EditorialsBy Matt Bud, Chairman, The FENG

One of the themes that I like to present from time to time is the idea that each of us can make a difference.

For those of us who live in these United States, it is all very easy to fall into the accepted American concept that everything in this world is actually someone else’s fault. Hence we have the tendency in this country to sue anyone and everyone who might have wronged us. It has created a nice living for the contingency lawyers in this country, but has done little for the American sense of pride and individual responsibility for ourselves and others.

Here in our little society we call The FENG we have a unique opportunity to do something that individually would not be possible – change the world. We can’t change the world completely, but we can and have made significant improvements in certain parts of it.

We are, as Jimmy Carter might say, engaged in the moral equivalent of war. Not only are we individually engaged in a struggle to support ourselves and our families, but we can each in our own way, provide support to others to help them on their way.

As the elder George Bush might point out, we have here in The FENG our very own 1,000 points of light.

From the luminaries of our networking group who chair chapters and special interest groups, to our individual members who have offered to review resumes, share job leads, or just plain participate in the networking process by making and taking phone calls and sending and receiving emails from and to other members, you each in your own way make a difference.

Back in 1997 when I began as Chairman of this august body, the search community did not appreciate the full value of the “been there, and done that” experience that our members typically bring to the party. Although it presents itself to those on the receiving end as age discrimination, on the other side of the table it is often just a practical business problem of having to give clients what they have asked for – currently employed rising stars.

The “secret plan” that I devised and have shaped over the years has worked only because all of you on an individual basis believe and support what we do. This includes not only sharing job leads and only responding when qualified, but also getting with the program and reading our newsletter every day. Bury them in quality is our goal. And, do it before they have a chance to go elsewhere.

The effect of what we have been able to do for each other has probably not changed client requirements or the defective attitudes that go with it. What it has changed is the slate of candidates they get to consider. It may be our “evil” little plan to flood the candidate slate with members of our networking group, but this “little modification” to how the system works is very effective. The anecdotal evidence suggests we are winning more and more searches handled by recruiters.

So the next time you begin thinking that the world is against you and there is nothing you can do about it, remember the truth — every day and in every way, it all starts with you!

Regards, Matt

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