My name is Mark Wayman, and for the last twelve years I have owned an Executive Recruiting firm focused on gaming and high tech. Compensation starts at $100,000, my average placement is $200,000 and last year I placed eight executives north of a million dollars. Although my articles are targeted at more senior executives, most of these points apply to all levels.  Not here to judge or criticize.  The only purpose is to communicate what Executive Recruiters and hiring companies look for in top executive candidates.

The Economy is a Major Factor – House prices go up and down depending on the economy. They peaked in 2008, and then dropped like a rock until 2012.  Salaries and hiring follow the same trend.  They move up and down with the economy.  When Depression 2.0 hit in 2008 I went from 120 job openings to 10 in less than 30 days.  Slowly, but surely, hiring has made a comeback, but during a down economy…you can’t ignore it.

You Don’t Live in the Same House Your Whole Life – Well, most people don’t. Maybe 2% of folks live in the same house for a lifetime and the same number work in the same job for 30 years and retire.  For the other 98%, they will change jobs multiple times.  The company takes care of the company.  You need to take care of you.  Be a consulting company of one that just happens to be on someone’s payroll.

You Need to Listen to Your Real Estate Agent – Your Real Estate Agent is the expert. They know the “comps” and what you can reasonable expect to get for your house.  For executive candidates lucky enough to be represented by an Executive Recruiter (they have all the good jobs!), listen to the Recruiters advice.  Occasionally I get candidates that want to be the smartest guy in the room.  Recruiters know the economy, the hiring market and the compensation ranges.  Listen to their counsel.

You Have to Be Reasonable About Price – Most people are emotionally attached to their home and price it way above market value. The Real Estate agent tries to explain that pricing the house too high will result in the house going stale on the market, and no offers.  This is probably the number issue with candidates – they are unreasonable about compensation.  For example, I recently received a resume of a Director making $125,000.  Market rate for that job is $100,000, so they were already above market rate.  The candidate wanted…wait for it…$175,000.  That is never going to happen.  Which results in the next issue…

If the House Sits on the Market Too Long, Buyers Lose Interest – If a house does not sell the first couple of months it’s listed, buyers start to wonder what’s wrong. Does the roof leak?  Are there cracks in the foundation?  For those in transition, keep in mind that companies want to hire gainfully employed executives.  The next most attractive candidate is just leaving their current employer.  Once a candidate is unemployed for six months, it’s a big red flag for hiring companies.  Trust me on this!  Mostly this situation is related to the candidate being unrealistic about compensation (see above).  I know executives that NEVER found another job because they were trying to get back to their glory days.  Compensation packages are not what they used to be.

How Badly Do You Want to Sell It? – Of course quite a bit depends on how badly you want to sell your house. Are you in escrow on a new place and have 30 days to get your old house sold?  Or are you just “testing the waters” to see how much you can get?  If a candidate is gainfully employed, typically they want a better title, increased base salary and/or equity.  A bigger and better OPPORTUNITY.  And they have the luxury of being gainfully employed and being choosey.  For the unemployed, the clock is running.  I don’t recommend anyone go from one bad employment situation to another, but on the other hand, you don’t want to end up unemployed for two years.

Don’t Negotiate Your Way Out of a Sell – If someone makes an offer for your house, it’s pretty common to negotiate certain things. Who will do repairs; who handles the closing costs.  When a candidate gets a job offer, I’m astounded at some of the silly things they do.  After interviewing for three months, they want to fight about car allowances and who pays for dry cleaning.  What?  That makes you look trivial.  And occasionally I have someone that agreed to $200,000 prior to interviewing, and then says, “I want $225,000.”  The worst part is they usually justify it with “I have a big mortgage” or “I have to put my kid through college.”  Let’s be crystal clear: Your expenses and lifestyle have zero to do with your compensation package.  And holding the hiring company hostage for more money at the eleventh hour is the worst strategy ever.

Don’t Overreach – Many people purchase homes they can’t afford, and the first time they have a financial hiccup, they are foreclosed on or bankrupt. The grass is not always greener, and sometimes you need to be exactly where you are.  I have seen great Directors flounder as VPs.  Great VPs that failed as Presidents.  It’s sad because they were highly successful in their previous role and company, but lured by big titles and salary, they make a change…and don’t make it. Not everyone can be the CEO.

