The challenge of redefining yourself

The challenge of redefining yourself Cover Image

I have had several at length conversations with members from financial services organizations over the years. Fortunately, or unfortunately for me, I have no experience working at a bank, insurance company, capital markets firm, or asset management organization. As a result, I have been so...


Mar 02, 2021

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Maintaining your self-esteem

Maintaining your self-esteem Cover Image

Maintaining your self-esteem during a job search can be difficult at times, especially if your search has been going on for any length of time. So much of who we perceive ourselves to be comes from the reflection of our personalities upon those with whom we are engaged on a daily basis....


Feb 22, 2021

By Matt Bud, The FENG

LIfe changing events

LIfe changing events Cover Image

There are many things that can happen to you in your life that change your perspective. Losing your job and/or having to find another one, easily falls into this category. As you all know, The FENG is a networking group, it is not a job listing service. Sure, we publish lots and lots of...


Feb 18, 2021

By Matt Bud, The FENG

I never met a job I didn't like

I never met a job I didn't like Cover Image

Will Rogers is remembered as saying: “I never met a man I didn’t like.” I only wish everyone reviewing job possibilities would keep in mind the job search equivalent as stated above. Most jobs, upon initial examination, are bound to have more than a few flaws. Let’s face it, if it was a...


Feb 10, 2021

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Selling life jackets to those drowning

Selling life jackets to those drowning Cover Image

Since a significant percentage of our members are in the job market, I thought I would make you aware that almost all of the job search related websites are in the business of selling life jackets to people who are drowning. And, the life jackets they sell don’t actually work. An altern...


Feb 03, 2021

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Removing mental obstacles

Removing mental obstacles Cover Image

A very long time ago, I had the pleasure of attending a meeting of our Hartford/Springfield chapter. I was one of two guest speakers. The other speaker was a gentleman from Robert Half who spoke about the local market. What was of particular interest to me was his perception of people ...


Jan 31, 2021

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Sharing with the family

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 27, 2021

By Matt Bud, The FENG

They aren’t making any more of it

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 21, 2021

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Getting back at it

Getting back at it Cover Image

Okay sports fans, the new year has begun. It is now January 19th 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.) ...


Jan 19, 2021

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Any port in a storm

Any port in a storm Cover Image

One of our members wrote to me a few years ago seeking some career advice. It seems his firm is restructuring and his job is being eliminated. That said, he has some “work opportunities” that are available to him, (some at his current firm) but all of which are a little off task to his pri...


Nov 04, 2021

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Making the most of middle age

Making the most of middle age Cover Image

Looking back on my visualization of middle age when I was in my youth, I must confess the picture currently is a lot different.At the ripe old age of 75, I thought I would share a few thoughts tonight in the hopes that others would be willing to share theirs. Any editorial/notes from membe...


Jun 06, 2022

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Do the “experts” know anything?

Do the “experts” know anything? Cover Image

I have observed over my life that most of the people identified as experts are wrong a very high percentage of the time. In much the same way that a clock that has stopped is right twice a day, some acknowledged experts are identified by the media as genius only because they inadvertently ...


Feb 06, 2022

By Matt Bud, The FENG

One step at a time

One step at a time Cover Image

Taking life one step at a time is never easy. There is something about tasks undone that are just plain hard to take. Still, eating an elephant is best done one bite at a time.For those embarking on a job search, the number of things that need to be done can seem daunting. There are resume...


May 05, 2022

By Matt Bud, The FENG

A “no wind” situation

A “no wind” situation Cover Image

As all of you know, one of my passions in this world is sailing. I not only own a sailboat, but I also do a lot of reading about sailing. From time to time I read historical novels about the world of sailors in centuries past. The interesting thing is that many of the issues and concerns o...


May 11, 2022

By Matt Bud, The FENG

The futility of planning

The futility of planning Cover Image

Over the past few months I have completed several projects on or for my sailboat.My father was a plumbing and general contractor. Having worked for him from the time I was 13 until I graduated from college, I am pretty handy with tools. I also had a lot of very old cars, and not being inde...


Jul 28, 2022

By Matt Bud, The FENG

How are you doing?

How are you doing? Cover Image

One of the hardest things to do during a job search or even during a difficult time at work is keeping yourself energized and positive. Here again is another example of how our basic honesty as financial folks gets in the way of our success.If you ask a financial guy how he is doing, you t...


Aug 09, 2022

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Hanging onto the pain

Hanging onto the pain Cover Image

I don’t know if any of you remember the movie Rain Man with Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise, but Raymond had a method for dealing with his pain. He kept a journal. Anytime someone hurt him, he wrote it down in his book.I don’t remember if he ever referred to his book or reread it for enterta...


Aug 11, 2022

By Matt Bud, The FENG

The out-of-town job offer

The out-of-town job offer Cover Image

It sure is romantic to think about a job offer out of town with a full relocation package as a way to start over again. And, in many ways and for some people, it just may be your ticket to a life of sheer happiness for you and your family.However, for most people I have known over the year...


Sep 20, 2022

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Putting it behind you

Putting it behind you Cover Image

Since much of what we do in The FENG is about job search, I thought it might be appropriate to make a few suggestions to everyone about what to do when you do actually find a new job.I’ll be blunt. Job search is primarily filled with uncertainty, highs and lows and activities like making n...


Jan 09, 2022

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Past, present & future

Past, present & future Cover Image

I have often said that a member’s visualization of his new job is his last job on his last day. In a sense, how could it be any different?As accountants, we value our history more than anything else. This “rear view mirror” approach to life is one of the many things that can cause us to li...


Jan 24, 2022

By Matt Bud, The FENG

The art of getting up again

The art of getting up again Cover Image

You have to kind of feel sorry for folks who have never been unemployed.I know it may sound strange to say this, but if you have never been knocked down, you may not know that not only will you get up again, but that you may be a better person in many ways when you do. I hope that members ...


Jan 26, 2022

By Matt Bud, The FENG