Meet the Team – John Jameson, Viaduct’s Senior Talent Consultant

Long Story Short:

Austin’s startup ecosystem is teeming with great opportunities for emerging businesses right in central Texas.

For candidates who are looking to get their feet wet in the startup world, who can they connect with?

As Viaduct’s Senior Talent Consultant, John Jameson is helping link Austin’s hottest startups with high-quality candidates.

Keep reading to learn more about John and explore his professional journey.

Where did you grow up? Do you have Austin roots?   

I spent the majority of my childhood and adolescence in Mechanicsburg, PA (Central PA). When I was young, my family lived in the mountains of western Oregon on a ranch. Our town didn’t have paved streets and our neighbors owned a buffalo ranch. It was a rich cultural experience! In grade school, I lived in Alaska and to this day enjoy visiting in the summer for adventures in the great outdoors. College took me to Chicago where I remained through my twenties. If you can survive the winters, Chicago has something for everyone and the summers offer endless opportunities for fun. In 2020, I moved south to Austin, TX for warmer weather and new experiences. I don’t have roots in Austin, but I am considering putting some down here.   

Tell us a little bit about your professional background. How did you get into recruiting? 

Recruiting has always been a passion since my first encounter with it. In college, I worked with JP Morgan Chase in a human resources rotational internship. I attended a career fair to recruit college students for open positions. Speaking with job seekers about their career interests ignited a sense of purpose at work. Shortly thereafter, I started my career in campus recruiting. After several years, I graduated to experienced hire “full-cycle” recruiting at a real estate firm. During the great recession, while working at a local college, I launched a company that taught job seekers how to network and present their best selves in interviews. In 2012, I began a career in search and over the last 10 years, have been fortunate enough to gain experience in both contingency and retained, at both startup and global organizations. Along the way, I co-founded Memory Farm, a farm-based day center that gives people living with early-onset dementia and Alzheimer’s a sense of purpose and meaning in life.

How did you find the opportunity at Viaduct?

Viaduct and TalentRise both have strong brands in the Chicagoland area so they were on my radar. A TalentRise leader had been a mentor of mine over the years, and it was really a matter of timing. In early 2021, TalentRise had an opening for an executive recruiter with a background in organizational development that could help synthesize the executive search and leadership advisory practices, which aligned with my interests and experience.

What are your primary day-to-day responsibilities? 

No two days are the same in recruiting, which is one of the main reasons I remain in this profession. In full-cycle executive search—from the deep-dive analysis into our client’s needs through new leader onboarding— I lead each step of the hiring process. A significant investment is made on the front end to understand the client’s need—which saves everyone time. We prioritize creating a positive client and candidate experience. However, finding the right candidate and position alignment is most important, and as a result, a significant portion of my time is spent thinking, researching, talent mapping, following up, and interviewing.Partnering with startup leaders and founders to hire executives is both fun and challenging. It’s often difficult to hire the first employee of any new position in an organization. As a result, Viaduct helps founders carefully design positions around current and future needs.

What excites you about the startup ecosystem? 

Energy! The buzz surrounding the startup ecosystem and the evolution of what companies are building and becoming is exciting! Innovation and growth happen daily in startup incubators and beyond. I’m fortunate to have my office at Capital Factory, a venture capital fund that invests in startups. I’m drawn to the “all hands on deck” culture within startups. On a broader level, successful startups create jobs, which in turn help provide for families. 

What do you want people to know about you? 

Helping people “fills my tank” so don’t hesitate to reach out and request a call to brainstorm—whether it be to explore a career transition or a potential opening on your team. Basketball, soccer, hiking, and tennis are my favorite sports, and I enjoy winding down and watching television at the end of the day. I am getting married in April of 2023 and we look forward to honeymooning in Thailand!

Interested in connecting with John to explore opportunities with Austin’s emerging startups? Shoot him a note at jamesonj@viaduct.com.

Want to browse the Viaduct job board? Check out all available employment opportunities here.

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