frequently find ourselves in the position of...


Jan 21, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Getting back at it

Networking

Getting back at it Cover Image

Okay sports fans, the new year has begun. It is now January 18th and time is slipping away. At the moment this year promises to be filled with as many challenges as last year, but don’t allow that stop you. (Sadly, the light at the end of the tunnel may indeed be a speeding locomotive.)Alt...


Jan 18, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Geese and golden eggs

Recruiters

Geese and golden eggs Cover Image

One of our very most important audiences are members of the search community who are registered as Friends of The FENG. When you communicate with these folks, briefly, you are expected to behave yourself. Members of The FENG are expected to only respond when reasonably qualified. Wha...


Jan 17, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Knowing what’s important

Human Interactions Interviewing

Knowing what’s important Cover Image

I always find it interesting during 90-second announcements how nearly identical are the descriptions of “ideal jobs” when compared to the one a member has most recently left. Since we are all financial folks, I guess it shouldn’t surprise me. As history based individuals, it is hard to...


Jan 16, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Let’s keep it a secret

Resume Writing

Let’s keep it a secret Cover Image

Any more than someone would write “Please Broadcast Widely” at the top of their resume, putting “Confidential” is just as silly in many ways. I’m sure that this is written up somewhere as the appropriate thing to do, so I am not faulting anyone who does it, but it really is unnecessary....


Jan 15, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Putting your best foot forward

Resume Writing Standing Out From the Crowd

Putting your best foot forward Cover Image

The development of a resume can be a long and involved process. There are so many ideas that others have to share with you, and each person with whom you speak has their own perspective about what is right and what is wrong. Your resume is also in part an historical document charged wit...


Jan 14, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Hanging on to unpleasantness

Being Out of Work Human Interactions

Hanging on to unpleasantness Cover Image

I don’t know if you remember “Rain Man” with Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman, but there was one scene where Tom Cruise either hit or yelled at Dustin Hoffman and Dustin proceeded to write it down in a notebook he carried. He was very meticulous in noting the “offense” and the date and time.I...


Jan 11, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

There’s honestly no excuse Cover Image

There was a time, I suppose, when it was really hard to get back to people. Let’s say someone sent you a smoke signal. I guess you would first have to build a fire, and a smoky one at that. If they sent you a message towards the end of the day, would you really have enough time to respo...


Jan 10, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Unbelievable! Cover Image

When asked how your job search is going or your job, the best answer is “unbelievable.”Unbelievable can of course mean in reality good or bad. If things are really really bad, they are certainly unbelievable. And if you are pinching yourself to make sure you are awake, they could also be u...


Jan 09, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Why we share job leads

Job Leads & Job Boards

Why we share job leads Cover Image

One of the core values of being a member of The FENG is that we share job leads.There are a lot of reasons why we do this, and it isn’t just because it is a nice thing to do. It is actually a very smart thing to do. The only problem is that it is apparently a counter-intuitive idea. So, fo...


Jan 08, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Information please

Job Leads & Job Boards

Information please Cover Image

I am more often than not surprised by the amount of time it can take for a company to develop a position description and yet at the end of the day not really be able to capture the essential elements for a particular opportunity.I suppose in part this is because senior level position descr...


Jan 07, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Unsolicited advice Cover Image

It is a sad fact that most men don’t appreciate getting unsolicited advice. That said, there are even those among us who reject advice they have asked for out of hand and in a dismissive way.The giving and receiving of advice is always a delicate balance. Even though probably 75% of my mai...


Jan 04, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Why bother saying thank you?

Human Interactions

Why bother saying thank you? Cover Image

For those of you who are sailing fans and/or history buffs and saw the movie Master and Commander: The Far Side of The World, there was a scene where Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany were having a heated argument about the merits of flogging. The comment made by the captain was that the good...


Jan 03, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

In celebration of our Fanatic FENG’ers

Human Interactions

In celebration of our Fanatic FENG’ers Cover Image

In late December, there as an article in The Wall Street Journal titled “How Kindness Echoes Around Our Worlds.” My initial reaction was they had found out about us. But, no, we weren’t mentioned.As I hope you know, The FENG is an unusual organization. We are a society of friends, not a “f...


Jan 02, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Paint on a smile Cover Image

During the upcoming New Years Day holiday weekend, a great opportunity will be presenting itself to you in the form of gatherings of those who know you (and presumably love you).In order to enjoy the greatest benefit, you need to paint on a smile. I don’t care if you have been out of work ...


Dec 27, 2023

By Matt Bud, The FENG