EDITORIALS

Can you spel?

Correspondence

Can you spel? Cover Image

Some of the notes that I get from our many learned members fill me with dismay. I often wonder, do they send notes with spelling and grammatical errors just to me, or do they provide this special service to everyone in the world?I do get a chuckle over some of them, but by and large I get ...


Jun 11, 2025

By Matt Bud, The FENG

I’m smiling on the inside Cover Image

I’m sure all of you have been to weddings and other kinds of gatherings where the host for the event has the need to say a few words. Not being great public speakers, these opportunities can be very painful or at times very funny, even when the host doesn’t intend for them to be.One of my ...


Jun 11, 2025

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Their lips are moving, but there is no information

Evolving Job Market Interviewing

Their lips are moving, but there is no information Cover Image

There was an article in The Wall Street Journal in 2013 titled: “Didn’t Get the Job? You’ll Never Know Why” by Lauren Weber.It was an interesting article and if nothing else, it proved that the more things change, the more they stay the same.I have often said that when the answer is no, th...


Jun 09, 2025

By Matt Bud, The FENG

The blur of 100 resumes

Resume Writing

The blur of 100 resumes Cover Image

I have always had great interest in how others do their work, and more importantly how others utilized my work product. To deliver a report in person and actually observe it being used I always found to be a real learning experience.I think you will agree that most financial reports are ha...


Jun 08, 2025

By Matt Bud, The FENG

A few counter-intuitive thoughts

Evolving Job Market

A few counter-intuitive thoughts Cover Image

A few counter-intuitive thoughtsSharing job leads is only one of many counter-intuitive ideas that those of us who have been involved in The FENG for a period of time simply accept as the truth.As I often say, some of the ideas we have developed in The FENG take a little living with before...


Jun 05, 2025

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Making the most of middle age

Being Out of Work Evolving Job Market

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 78, 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 04, 2025

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Creating a competitive advantage

Standing Out From the Crowd

Creating a competitive advantage Cover Image

With the number of folks competing for every available job these days, it is easy to fall into the trap of trying to “cheat” in some way to create a competitive advantage for yourself. The sad truth is that most of the approaches I see on a daily basis do exactly the opposite.The tradition...


Jun 03, 2025

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Setting up barriers

90-Second Announcements

Setting up barriers Cover Image

As a breed, us financial types are such a precise group of individuals. It is at once our greatest strength from a work perspective, and in the context of job search, one of our greatest failings.The fear, as I understand it, is that we might be offered some opportunity that is somehow out...


Jun 02, 2025

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Changing industries Cover Image

More often than not, members of our networking group prefer to change industries when they change jobs.I have to agree that changing industries isn't such a bad idea. In fact, the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills we have learned to a totally new situation is an attractive conc...


Jun 01, 2025

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Your real audience Cover Image

One of my favorite “sayings from the Chairman” is: I try to make things so easy that anyone can do it. That way if I try hard, I can too!KISS or “keep it simple stupid” is one of the most often violated principles of job search and part of the reason that we fail to communicate our true va...


May 29, 2025

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Sharing job leads – a core value

Job Leads & Job Boards

Sharing job leads – a core value Cover Image

I was in Chicago several years ago and had the great pleasure of having breakfast with Brad Hughes, one of our “Founding Great Grandfathers.”According to legend (and I can say that since The FENG is over 25 years old), Brad was one of the very few folks who ALWAYS brought job leads to pass...


May 28, 2025

By Matt Bud, The FENG

A curious requirement Cover Image

We don’t get as many members applying without sponsors as we used to, but we still get a few.For those who are qualified for membership, each Monday morning after I have finished my new member review for the weekend and sent out our new member announcement, Judith Rudikoff, one of our Admi...


May 27, 2025

By Matt Bud, The FENG

The sploosh syndrome

Correspondence

The sploosh syndrome Cover Image

Here in Connecticut spring has arrived and with it the beginning of the boating season.As I begin each season, I sit myself down and remind myself of the ease with which tools are lost over the side. As you settle into outfitting the boat for the season, bringing down the gear and reinstal...


May 22, 2025

By Matt Bud, The FENG

A reliable used car

Communicating your value

A reliable used car Cover Image

Let’s face it, those who “move the iron” -- even the new stuff, have a difficult job. But those who sell used cars have it the worst. The phrase “like a used car salesman” is very much part of the American lexicon.It implies the worst of the sales profession. No matter what vehicle you pur...


May 21, 2025

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Operators are standing by

Human Interactions Networking

Operators are standing by Cover Image

A few years ago, I got a lovely note from one of our alumni members lamenting the fact that he rarely gets any phone calls from his fellow members requesting networking assistance. Even though he was feeling unloved, he asked me not to mention his name for fear that all of you would call h...


May 20, 2025

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Reading your own resume Cover Image

It is always a good idea to read your own resume. Sadly, I find that many people don’t.The typographical errors are bad enough. For example, in a batch I once reviewed for one of our assignments for The FECG, one member even had an obvious error in how he spelled his own name. (Yes, you ca...


May 19, 2025

By Matt Bud, The FENG

How does it work in theory? Cover Image

Many, many years ago when I was in college, I had an economics professor who was a bit of a character. For a dry subject area, he had a way of making it all come alive. One of the things he said has lived with me these many years. It was:That’s all very well in practice, but how does it wo...


May 18, 2025

By Matt Bud, The FENG

On becoming obsolete

Evolving Job Market

On becoming obsolete Cover Image

t is a sad state of affairs when your presumed skills become obsolete, but like the buggy whip manufacturer of old, your only choice unless you want to become extinct is to adapt.Let’s see, buggy whips are made out of leather, so a good first step would be to define yourself as a leather g...


May 15, 2025

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Help me out – buy a ticket

Human Interactions Networking

Help me out – buy a ticket Cover Image

I try to have several Zoom calls every week with members seeking advice about what to do about their job search.It is a good question and one not easily answered even if I know you very well. In the course of a conversation (speech is the slowest form of communication), I don’t know how mu...


May 14, 2025

By Matt Bud, The FENG

The gift of friendship Cover Image

As all of you know, The FENG is a circle of friends, not a fee for service. In order to join, someone needs to sponsor you. That act of friendship is how everyone gets started. It is one of those dumb things I came up with at the beginning of time itself that I believe has made our network...


May 13, 2025

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Telephone sales

Interviewing

Telephone sales Cover Image

If getting up in front of a large group and doing your elevator pitch isn’t bad enough, giving it over the phone is worse. At least in front of a group, large or small, you have some visual feedback as to whether or not it is going over well.Add to this that many folks call you from cell p...


May 12, 2025

By Matt Bud, The FENG