Executive Search Testimonials
A Different Approach to Executive Search
When it comes to executive recruiting, the same old tricks will work a few times… But they won’t work EVERY time.
And because of that, at Perry-Martel International, we show our clients that you can do executive search differently…
Are you happy with the same old results?
OR
ARE YOU READY TO EVOLVE?
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World-Class Executives Rely on Us
Discover the Perry-Martel Advantage: Experience Uncompromising Results, Every Time!
At Perry-Martel, we forge enduring collaborations with our clientele, empowering them to elevate their businesses to unprecedented heights.
Perry-Martel was determined, timely and innovative in their search efforts. Insightful, fun to work with, and ultimately successful – we always felt that Perry-Martel was in our corner producing results from the get-go! The quality of candidates was excellent, and we would not hesitate to use them again in the future.

Marin Sendyk
President and CEO - Lytica
One of the things that David does that other recruiters just don’t, is actually listens to your requirements as an employer – who you’re looking for, what the qualities and qualifications are. He tries to quantify and understand the ideal candidate. Most recruiters don’t do that. They take a bunch of notes, promise you they’ve got lots of people in their database that fit the description and then deluge you with resumes of candidates that don’t fit the bill.
David breaks the mold. You tell him what you need, he assesses your business, then shows you the actual profile of the person you need to align with your objectives. If I simply wanted to find a warm body, I wouldn’t waste David’s time. He understands the process, the objectives, and that I’m paying him for his business acumen as well as for his dynamic skills. David had published many books. He is an incredible adviser and trusted business partner.
David completely redefines what your expectations of a recruiter should be. He helped me assess the skills I needed, coordinated the hiring plan cross functionally and finally presented outstanding candidates that accelerated my plans and reduced my hiring needs from 7 down to 4. Those new candidates then helped me accomplish in 18 months what was scheduled to be done in 36. If you are looking for talent management for your organization – you should begin with David.
One of David’s most noticeable attributes is his passion around spending the time and effort needed to find the best people for the role and the best fit. He is very knowledgeable in the executive search field, always well prepared, and connects with his clients to understand the organization and the culture.
David Perry is a world-class executive recruiter. He is a brilliant man, dedicated to his profession and to the success of his clients. He understands leadership and he is able to use this understanding to separate the wheat from the chaff.
David has boundless energy and displays a commitment to projects that borders on obsession. He establishes a strong and almost uncanny understanding of the companies he works with and balances the empathetic (and frequently competitive) relationships that are crucial to the success of his projects. He is innovative and highly creative. But most importantly, David consistently displays a level of integrity far beyond the standard in his industry.
Execution and commitment are absolutely essential to any strategy or initiative in an era too full of plans, process and procrastination. You may have a technology which gives you an edge, but your people determine whether you win. David gets that. He delivered only the best.
Our new CFO is working out wonderfully – he is everything we wanted and the fact that you were able to connect him to us so quickly was very much appreciated.
David Perry brings to the assignment an intensity that rarely comes across in recruiting, or frankly anywhere else.He took an extreme personal interest in the success of the search.
David Perry and Perry-Martel International have raised the bar on how executive search should be carried out – responsive, decisive and relentless in aiding CATA Alliance companies to make a quantum leap in building their leadership teams. For eight years he represented CATA on the boards of the Software Human Resources Council (ICTC) and the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance.
As a past client of Perry-Martel, I appreciated David’s superior, professional approach to sourcing senior executives in a complex/competitive hiring environment. David’s organization was the executive search firm that really worked to understand all facets of the recruitment project from a corporate needs, culture, candidate experience and total relevance perspective. He delivered on all fronts.
He nailed it right on. I think what the biggest thing was, is because we had that conversation beforehand, he asked some hard questions, he had a real good idea as to what type of fit we were looking for, what type of person we needed. When he brought forward the candidates, like I said, there was no doubt that either one of the first four would have been a good fit.