This Father’s Day…Drop the Rock (Bonus Tip) – My Dad jumped out of an airplane on D-Day in Normandy at the age of 18. He was my hero, and although he passed away while I was fairly young, he instilled two traits in me above all else – honesty and integrity.  When it came to revenge, his advice was, “Son, you don’t need to get them back, they will get what’s coming to them.”  Great advice!  Not everyone lives by the Lord’s prayer (forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those the trespass against us) or John 13:34 (love one another as I have loved you).  Everyone is on a different journey.  Maybe they are fighting a drug or alcohol addiction.  Maybe they recently lost a parent or child.  Maybe they are going through a tough divorce.  Maybe they hate their job.  Regardless…drop the rock!  Don’t take it personally, and never seek revenge.  As Mother Teresa said, “In the end, it is between you and God.  It was never between you and them anyway.”

My name is Mark Wayman, and for the last twelve years I have owned an Executive Recruiting firm focused on gaming and high tech. Compensation starts at $100,000, my average placement is $200,000 and last year I placed eight executives north of a million dollars. So although my articles are targeted at more senior executives, most points apply at all levels.  And let me be crystal clear, I am not here to judge or criticize.  My only purpose is to communicate what Executive Recruiters and hiring companies look for in top executive candidates.

A great CEO once told me, “Bring me candidates of integrity, because without it, I don’t care how brilliant or talented they are.”  No Executive Recruiter wants to represent a candidate that is dishonest; no company wants to hire a candidate with poor morals.  The best candidates, what I refer to as “A” candidates, are people of high integrity – honest, trustworthy, high morals.  Want to be the “A” candidate that gets hired the majority of the time?  Keep on reading!

Honesty is the Best Policy: Education – If you lie about little things, you will probably lie about big things. Make sure you are 100% honest and forthcoming during every aspect of the interview process.  Unless you have a college degree, do NOT list a college on your resume.  I have seen pretty much ever take on this spinning of the truth.  “I attended there.”  “Only need three credits to graduate.”  “I plan on going back.”  That is all well and good, but “A” candidates don’t try to spin the truth.  If you list a college, and don’t have a college degree, it’s a big red flag.  Executive Recruiters and HR executives don’t care if you have a college degree.  BUT…if the hiring company REQUIRES a college degree, then they can only interview candidates with a degree.

Honesty is the Best Policy: Experience – Be 100% honest about your experience, including job titles and compensation. The hiring company is going to check it, and if you were not honest, you will be terminated.  I always ask candidates for their base salary so I can make sure they are in range for the roles I’m working on.  One candidate told me $90,000.  He got the job and was paid $95,000.  When the background check came in, he was $65,000 at the last job.  His response? “Ohhhh….I thought you wanted my TOTAL compensation.”  The same can be said for job titles.  There was one guy who listed Microsoft as his employer and CTO as his title.  Bahahahahaha!  He was no CTO.  He wasn’t even a VP.  Another guy listed his title as Chief Marketing Officer when his real title was VP.  “There is no CMO, so basically that is what I do.”  No, you are a VP, and when the background check shows lied about your title, you will be terminated.  One last example.  Super solid VP that I placed in a great job.  When his background check came back, he had lied about something on the employment application that was 15 years old.  He was fired.  Not for the item on the employment application.  It was not a deal breaker.  He was fired because he lied about it.

All You Have in Life is Your Word and Your Reputation – My Dad gave me this advice multiple times over the years. As an Executive Recruiter, my reputation rides on every resume I submit.  Think I do some due diligence? You bet!  This is very simple – do what you say you will do.  Keep your word.  I’m surprised at all the people that say, “Let’s do lunch”, but never do.  Or the companies that commit to giving me searches, then reneg.  Or commit to a charity event and bail out at the last minute.  Or RSVP to one of my private mixers and are a “no show, no call”.  Then they get fired and send me a resume.  Riddle me this, do I want to represent people that don’t keep their word?  I know you are thinking this is just common sense, but I see it on a daily basis.  If you make a commitment – keep it!

Strong Moral Principles – Hold the hate mail. Again, I’m not here to judge, only educate and bring awareness.  When I started my Executive Recruiting firm 12 years ago, candidates with financial issues were persona non grata.  Mostly I work in gaming, which is a regulated space.  Large sums of cash move around a casino on a daily basis.  Casinos frown on candidates with bankruptcies and tax liens.  If you can’t handle your personal finances, they don’t want you touching their money.  These days shorts sales and foreclosures are a bit more palatable, although not much.  Same with DUIs.  If it happened in college twenty years ago it’s probably not a deal breaker.  If it happened recently, and you have two DUIs, you are OUT.  I recently had a candidate that could not understand why 3 DUIs were an issue.  Companies want to hire people that make good personal and professional decisions.

