52 weeks of blogs. I trust that you have learned a lot this year from these. I enjoy writing them since they are a way for me to share what is going on in the recruiting world as it relates to public finance professionals. Most of my blogs come from conversations that I have had over the last week. Yet over a holiday week where would my inspiration come from? The answer would be the books I am constantly reading. Each year I set a goal to read at least 75 new books, and this year it was close to 85. Books hold so much knowledge about the past, present, and future. Did you ever wonder where the likes of Benjamin Franklin or Paul Revere learned their craft? The answer was not traditional schooling but through 10,000 or more hours of an apprenticeship program.
What It Takes To Make A Move As Public Finance Professionals
Any book that talks about mastery say it takes at least 10,000 hours to become a master in anything. Whether as a journeyman, teacher, recruiter, or investment banker; after 10,000 hours which will equate to about 7 – 10 years, you are then proficient to go out on your own and earn a living. Why do I talk about this in my final blog of the year for those public finance professionals? The reason for this is due to the constant desire of people making moves too quickly. Yes, you read that right. Here’s a recruiter sharing that you should not be moving too quickly and that you should be staying with a firm for that many hours to become the truly qualified candidate to then make a move if your current situation does not suit you properly. Newly minted graduate students who get their first job in our field of public finance should not be looking at pay as the reason to go to a new company. There are many better reasons to select a firm. This also applies to seasoned professionals.
Looking For The Ideal Manager
The remainder of this blog is going to look at those other non-compensation reasons to choose a firm for public finance professionals. Like the apprentice that chooses the master instructor, choosing your immediate supervisor is the most important decision you should make when moving to your first or your fifth firm. The day-to-day interaction that you will have with your manager is crucial. If you have a manager that you feel comfortable with, that is the manager you want. Someone who will challenge you and teach you, and at the same time provide and allow you to make mistakes that you learn from them. A manager that is hands-on to an extent but not overly watchful is what you should be looking for as you complete your first five years or so. As for the experienced professional, you want a manager that is going to be there to help you navigate the problems internally to get your deals done,
A Word To Public Finance Professionals: You Need The Best Platform For You
A firm that offers you a platform to grow your business and does not pigeonhole you is also a characteristic that you should weigh closely as you come to the completion of your apprenticeship. For those bankers that are experienced, this is even more crucial for further career growth. For example, a firm that has too many people covering a specific sector may indeed be holding you back without you realizing it. A firm that also states that you can only stay in one particular sector is not allowing you to venture out to learn and create new income opportunities. A platform where you bring credit to the table and they turn down the underwriting for various reasons is also not a firm that you would want to remain at if this is happening consistently. At this stage in your career development, the name on the business card becomes less important as you have established yourself. Have the confidence in yourself that your business will follow you as you leave behind the years of apprenticeship. Public finance professionals in years seven and above become valuable as they now have the knowledge coupled with the experience to be an asset to any firm.
Wishing you and your family a very Happy New Year! I look forward to sharing more insights with you in 2023.
Conclusion
If you would like to discuss your options, please reach out for a confidential conversation at 760-477-1284 or email at [email protected]. He can also be reached on LinkedIn. Harlan publishes a blog every Thursday here. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter here, which is a compilation of our weekly blogs, so you never miss one. You can find our listing in the “supplier and services” section of the Red Book under the title of “executive recruiting.”
About Harlan Friedman, JD & Founding Member, H. Friedman Search LLC. Harlan is a thirty-year veteran Public Finance Banker turned recruiter who specializes in the placement of all levels Public Finance Bankers, Healthcare Bankers, Municipal Advisors, Compliance Officers, Issuers, and Bond Counsels.