It would be great if we could all see behind us while at the same time looking forward, but it just isn’t possible. And, sometimes just looking forward is hard enough.

We have all heard about the “buddy system” that swimmers use. And, of course, having someone “watch your back” is a concept we are all quite familiar with.

One of the problems The FENG has always tried to educate our members about is the mistaken belief that job search is a zero sum game. While it is certainly true that only one candidate is going to get the job, the goal is to ensure that one of our members is that person. I hope that it is you, but if it can’t be you, your second goal is to have it be a friend.

As I mention from time to time, Bob Walker, Chair of our Dallas Chapter, tells members at each meeting to “find their mirror.” It is sort of one of those “friends to share and friends to care” kind of things. (Gosh, did I just make up a slogan?)

Anyway, there is more to any of the individual things we do than meets the eye. That is why The FENG is such a remarkable organization.

Ever want to have a guardian angel? Well, you can have lots of them. Of course, it requires being a friend to have a friend. Have you paired up with a sufficient number of other members so that you now have the equivalent of “eyes in the back of your head?” If not, perhaps you should.

One of the ideas that we promote in The FENG to make sure we get everyone who should apply for the assignments on our Job Board actually does, is we ask you to forward them to other members if you are aware of their backgrounds and interest. Sometimes your friends are asleep at the switch.

If you haven’t paired up with other members, you will find you just can’t be everywhere at once like you need to be. Early in my membership in The FENG I had a guardian angel by the name of Ken Hall. Ken used to call me up and say “I found a lead you should know about.” At first I was suspicious. What was he up to? I guess, just trying to be a good friend, which he remains to this day.

Bill Thurber, one of the Co-Chairs of the Atlanta Chapter at the time, said to me during my visit many years ago: “Some members get it and some don’t.”

Make sure you are one of the ones who “gets it.”

If you see a posting that fits a friend, send it to him or her. You will find that it is a gift that keeps on giving, sometimes for the rest of your life.

Regards, Matt