Culture and Chemistry are 50% of the Decision – This is a bonus section unrelated to integrity. At senior levels, culture and chemistry can be up to 50% of the decision.  Why?  First, the majority of candidates are a technical or “skill set” fit.  They would not be interviewing if they weren’t.  Executive Recruiters and HR people are pretty good at narrowing the thundering herd.  When you get down to two or three candidates, it comes down to who the hiring manager liked the most.  Who they felt comfortable with.  Who they feel would be a good cultural and team fit.  I have seen many brilliant, super talented people lose out on job opportunities because they just can’t get the interpersonal relationship thing down.  Typically their resume has five jobs in the last five years.  It’s like your Mom always said, “Be nice and play well with others.”

My name is Mark Wayman, and for the last twelve years I have owned an Executive Recruiting firm focused on gaming and high tech. Compensation starts at $100,000, my average placement is $200,000 and last year I placed eight executives north of a million dollars.

I am frequently asked, “How come Executive Recruiters never call me with the GOOD jobs? How can I stay on their radar?”  Two great questions.  Executive Recruiters DO get the best jobs.  Any company that is going to pay a Recruiter 25% to 35% of your base salary is a company you want to work for!  And everyone wants to be that “go to” candidate when a great job comes up.  So here are a few of my tips for making an Executive Recruiter your best friend.

Gainfully Employed – You can hold the hate mail. I’m not here to judge anyone, just give you the honest truth about how the system works.  Gainfully employed candidates are the most attractive.  They are followed by folks they just left their current job this week, and finally those that have been on the street for some period of time.

Education – Nearly 100% of high end jobs require a college degree. Again, these are NOT the Recruiter’s requirements; they are the hiring company’s.  If the Recruiter wants to get paid, he has to follow directions.  Either you have a degree or you do not.

Professional Experience with High Profile Companies – From an experience perspective, Recruiters like stability. Three to five years minimum per gig.  Candidates with five jobs in five years are “job hoppers” and eliminated from consideration.  And of course there may be a very logical reason for moving around, but Recruiters get paid to place executives, and good companies expect stability.  And the most attractive candidates have worked for high profile companies with names everyone recognizes.

Without Integrity, I Don’t Care How Brilliant or Talented You Are – So those first three are a prerequisite – Gainfully employed, college degree and stable work history. Now we move on to more subjective areas.  A great CEO once told me, “Without integrity, I don’t care how brilliant or talented they are.”  Surprisingly, a large number of executive candidates are NOT truthful.  Candidates lie about their education, experience, job title, compensation…you name it.  Had a candidate tell me his base salary was $150,000.  After we made the job offer, the background check came back at $100,000 from his last job.  “Oh, I thought you meant with my bonus, insurance, dry cleaning and car allowance.”  No you didn’t.  You just flat out lied to get the job.  And then there are all the candidates that list colleges they never graduated from.  Either you have a college degree or you don’t.  Only list a college if you graduated. INTEGRITY is the biggest deal breaker in recruiting.  No Recruiter wants to represent someone that is dishonest.

Relationships Trump Talent – All things being equal, Executive Recruiters submit candidates they know and like. If you remember nothing else from reading this, remember this – RELATIONSHIPS TRUMP TALENT.  Candidates say, “You are doing your clients a disservice by not submitting me – I’m the smartest person to ever walk the planet.”  Not true.  Recruiters get paid to know the candidates personally, and to provide scripture and verse on their backgrounds.  Why did they leave their last job?  What are their strengths and weaknesses?  Companies pay good recruiters to submit executives they know and trust, not candidates that cold call and send unsolicited resumes.

You Need to Add Value! – Let’s say I have a CFO search. I’ll send an email to 200 CFOs that I know personally to see if anyone wants to volunteer, but also to see if anyone can provide a referral.  Top Executive Recruiters don’t post jobs online or use Monster candidate databases.  They are careful to only represent executives they know personally, or those referred to them by a credible source. BIG TIP – If an Executive Recruiter asks for a referral, and you can provide one, DO IT.  Recruiters love people that add value, and have exceptionally long memories.

Don’t Spam Your Resume – If you are going to apply for jobs online, there is no need to send an Executive Recruiter your resume. We get paid to find the unobtainable, inaccessible, gainfully employed executives with impeccable pedigrees.  Online job postings are for “B” candidates.

