EDITORIALS

Key to the success of most movies is the suspension of disbelief. There are so many improbable events that make of the fabric of what you are viewing, that without this critical element in full force, in most cases the pleasure you experience wouldn’t be there. (My favorite phrase is “base...

Not unlike your 90-second announcement, the space at the top of your resume is vitally important to getting folks to “listen” to the rest of your story.Try to visualize if you will, 200 resumes piled up on some poor screener’s desk. With any luck, they have been printed and collated correc...

I am more often than not surprised by the amount of time it can take for a company to develop a position description and yet at the end of the day not really be able to capture the essential elements for a particular opportunity.I suppose in part this is because senior level position descr...

I suppose that at times being a member of the runaway train we call The FENG would appear not to lend itself to a whole lot of warm fuzzies.Ah, if only we could return to those halcyon days when there were only 50 of us and on a good day 15 of us would gather around that small table in the...

Wouldn’t it be nice if every time you asked a question, you got the same answer? Unfortunately it seems that every time you ask a question, sometimes even of the same person, you get different answers.Perhaps this is good. It gives you the chance, as an adult, to make your own decisions an...

The idea that you can wipe the slate clean is an enduring and endearing idea of mankind, and one I fully support. No matter how bad you have been at networking in the past year, this week you have the opportunity to get a strong start on building and strengthening your inner circle of frie...

If you are interested in getting your job search off to a flying start in 2023, may I suggest you try increasing your inner circle of friends?The most valuable feature on our website is Member Directory Search: https://www.thefeng.org/members/searchAll you have to do is follow the link abo...

From time to time I have gotten messages from members who either had multiple offers outstanding or wanted me to discuss what to do when you are so blessed. Or, is it cursed? (I don’t know about you, but I hate having too many choices.)Of course, when faced with the possibility of multiple...

As everyone heads off to welcome 2023, I would suggest that those of you who are actively seeking a new position keep in mind the “warning” I give to those I coach on 90-second announcements: NO SAD STORIES.Whether you are with family or friends, keep in mind what I tell anyone who will li...

I know there are some members who have been “in the hunt” a long time and may feel that they are getting “a little long in the tooth.”I can understand the problem since I was out of work for almost two full years – 1991-1992.Tradition has it that if you are still at work, your most recent ...

Although there is no truth to the rumor that I have a pair of wing tip boat shoes, I do try to dress well for our meetings here in Connecticut as well as to any other networking event I attend.I suppose since the meeting of the Westport Chapter is near where I live, at the end of day, and ...

I’m not sure why it is, but most financial folks think they are terrible networkers.The truth is that scattered throughout our newsletter every night are ideas you can harness in your daily life to earn the title “Master Networker.”All of us are amateurs, I suppose, at most things we do in...

II’m sure all of you have heard the joke about the executive who was addressing the entire staff and when he came to the part about having an open door policy, he asked that whoever took his door would give it back.Well, the open door policy in The FENG is of a similar nature. None of us s...

One of the more amusing aspects of this time of year is the effort some people make to reach out to those in their address book with holiday greetings of some kind.In years past, this took the form of Hallmark cards, all very colorful, that I opened and put on the fireplace mantel and/or a...

From time to time, I have been accused of tilting at windmills. Actually, I am never offended when I hear this because in large part everything we do in The FENG has elements of it, and I’m proud of it.It has indeed been a long road developing The FENG. Most importantly, I haven’t had to d...

For those of you who are movie fans, there was a memorable scene in a totally forgettable movie called “The Mexican” with Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt. Julia is throwing Brad’s clothes down on him from a balcony while having an argument with him and screaming: “It’s always about you!”Well, ...

Everyone has a “too hard pile.” (Even I have one!) It’s all that work that sits in a pile by your desk and you never seem to get to it.I suppose there ought to be a law or something that would prevent us from leaving things in the “too hard” pile for very long. Of course, many of us (mysel...

I know how disheartening it can be to get to the bottom of a job posting and see those deathless words: “Local candidates only.”Still, the facts are that there are always lots of qualified folks applying for any great job, and at least in major metropolitan areas there is no need for a com...

The amount of follow up to do with recruiters and networking contacts is always a tough call.It is hard not to feel like a pest when you call. (After all, you ARE being a pest.)However, if you aren’t persistent and keep in touch with those who might be in a position to help you on the day ...

I hope you don’t mind if I take a few minutes tonight to explain the best approach to contacting other members of our now vast organization.The best approach to contacting just about anyone, including other members, is to first send a letter of introduction with a copy of your resume. I kn...

Several years ago The Wall Street Journal had an article about the many steps people take when applying for jobs to conceal their age.I understand where this comes from. Ageism, as with all forms of prejudice, comes from ignorance.If you think about all of the ways of earning a living, it ...