Either way, NACM Business Credit Services is here to help YOU

By Jon Flora, CEO

It’s April 1st. Aside from playing practical jokes, this is the first day of NACM’s new fiscal year. We celebrated yesterday being heroes for 2016-17. Today, we become zeroes and start all over again. The circle of life, I guess.

Like the beginning of a new calendar year, we pause to look back on the lessons of the last 12 months before we plunge ahead. Overall, FY 16-17 was good for NACM and we thank you for your participation. I can never say it enough: This is a member organization. It doesn’t work without you and we are grateful for each of you.

I am also thinking about our colleagues who found themselves looking for work this past year. It is a tough position to be in particularly as a person gets older. On my morning drive, I recently heard an ad for a company that supposedly uses the miracle of the internet to help companies hire people. It starts with “The worst part of my job is having to hire people…” I just wanted to put my fist through the dash board. Yesterday afternoon I talked to a qualified NACM member whose resume was overlooked by that advertised product because it was missing a certain key word. A company almost missed a good candidate. Fortunately, a follow-up phone call saved the day.

If you find yourself looking for job, perhaps these few pointers might help:

  1. If you are told by your employer that you are no longer needed, your world may stop but the rest of the world won’t. Lick your wounds and get back in the game. You have a new job finding a job. It’s a full time gig and the pay is lousy, but it’s how you need to spend your day.
  2. Tap your network of friends and colleagues. Not for a shoulder to cry on but for leads to the next job. We all know people and many of us have been in your position. Ask for help. Don’t have a network? Then…
  3. Begin building one today. Credit people are generally introverts. That’s not necessarily bad until we need help. You are part of NACM – a member organization with 700 members. Come to our Lunch & Learns, the Annual Meeting & Seminar, the Golf Tournament and anything else we do. Meet people, get acquainted, and build your network of trusted friends – before you need it.
  4. Prepare to deal with people like the guy in the radio ad who don’t like to hire people. Don’t take it personally. You will apply for jobs and never hear anything. You will be interviewed and never be called again. You will experience some of the rudest behavior known to humankind. It happens to everyone (which doesn’t make it right). Please learn from the experience. When you are next in a position to hire someone, you will treat candidates with dignity. Your hiring approach will also set your new company apart from the competition.
  5. If you are over 50, looking for a job is hard. If you over 60, it is painful. What about all those age-discrimination laws? You will quickly learn how well they don’t work.
  6. Call NACM Business Credit Services. We have our Job Bank and we know people. I can think of several people that we have helped who were successful in their job search in the past year. That’s not a result we can promise but if we can lend a hand, rest assured we will.
  7. Finally, be patient. Don’t despair and don’t give up. Good things will happen.

In the spirit of building that network, see the announcements below about upcoming educational events. Register today and then come meet new people. You will have fun and learn something, too! Happy New Year and thanks for being part of NACM Business Credit Services.