Arrogant and Self-Absorbed is NOT Attractive – Let me tell you about the worst candidate I ever represented. He was a $500,000 type with a very impressive background.  Better yet, a high profile person sent me the resume.  When someone important vouches for you, that goes a long way with me.  Unfortunately, this candidate set new records for hubris.  Absolutely refused to listen.  Eventually I met with him in person and said, “If you don’t listen to me, I have to withdraw you from the search.”  He did not get the job, was unemployed two years, worked a year and is unemployed again.  Humble and genuine is attractive.  No company wants to hire narcissistic megalomaniacs.

Don’t Be Desperate or Needy – This is another area you need to be careful with. The fact you got fired may be an emergency on your part; it is not an emergency for the Recruiter. RECRUITERS GET PEOPLE FOR JOBS, NOT JOBS FOR PEOPLE. Really, really important to understand.  If you come across as desperate, no Recruiter will represent you.  Recruiters focus on finding jobs and placing strong executives in those jobs.  They are not going to drop everything they are doing to solve your crisis.  If you think constantly calling and emailing will “keep you on their radar”, you are sadly mistaken.  Pretty quickly they will stop returning your call.

No Cold Calls – Top Recruiters don’t accept unsolicited resumes. In other words, resumes of executives they don’t know.  The “B” Recruiters do that because they are throwing spaghetti on a wall and praying something sticks.  The best Executive Recruiters only work with executives they know personally, or those referred from their professional network.  If you don’t one or two Executive Recruiters personally, make it your goal to meet a couple.  Ask one of your peers for a referral.  Build the bridge before you need to cross the river.

Confidential means CONFIDENTIAL! – Never, ever ask an Executive Recruiter to share information about a confidential search. Like a Doctor or Attorney, our work is very sensitive and confidential.  In some cases the incumbent has not been terminated yet.  In all cases the company does not want to be assaulted by unqualified candidates.  If an Executive Recruiter tells you the company is confidential, leave it at that.

Be Realistic About Compensation – If you are making $200,000, no company is going to pay you $400,000. Probably not even $300,000.  Although I have seen some pretty big pay increases for specific technical skill sets, the typical increase is 10% to 20%.  Pretty much everyone thinks they are underpaid, however my sense is that 10% are underpaid or overpaid and 80% of executives are receiving the market rate.  If you are unrealistic about compensation, Executive Recruiters won’t represent you.  We get paid to place people and don’t spend time on the impossible.

Never End Run a Recruiter – Here is a great way to become persona non grata. If the Recruiter says you are not a fit, YOU ARE NOT A FIT.  Period.  Not a discussion item.  If you try to end run the Recruiter and go directly to the hiring company you will accomplish two things.  First, the hiring company is going to ignore you.  They hired that Recruiter to keep unqualified people like you from gang tackling them.  Second, you will join the Recruiters “excluded list” of executives they won’t represent in the future.  And you know what?  All the Recruiters know each other and talk to each other.  And many times hiring companies call the Recruiters for input, even if they are not engaged with the search.  Never seen a successful end run.  Don’t do it!

Compliance Issues are a Deal Breaker – If you have a criminal record, DUIs, bankruptcies or tax liens, you will be challenged to find a senior level job. Companies want to hire executives that make good personal decisions.

Don’t Burn Bridges – I often tell Las Vegas executives, “This is a town of two million, but only 200 of them make all the decisions, and they all know each other.” There is no benefit to burning bridges.  Wish I had $100 for every candidate that was otherwise highly talented, but had burned their bridges and could not get a single interview.  Mostly they all have to leave town and find a city where no one knows them.  It’s like you Mom told you, “Play nice.”

No Sour Grapes – If the Recruiter secures you an interview, but you don’t get the job, be positive and upbeat. Thank the Recruiter for their time and effort on your behalf.  Never say “it’s their loss” or “they must be idiots not hire me.”  Sour grapes paints you in a negative light and will get you excluded from future searches.

An Attitude of Gratitude – Once you find a job, let your Executive Recruiter connections know where you landed and give them updated contact information. Thank them profusely for their help during your career search.  And make sure to stay in touch.  A shocking number of executives ask Recruiters for help, and then cast them away once they get a job.  Make no mistake; it will be remembered next time around.

My name is Mark Wayman, and for the last twelve years I have owned an Executive Recruiting firm focused on gaming and high tech. Compensation starts at $100,000; last year I placed eight executives north of a million dollars.

