The competition is fierce

The competition is fierce Cover Image

What everyone should be clear about is that although I believe that “been there and done that” is more respected now than in most previous time periods in our great nation, you still have to “prove the null hypothesis” that you can do the job better than anyone else. The reduced lack of ag...


Jan 18, 2023

By Matt Bud, The FENG

The sounds of silence

The sounds of silence Cover Image

There was an article in the New York Times several years ago about how employers and recruiters no longer seem to get back to job seekers, even when they have been serious candidates for particular opportunities. Things haven’t gotten much better over the years.As easy as it is to click re...


Jul 12, 2022

By Matt Bud, The FENG

The wind in your sails-not

The wind in your sails-not Cover Image

A long time ago I read a book by Dodge Morgan. Those non-sailors among us will probably not recognize his name, but in his 50’s, Dodge decided to sail solo around the world on a sloop especially designed for him. (I also bought the video of his voyage and heard him speak in person about hi...


Nov 16, 2021

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Change - The only constant

Change - The only constant Cover Image

I’m not sure why human beings resist change. It is truly the only constant in our world.For almost 6 years I worked for The Thomson Corporation, a company that was really into change. I used to joke that we reorganized every week even when it wasn’t really necessary, just to keep in practi...


Oct 14, 2021

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Geese and golden eggs

Geese and golden eggs Cover Image

Since we have many new members each year AND many members who may be active again from time to time, I thought it might be a good idea if I wrote about our “qualified members only” approach to responding to job leads and why it works for you.First, let’s understand that posted jobs are onl...


Oct 13, 2021

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Digesting the newsletter

Digesting the newsletter Cover Image

I have to admit that reading the newsletter most nights is like drinking water from a fire hose.The newsletter goes out to many audiences. Like the 6 blind men standing around the elephant, each of those audiences has different needs. This being the case, I will try to suggest a few approa...


Sep 15, 2021

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Sharing of job leads

Sharing of job leads Cover Image

The newsletters the past few weeks have been a little thin, so I thought I would take this opportunity to remind all of you of our mutual commitment to share job leads, even those in which we are an active participants.Yes, I know it is counter-intuitive to share leads in which you are an ...


Aug 31, 2021

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Rejected out of hand

Rejected out of hand Cover Image

If there is one thing that is certain about us financial types, it is that we always know the answer.Ask us a question and it isn’t long before we are well into the “primarily due to’s and partially offset by’s.” Yet, this major strength of ours and important skill set is an impediment to ...


Aug 04, 2021

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Wooden ships and iron men

Wooden ships and iron men Cover Image

Ah, the great age of sail! For many hundreds of years, men built great numbers of wooden sailing vessels for commercial purposes and for the making of war.The truth, as hinted at by the saying above is that there was very little that was actually romantic or desirable about a life at sea. ...


Jul 22, 2021

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Do all new jobs disappoint?

Do all new jobs disappoint? Cover Image

One of the comments I have heard from time to time is that the new job that someone just found isn’t as exciting as the one they lost. It seems at times that most of our members find themselves in a downward spiral as they change jobs. The companies are smaller and often the pay packages a...


Jul 14, 2021

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Lost at sea

Lost at sea Cover Image

It has only been since about the time of the American Revolution that sailors have had the technology available to find their exact location on the face of the earth. Although determining your latitude was possible (those are the lines that run around the middle of the earth like the equat...


Jul 07, 2021

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Are you good at what you do?

Are you good at what you do? Cover Image

It is not well known, but there are very few people in the world who actually know how to do things. I would suggest to all of you that, yes, I’m talking about YOU.As the world slowly crawls out from under all the changes that have happened as a result of COVID-19, opportunities will be ap...


Jun 17, 2021

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Is procrastination beneficial?

Is procrastination beneficial? Cover Image

As it has been said, never put off until tomorrow that which you can do today. Of all the things one can buy with money, time is not one of them.For those who “walk among us” who are thinking that the time is not far off when they might have to look for another job, I would suggest that th...


Jun 01, 2021

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Moving down market

Moving down market Cover Image

I have often been heard to say that it’s always better to be working.Being overqualified for most of the jobs published out in the world can be a little unsettling. But, I think you just have to accept it as a fact of life that once you have 20-30 years of work experience, you have probabl...


May 26, 2021

By Matt Bud, The FENG

When is enough, enough?

When is enough, enough? Cover Image

The story goes that if a frog is thrown into a pot of boiling water, it will have the good sense to jump out. On the other hand, if you put a frog in cold water and slowly turn up the heat, he will boil to death. (Please don’t try this at home. I like frogs. I am sure you can verify the ve...


Apr 22, 2021

By Matt Bud, The FENG

The problem with falling overboard

The problem with falling overboard Cover Image

As the sailing season begins here in Connecticut my thoughts more and more turn to sailing stories and how they might apply to job search and the management of your career. (Of course, I think about and read sailing stories all the time, but I digress.)One of the great perils of sailing is...


Apr 15, 2021

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Are you ready to retire?

Are you ready to retire? Cover Image

I don’t know about you, but at the age of 74, I still have more than a few miles left on my odometer. The thought of retirement is still something far off into the future. I imagine I will get to that point in my thinking someday, but it isn’t now.When members call me for advice, I always ...


Apr 12, 2021

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Corporate thinking – a gentle version

Corporate thinking – a gentle version Cover Image

It continues to be my observation of our members that for the most part we tend to move from large companies to small. Part of the reason is that we have no choice. Large companies generally speaking don’t hire senior executives from the outside. They try to grow their own. In any cas...


Mar 18, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Square pegs for round holes

Square pegs for round holes Cover Image

As someone who always suggested to his children that a pair of scissors would be a good tool for putting together jigsaw puzzles, perhaps I am not the right person to be constantly preaching about “qualified members only.”Still, having the SPECIFIC experience for a particular job posting i...


Mar 11, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Square pegs for round holes

Square pegs for round holes Cover Image

As someone who always suggested to his children that a pair of scissors would be a good tool for putting together jigsaw puzzles, perhaps I am not the right person to be constantly preaching about “qualified members only.” Still, having the SPECIFIC experience for a particular job posting ...


Mar 07, 2018

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Are you ready to retire?

Are you ready to retire? Cover Image

I don’t know about you, but at the age of 71, I still have more than a few miles left on my odometer. The thought of retirement is still something far off into the future. I imagine I will get to that point in my thinking someday, but it isn’t now. When members call me for advice, I always...


Apr 08, 2018

By Matt Bud, The FENG