In the News

8 Ways CIOs Can Get TO The Top

Some chief information officers seemingly have it made. "They're rock stars...killers," says Stephen Sterett, managing partner with executive recruiter Austin McGregor in Dallas. These CIOs typically report directly to the CEO, sit in on all the important corporate powwows&mash;i.e. serve a member of the executive management team—have their own key to the executive washroom and command what Aretha Franklin describes as R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

Sterett, the managing partner at Austin McGregor, adds that fast track CIOs are absolutely being called upon by business unit heads, vice presidents of sales, senior vice presidents of marketing and CFOs regarding BI. "CIOs have an incredible amount of data, especially in the financial services, medical and pharmaceutical worlds—anything that touches customers directly. These guys [the CIOs] are being asked to go back and rethink the way they use business intelligence and predictive analytics, especially the latter. Most of the companies they work for have a multi-channel focus to get to their customers, so the amount of data they collect about their customers is incredible."

Executives Face Real Estate Woes During The Downturn When Trying to Relocate

The housing market's woes, though, are working the other way. Demographers and headhunters suggest people may be staying put because they can't sell their homes or can't get financing for new ones.

Dru George, a Partner at Austin McGregor, an executive search firm based in Dallas, said that in the past nine months he has had several executives turn down jobs in other places because of the financial hits they would take if they sold their homes. Some are "under water" -- that is, they paid more on their houses than they would get selling them -- he said.

"I'm doing a search in Austin, and I was speaking with candidates, East Coast, West Coast, in the South," he said. "A lot of these executives are $300,000 to $400,000 under water on their house. Do they sell it at a loss or stay put? That's something we see on a daily basis."

Austin McGregor Named To Top 40 Executive Search Firms

A recent article that appeared in Executive Recruiter News (ERN), noted that Austin McGregor has been elevated to the largest top 40 retained executive search firms in the US. The prestigious ERN article specified that the secret to growing a quality, executive recruiting firm rely on doing good search work-plain and simple. Hard work and long hours are at the core of Austin McGregor's success.

Austin McGregor On What To Do When Headhunters Come Calling

What should one do when "headhunters" come calling? This question was the subject of a recent article in Business Week. The author, Barbara Hetzer, discussed this question with Austin McGregor Managing Partner, Stephen Sterett.

Mr. Sterett counsels executives to develop relationships with recruiters who they can count on should the need for a job arise. "It's smart to have a few friendly recruiters in your back pocket who think well of you," Mr. Sterett states in the article. A three minute conversation may help you network for a job change two years hence.
The article concludes by advising executives to make sure their accomplishments are known with their company and within their industry. "That could bring the search firms beating a path to your door."

Amid Economic Slump, Workers Looking Before Leaping To New Jobs

A front page article that appeared in USA TODAY discussed how the year-end economic slump has taken much of the frenzy out of the job-hopping phenomenon. Despite low unemployment, a growing trend toward hiring freezes and coporate belt-tightening have had a dramatic effect on workers' psyche. Employees are more reluctant to quit, and job seekers are more cautious in their search, experts say. "People are skittish and tentative about career moves," says Austin McGregor Managing Partner, Stephen Sterett.

Softening Economy Has Employers Giving Jobseekers Chilly Reception

A feature article that appeared in USA TODAY highlighted a hiring freeze due to a weakening economy. The columnist noted a growing list of companies imposing hiring limits in industries hardest hit by recent economic woes. "The companies we represent are calling it a timeout," said Stephen Sterett, managing partner of Dallas, Texas-based executive search firm Austin McGregor. "Everything has just come to a screeching halt. It affects morale."

Austin McGregor Cites Top 5 Job-Seeker Embellishments

Fortune magazine noted in a recent article that not all job seekers tell the truth. The article cited five of the most common "embellishments" job seekers make, as identified by Austin McGregor.

Common areas of "embellishment" include:

• Pay: Some seekers overstate what they make in their current jobs, even though such information can be routinely checked.
• Tenure: Some applicants now fib by saying they have been with a company for fewer years than they really have. They fear a new employer will think they lack initiative if they say how long they have really been with a company.
• Job Status: Some executives cannot admit that they were "downsized."
• Age: Job applicants who want to claim the vigor of youth may fib about their age.
• Rank: Those who claim to report to CEOs when their sole contact is for a few special projects look like phonies, the article cautions.

The Fortune piece concludes with a quote from the poet Robert Browning, who said: " So absolutely good is truth that it never hurts the teller."

How can a businessperson avoid being pigeonholed when trying to evolve from one career or industry into another?

"More and more, people are hiring from outside of their industry. They would rather acquire a talent who understands the channel and the customers than the product. Being pigeon-holed only becomes an issue with an individual not coming across as seasoned enough. It comes down to the individual's ability to adapt to new markets," said Stephen Sterett, Managing Partner, Austin McGregor International.

Stephen Sterett On "Getting The Best From Executive Search Firms"

Austin McGregor's Stephen Sterett authored an article with his unique insider's perspective that illustrates how clients can obtain the service and cost-effectiveness from executive search firms that they deserve. Stephen Sterett's insightful column was featured in Workforce Magazine, an award winning industry trade publication targeting human resource professionals.