Executive Recruiters cringe when a candidate asks certain questions, and here are the three to avoid at all costs.

What company is this and/or how many candidates are interviewing? Confidential means CONFIDENTIAL.  There is nothing more annoying to an Executive Recruiter than nosy gossips that ask inappropriate questions.  Like a Doctor or Attorney, our work is very sensitive and confidential.  In some cases the incumbent has not been terminated yet.  In all cases the company does not want to be assaulted by unqualified candidates.  If an Executive Recruiter tells you the company is confidential, leave it at that.  The other confidentiality issue involves WHO is interviewing.  If you are fortunate enough to be on the slate, never ask how many candidates are interviewing, or who those candidates are.  Does not matter if you are the only candidate or one of ten.  Focus on nailing the interview, not trying to game the system.  Candidates that ask about confidential information are quickly disposed of.

Will they pay for my dry cleaning?  The only people that say money does not matter…don’t have any!  That stated, companies want to hire executives that focus on opportunity.  If you start giving a line by line of your last compensation package, you come across as greedy and self-serving. And make sure you are aware of your market value.  What are your peers making?  I just had an unemployed candidate whose last salary was $82,000 ask me for $150,000.  Companies rarely hire unemployed people at the senior level.  And they certainly are not going to double your salary.  Focus on opportunity, not money.

Can you put in a good word for me? Executive Recruiters can only discuss candidates they are representing.  Never ask the Recruiter to “put in a good word for you”.  Mostly this happens because candidates apply online, then find out the Recruiter has the search.  The Recruiter is paid to submit the best candidates, and strong senior level executives don’t apply online.  This is what the Executive Recruiter does for a living. It’s how they put food on the table and pay for their kids tuition.  Do you want to work for free?  No?  Then don’t ask them to do their job for free.

90% of senior level jobs come from your network or an Executive Recruiter (Bonus Tip) – The subtitle is “meeting an Executive Recruiter when you are unemployed is a terrible career strategy.” Every day I get 20 cold calls from candidates.  Like most Executive Recruiters I only work with executives I know personally, or those referred to me by my network.  Why?  Because due diligence on someone you don’t know is too daunting.  Companies expect the Recruiter to know the candidates personally, and to provide background on their skill sets.  It is essential that you keep in touch with two or three Recruiters, as well as your industry peers.  Those peers get calls for jobs, so when you are ready to make a move, you can check with them for opportunities.  You don’t have a professional network?  You better get one.  Fully 90% of the GOOD jobs come from your network or an Executive Recruiter.

As an Executive Recruiter, the topic of compensation and salaries comes up daily. I try to get my candidates focused on OPPORTUNITY as opposed to MONEY.  That stated, anyone that tells you money does not matter…does not have any!

So how do you determine your “market value”, the compensation package companies will pay you based on your education and experience? Here are the primary factors that determine what an executive gets paid.

Professional Experience – You need to be a close fit for the job if you expect to get interviewed. If you are going to switch careers, do it internally at your present company.  As an Executive Recruiter, I put square pegs in square holes.  And companies hire for what they need – not for on the job training.  And for the love of God, never say, “I can do anything!”  Mostly you get paid based on your skill set and years of experience (seniority).  The one exception is technology, where certain high demand skill sets (CRM, Oracle, Teradata) inflate salaries.  I once placed an Engineer that was $70,000 for $95,000 because he had a unique technical skill set.  Typically, though you are going to get a 10% bump in compensation between jobs.  Maybe 20% tops.  Anyone that tells me they want 50% more than they are currently making, gets dropped like a hot rock.

Education – Either you have a four year college degree or you don’t. If you don’t, leave it off the resume.  I regularly drop candidates that try to spin the truth.  No one cares that you were 4 units away from graduating.  You have it…or you don’t.  A four year degree is required for most executive level jobs, however a degree alone won’t get you a higher base salary.  Just makes you more qualified.  On another topic, completing your MBA does not guarantee you a raise.  Had two of these recently.  First, a candidate at $80,000 that though he could “easily get $100,000 because that’s what they pay MBAs” and “I know I’m at $200K, however with my high profile MBA you should be able to get me $300K”.  Nope.  Not going to happen.

