The value of FENG and other networking group

This evening, I went to a meeting in CT of the Financial Networking Group. About 50 people attended this chapter meeting. The attendees were all senior financial executives. The first part of the meeting was devoted to each person delivering a 90 second "elevator speech" about themselves. While this is essential to anyone in a job search, it is critical for anyone who ever needs to tell a stranger about themselves in a short and interesting way. As is normal at any meeting, many of them were weak and unclear. However, coaching was provided by the organizers of the meeting so that members can get better and better. There was a genuine recognition that the group as a whole would get stronger if each person helps another.

There was a short presentation by George Bradt, founder of PrimeGenesis, and leading expert about "onboarding" - the process of successfully starting up in a new job. The Obama Presidency was seen as a good role model because of the extensive preparation prior to the inauguration. Given the shorter and shorter time jobs last, this is an essential component of any executive's skill-set, and George did an excellent job of explaining it.