EDITORIALS

Asking for the world's smallest favor

Networking

Asking for the world's smallest favor Cover Image

Although most of us have acquired enough manners over the course of our lives that we know enough not to ask a stranger to give us his/her seat on a bus or train, when it comes to networking, I find that many folks don’t know when they have overstepped their bounds. The approach I would...


Feb 28, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Listening & throwing up

Networking

Listening & throwing up Cover Image

One of the many skills we always need to be polishing as financial professionals is our listening skills. The problem begins with the fact that as financial professionals we are more comfortable receiving our information in written form. Put us in a "selling" situation, especially over ...


Feb 27, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

What have you accomplished?

Resume Writing

What have you accomplished? Cover Image

I hope that over the past few days everyone has gotten a few ideas for the framework of their resume. In order to “get into the game,” you need to have a clean looking resume with the major points discussed in the past few days “looking good.” Now that your resume has been selected for ...


Feb 26, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

The 80/20 rule

Resume Writing

The 80/20 rule Cover Image

The 80/20 rule I have always been a keen observer of managers. One of my favorites was a gentleman who worked at the Thomson Corporation in a senior financial role. He was one of those tall wiry types who always seemed to be in motion even when he was standing still. Sort of like you...


Feb 25, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

The tried and true

Resume Writing

The tried and true Cover Image

You would think that with all the books and materials written about how to write a resume, that each and every one that came across my desk would be close to perfect. Well, you would be wrong if you thought so. Under the heading of “explaining the meaning and purpose of life,” I thought...


Feb 22, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Maintaining your self-esteem

Being Out of Work

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 21, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Call me Mr. Know-it-all

Human Interactions Networking

Call me Mr. Know-it-all Cover Image

One of the most endearing qualities of us financial folks is that we almost always have a firm opinion about everything. And, if we don’t have an opinion about something, we figure we can reason one out. (Hey, just take the facts and multiply by two!) It is sort of part and parcel of wh...


Feb 20, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

LIfe changing events

Being Out of Work

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 19, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Sharing job leads

Job Leads & Job Boards

Sharing job leads Cover Image

The sharing of job leads has been an integral part of The FENG for so long that I have come to believe that everyone in the entire world understands the reasons why we do it. Alas, it isn’t true. A few years ago, I had an exchange with a member of the search community who was upset that...


Feb 18, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Is it business or personal?

Human Interactions

Is it business or personal? Cover Image

In the closing scene of the first Godfather movie the individual who betrayed Don Corleone is being led away. Just before he gets into the car to his certain death, he turns to consigliere Tom Hagan and says that he hopes he understands that it was all about business and that it was nothin...


Feb 15, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Helping out the competition

Correspondence Resume Writing

Helping out the competition Cover Image

Over the years that I have been writing editorials, I have devoted a lot of time to discussing the basics of job search. Why? Because I often can’t believe what folks send in for opportunities in which they have interest. In a world of more candidates than there are jobs, people who scr...


Feb 14, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

A few observations Cover Image

I hope you all don’t mind, but I am going to ramble a bit tonight about some very important job search issues. The most important issue I am going to cover is outgoing signatures. If you don’t know what one is, you are already in a lot of trouble. I am considering hitting the delete key...


Feb 13, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Homogeneous groups and pitfalls

Networking

Homogeneous groups and pitfalls Cover Image

Is there a possible pitfall in sticking with a homogeneous group of unemployed people? First of all, I would never suggest to anyone that they should solely and exclusively network within The FENG. What I have suggested and do strongly suggest is that you START with our networking group...


Feb 12, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

I never met a job I didn't like

Being Out of Work Interviewing

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 11, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Dropping in a little artillery

Correspondence Networking

Dropping in a little artillery Cover Image

The truth is that even friends sometimes don’t get back to you when you call. Ever wonder why? So, if friends have trouble returning calls, is it possible that strangers might be even more reluctant to return phone calls? I guess the real question is not why folks don’t return phone ...


Feb 08, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Interrogate or dummy up? Cover Image

Speaking with strangers is never fun. And, if these strangers are deciding whether or not to hire you, it can be a little stressful, especially if you want the job. There are so many ways to offend and so few ways to ingratiate yourself without appearing overly solicitous. In the cla...


Feb 07, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

At a glance Cover Image

There is a rumor out in the world that the attention span of your “average American” is getting shorter. Sad to say, but most likely very true. We see it all around us. So many things are screaming for our attention on a given day. Before the advent of computers, it was quite a bit hard...


Feb 06, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

A gap or a cover-up? Cover Image

Time goes by fast when you’re having fun, doesn’t it? And what greater fun is there than conducting a job search? Okay, it may not be as much fun as it appears to be to those looking in from the outside. But still, you can’t beat those Zoom calls and regular phone calls with old friends...


Feb 05, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Selling life jackets to those drowning

Being Out of Work Job Leads & Job Boards

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 04, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Geese and golden eggs Cover Image

I am sure that I don’t need to repeat the fable of the goose that laid golden eggs, so I will move right into the analogy. The goose is The FENG (also a living organism) and the golden eggs are the ability to network with other members. (If networking isn’t true gold, I don’t know what ...


Feb 01, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

I'm a complicated guy Cover Image

I always try to tell people who ask that I am just a simple financial guy. But I guess the truth is that all of us financial types are complicated in one way or another. Unlike lawyers and doctors who (thanks to Hollywood) everyone THINKS they know what they do every day, our profession...


Jan 31, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG