EDITORIALS

Giving up as a concept

Being Out of Work

Giving up as a concept Cover Image

One of the more interesting ideas floating around these days is giving up. I can’t say I am an expert on this topic, other than to say that I have heard about it at length from others. Not that they have actually bought into the idea; just that they were talking about it.As you all know, I...


Aug 04, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Good news announcements

Being Out of Work

Good news announcements Cover Image

I’m not sure if everyone understands the importance of our Good News Announcements, so I thought I would share with you tonight some of my thoughts as to why they are so important.Since the very beginning of our newsletter, the Good News Announcements have always appeared at the very begin...


Aug 01, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

A rhinoceros and a piece of paper

Job Leads & Job Boards Networking

A rhinoceros and a piece of paper Cover Image

Many years ago, my son and I were rowing out to our mooring to go sailing with my father-in-law. My son, who was probably 8 or 9 at the time, asked my father-in-law if he knew the EXACT difference between a rhinoceros and a piece of paper. After several totally wrong guesses, my son gave h...


Jul 31, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Misery loves company Cover Image

It is not uncommon that people who are unhappy like to share their troubles with others. It is part of the very normal human condition.However, I would suggest to you that when it comes to networking with either your fellow members or others who are in your inner circle of friends, that yo...


Jul 30, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Any excuse will suffice

90-Second Announcements

Any excuse will suffice Cover Image

I am sure you have heard it too, the at length explanations others give as to why they are looking for another job. Sometimes I forget to mention at the beginning of our meeting in Connecticut that I really don’t need to know and you don’t really need to tell anyone. No explanation is actu...


Jul 29, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

The art of friendship Cover Image

Perhaps because we fill in so many forms during the course of our careers, it seems that as financial types we are always looking for a fill in the blank approach to just about everything.Is there a formula for 90-second announcements, I am frequently asked? Well, there are some basic guid...


Jul 28, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

The truth (as retold) Cover Image

I know that many of our members are faced with the unpleasant truth that they have been out of work for a significant period of time. Having been out of work myself for almost two years, I know that this unpleasant question of “Why have you been out so long?” gets asked. Like anything else...


Jul 25, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Computers are here to stay Cover Image

I sometimes get the feeling from the format of emails I get and the strange formatting of resumes I see that there are those who believe computers are just a passing phase in our society.I don’t know how to break this to those of you who have been reluctant to “get with the program,” one o...


Jul 24, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Life is a journey Cover Image

I have often noted to my friends who aren’t into boating that the difference between a power boater and a sail boater is that power boaters usually use their boats to go somewhere, whereas sail boaters are already there once they step onto their boat.In our goal driven, management by objec...


Jul 23, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Wooden ships and iron men

Evolving Job Market

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 21, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Fog sandwiches

Being Out of Work

Fog sandwiches Cover Image

Although by and large, the one thing we make more often than anything else for dinner on our boat is reservations, there are times when the fog giant descends upon us and if there is nothing else to eat, we make fog sandwiches.To make fog sandwiches, of course, you need fog. To this one sh...


Jul 18, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Curb your enthusiasm-NOT

Human Interactions

Curb your enthusiasm-NOT Cover Image

There is a memorable scene in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid in which Paul Newman is challenged for control of the Hole in the Wall Gang. They agree that the best way to settle their disagreement is with a knife fight. Paul suggests that before they get started that they should decide ...


Jul 17, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

What is your theme song?

Standing Out From the Crowd

What is your theme song? Cover Image

Over the years, I used to keep only a handful of CD’s in my car and I played them over and over again. I supposed I shouldn’t admit this to a wide audience, but one of my favorite music categories is sea shanties. (It goes along with my hobby of sailing). When I had cassette tapes, I actua...


Jul 16, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Meeting the RIGHT folks

Networking New Friends

Meeting the RIGHT folks Cover Image

Being successful at getting meetings with potential decision makers who don’t have a job right now, but who might make one for you after they meet you, is why networking is the most successful approach to finding a job. Frankly, this is how most business is really done at our level.If you ...


Jul 15, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

When the going gets tough, the tough get silly

Resume Writing

When the going gets tough, the tough get silly Cover Image

Last week I processed a batch of new members. It was actually a three week batch as I was on vacation for two weeks.I realize that new members are not totally indicative of how everyone is doing their resume, but I have to tell you that their resumes aren’t all that different from the ones...


Jul 14, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Do all new jobs disappoint?

Evolving Job Market

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 11, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Hard on the wind

Being Out of Work

Hard on the wind Cover Image

Since not all of the members of The FENG are sailors, I really need to start this editorial with the idea that you can’t sail directly into the eye of the wind. In fact, you generally have to be about 45 degrees off the wind to make any headway. However, this is only a real nuisance at tho...


Jul 10, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

All I know about you is in front of me

Correspondence

All I know about you is in front of me Cover Image

To quote George Bernard Shaw: “The biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”With respect to our power to communicate, we live in a remarkable period of time. I normally respond to 50-100 unique emails every day. I have been doing this for many years and yet...


Jul 09, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

No right answers

Resume Writing

No right answers Cover Image

In my continuing “joys of sailing” series, I thought I would talk about docks around Long Island Sound. Although one can drag anchor, one rarely drags dock. (A little sailing joke for you.)Sure, it is a rather arcane topic, but hopefully it is one that you can use to amaze and astound your...


Jul 08, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

Human Interaction

Human Interactions

Human Interaction Cover Image

Since we have so many new members each year, I thought I would write something tonight about the mission of The FENG and how we accomplish our objectives for one another.Sailors are a naturally friendly lot. (Yes, another sailing analogy!) As one of the other couples my wife and I met at a...


Jul 07, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG

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 02, 2024

By Matt Bud, The FENG