In the News

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 president Charles "Chip" McCreary.

Mr. McCreary 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. McCreary 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 President Charles "Chip" McCreary.

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 Chip McCreary, president of Dallas, Texas-based executive search firm Austin McGregor. "Everything has just come to a screeching halt. It affects morale."

Austin McGregor expands operations into Silicon Valley, establishing Mountain View location

Austin McGregor, a leading executive search firm for technology startups, announced today that it is expanding its presence into Silicon Valley with the opening of its Mountain View office. The Silicon Valley market has been one of the firm's most successful in the past year and recent demand has necessitated them to open an office in the area. By completing CEO and VP searches for leading VC's such as Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Sequoia Capital, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Sevin Rosen Funds, JP Morgan, and GE Capital, the firm has created a buzz in the industry as one of the "best-kept secrets" in executive search.

Part of that secret to their success in Silicon Valley is their high-tech President,  Jeremy King, who will head up the Silicon Valley office. "Since joining AMI almost two years ago, Jeremy has demonstrated a tenacious ability to forge relationships and land high-profile candidates. He has won CEO searches from some of the most established brand names in the Bay area venture capital community," said Chip McCreary, CEO of Austin McGregor.   Mark Kvamme, a Partner at Sequoia Capital who recently completed a CEO search with Austin McGregor said, "I was impressed with the caliber of candidates they brought to the table and we got the person we wanted in less than 60 days. We are looking forward to building our relationship with Austin McGregor."

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."

GE Capital Selects Austin McGregor As Preferred Provider

Austin McGregor has been selected by GE Capital as one of only two retained Executive Search firms who have earned preferred provider status. Austin McGregor will help recruit senior executives (Vice Presidents and CXO's) to their vast portfolio of more than 350 companies.

"We are honored to be selected and look forward to building management teams for one of the most notable brands in the industry, while strengthening our relationship with GE Capital," said Jeremy C. King, SVP and Partner of Austin Mcgregor.

VCs Taking More Interest In Candidates With Start-up Experience

Increasingly, VCs are taking more interest in candidates with startup experience than with top-tier MBAs. Jeremy King, who as senior VP and partner at Dallas-based recruiting firm Austin McGregor is working on a partner search for a top-name VC, looks for e-commerce experience – or for candidates who have headed product marketing or business development for large software or Internet infrastructure firms.

Venture Capitalists Finding Executive Search Firms Invaluable Asset

Executive Jeremy King, partner with search firm Austin McGregor, calls the joining of VCs and executive search firms "a natural extension." "We're in the same business, basically, and we work with a lot of the same people," King says of the two industries. His firm, which works with a number of top-tier venture firms across the country on both partner searches and portfolio executive searches, has worked with the likes of all.com and Vignette (Nasdaq:VIGN), among others.

Down and out in Texas

"We're still working with the area's big venture capitalists, but none of our searches are in the telecom industry right now," says Jeremy King, a senior vice president and partner at Austin McGregor International, the Dallas-based search firm whose clients include Sevin Rosen Funds, Mayfield Fund, and Austin Ventures. "The VCs know where the telecom startup opportunities are and, since the pace of investments is slow, they're doing more resumé vetting themselves."

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 Chip McCreary, Presdent Austin McGregor International.

Chip McCreary On "Getting The Best From Executive Search Firms"

Austin McGregor's President Chip McCreary 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. Chip McCreary's insightful column was featured in Workforce Magazine, an award winning industry trade publication targeting human resource professionals.

Austin McGregor Names Jeremy King SVP and Partner

Executive search firm Austin McGregor, headquarted in Dallas, has appointed Jeremy King to senior vice president and partner. Mr. King will champion the high technology and new economy national practice. Mr. King was previously with a top 10 retained executive search firm where he served on the leadership team of their national Internet practice.