Cost of Living and Taxes – Since mostly I recruit in Las Vegas, I constantly struggle with this one. If you are $300,000 in San Francisco, you would be lucky to get $200,000 in Las Vegas.  Why?  We don’t pay that 13.5% California state income tax, and the cost of housing is 1/3 that of the Bay Area.  Try telling that to candidates.  Regularly get San Francisco and Los Angeles candidates that say “cost of living does not matter.”  You are wrong.  Cost of living matters to companies in a big way.  Be sure to use a cost of living salary calculator if you are changing geographies.

Employment – Companies want to hire gainfully employed executives. After that, they prefer someone that just left their last job.  Get to six months of unemployment and you have real trouble.  It’s like a house that sits on the market.  Buyers start wondering why someone has not snapped it up.  If you are unemployed, you better be realistic about compensation.  I know a guy that was terminated from a $275,000 job.  Told him I could do $225,000 and he responded, “Are you kidding, I can get $350,0000.”  He was unemployed almost a year, took a $225,000 job (gosh, that number sounds familiar), terminated again and now work for $160,000.  Be realistic about your compensation demands!

Economy and Market Conditions – This is a HUGE one. I remember going from 130 open jobs to 10 in two weeks during 2008.  January 2016 started out the same way – hiring fell off a cliff.  When the economy falls apart, you have 100 candidates for every job vacancy.  In a strong job market, you can ask for more money because the company will have fewer candidates.  And for the record, that 5% unemployment number the government is touting is complete cow turd.  How about all the people that left the job market?  How about the ones that were moved to part-time so their employers would not have to pay them benefits.  How about all the ones on the government dole? The REAL unemployment rate is 15% to 20%.

This is the second of a three part series on SUCCESS, and how to achieve it by modeling your attributes/behavior after the world’s most successful people.   The intent of this article is NOT judge or criticize; simply to communicate the attributes and behaviors I have observed in successful people.  These are not MY tips and counsel; they come from observing hundreds of successful executives.  Hope you enjoy it!

Today is the First Day of the Rest of Your Life – No matter what happened yesterday or last week or last year, today is the first day of the rest of your life. If you are an alcoholic, you can quit drinking.  If you are a drug addict, you can get clean and sober.  NOTHING is stopping you from being successful.  Stop whining and start working! One day I was working as a bowling alley mechanic.  It was 100 degrees and I was changing an air conditioning unit.  It was so hot on the roof of the bowling alley that my tennis shoes melted to the roof.  Time for a new job.  So I went back to college and paid my own way through while working 60 hours a week.  That allowed me to go from being a bowling alley mechanic to a computer programmer.  Then I worked 60 hours a week while getting an MBA.  Went from technology to sales, where one company went public on the NASDAQ and one company was acquired by IBM.  For the last 12 years I have OWNED the company.  Oprah started with nothing.  Bill Gates started with nothing.  Steve Jobs started with nothing. Today is the first day of the rest of your life – go write a new ending to your movie.

Don’t Begrudge the Success of Others – Most people believe that high net worth (rich) people inherited their money or won it in a lottery.NOT TRUE.  Almost all millionaires are self-made.  They started from zero, and for the most part, worked like a sled dog for many years to obtain their success.  You need to get out of the mindset that “I’m as good as them and should have their money.”  Then you have the 48% that don’t contribute in America saying “money does not matter.”  I have news for you, the only people that say money does not matter…don’t have any. There is a saying, “The foolish always want what the wise worked hard to get.”  Begrudging the success of others leaves you with a bitter, angry mindset that will keep you from being successful.

Run Your Own Race – Stop worrying about what everyone else is doing! When I was 18 I was one of the top five bowlers in California.  Then I went on the National Pro Bowlers Tour and could not break the top 100.  Everything is relative.  I have a friend with a net worth of $30MM.  I do pretty good, but I don’t have $30MM.  But you know what?  I know someone worth $300MM.  And a guy worth $1B.  No matter how wealthy or successful you are, there is always someone with more money or success.  The key to happiness is being successful right where you are.  RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW.  And successful people don’t worry about what everyone else has to say about them.  Every day I hear, “Mark is a jerk because he won’t invest in my company” or, “Mark is not a Christian because he won’t get me a job.”  I kid you not!! Not to offend anyone, but I don’t give a rat’s fat ass about people that criticize me.  The Bible states, “Whatever you did for the least of My Brothers, you did for Me.”  I place 50 executives a year in new jobs, then donate a portion of the revenues to charity.  Mostly children and animals.  Some people are just angry and bitter.  It is not your job to be GM of the Universe and fix them.  As Mother Teresa said, “It’s between them and God, it was never between you and them anyway.”  Stop worrying about everyone else, and run your own race!