Sheryl Backburn
Vice-Chair - Canadian Livestock Records Corporation
I can offer the reader my unequivocal recommendation of Perry-Martel International and of David personally. He delivered, delivered and over delivered in my opinion and remains even today a trustworthy advisor.
The thing that struck us the most, and the predominant reason why we chose David was that David listened, but he also gave us ideas… There was an interesting comfort feel. As it turned out, what we couldn’t do in nine months, David did in under three.
We have found PMI to be totally professional, discrete and above all else extremely tenacious. It is the commitment and never-give-up attitude that you bring to your profession that, I think, distinguishes your firm from the pack.
David always showed tremendous professionalism and poise in his ability to continue on what he knew was a tried and proven method that he knew would yield the right result.
If you fast forward, we roughly tripled the valuation of the business. The valuation was in the 20s of millions of dollars when I got there, and the business sold for about $70 million. We did this in 14 months.
We have been so successful with his searches that David became the exclusive recruiter for Simware/NetManage. Before Simware’s acquisition by NetManage, Perry-Martel International filled all the key executive positions including the President, Chief Technology Officer, VP of Engineering, VP of Sales, VP of Business Development, VP of Professional Services and VP of Marketing.

Kevin Watson
Director of Engineering - Simware
Senior level searches are never easy but the effort and energy we invested in the search has been repaid in full.

Bill Breen
CEO - Simware
One of the unique aspects about David Perry of Perry Martel International’s approach is how the search life cycle is managed. The executive team is guided through a detailed evaluation of core organizational beliefs, business growth strategies and intended outcomes to create a job profile that clearly articulates the opportunity and provides the conditions for success.
As a candidate in the process, David Perry required a detailed response to poignant questions that necessitated internal probing and clear communication of capabilities, personal beliefs and the root causes of failures and successes. It was a tough, insightful and invigorating experience and it was just the preparation phase. The interview framework was purposeful, intense and adaptive to the learnings in the process.
I would recommend Perry Martel International as key part of an organizations search process as well as a trusted Advisor on how to ensure you succeed and differentiate with top talent.
My experience working with David Perry fundamentally disrupted my understanding of what talent guys mean to a company and what they could mean to me, professionally and personally. There are interviewers, there are guys who just want to place gigs, there are folks who force a fit to make a number. Dave isn’t anything of that. He’s a pro, and a damned good one. He changed my view of talent management and acquisition forever. He changed my view of what I could do with my career. Don’t believe me? Call him. Then call me to say thanks.

Luke Williams
Corporate Vice President - Client Care Program
David is a innovative thinker who provides you value beyond your expectations. He is creative, smart and practical!
The essential behind the scenes look at the nuts and bolts to recruiting and hiring the next generation of leaders in the 21st century. A must have for Corporate Talent Acquisition leaders, CHROs and anyone working with…or around them.”
I know first- hand what happens when you hire the wrong person for a crucial position! It disrupts the entire performance of my team and slows us down considerably. “Hiring Greatness” is a step-by-step guide to making sure you get the absolute most out of your hiring efforts.
“Hire your replacement”, as a CEO this is the message I share with all my executives. Finding, attracting and closing the deal with exceptional talent is tough work. Hiring Greatness walks you through it clearly and concisely.
A-level talent is the most elusive and most essential part of a winning market strategy. Hiring Greatness method cuts to the essence of the hiring process, identifying the right person who can execute internal and externally.
This book challenges every myth in the hiring process. If you want great people, you need a great process. Hiring Greatness has it!
If you’d really love to make a difference in this world, read this book and apply its techniques. ”Timeless relevant and energizing”! A Brilliantly captivating and vibrant Book!

George S. Best
VP Strategic Initiatives - National Black MBA Association
Need a great leader? Then you need this book!”
Talent Attraction is critical for growth. Hiring Greatness gives you the hard facts and guidance to build a company that is not just good but great! Every leader can learn from this book and be inspired to make changes that make a difference.
“This is a remarkable book translating David’s years of recruiting experience into a detailed road-map for every hiring manager and executive. He is the perfect person to inspire us to hire greatness!”
Yet another NEW perspective from the Masters!, If there was such a thing as something more than a 360 degree view, Perry and Haluska have invented it. Once again, I am totally amazed at their ability to surgically uncover details, perspectives, and more!
CEO’s Consistently rank ‘human capital’ as ne f the most important challenges to the success of their organizations. Addressing that challenge requires hiring great (not simply good) leaders. Hiring Greatness provides indispensable insight into exactly what it takes to make that a reality!
Just when I thought he said it all, David Perry does it again! He is walking proof that “creativity” and “out of the box” thinking will enable success for us all. Having had the pleasure to read all his books, I remain amazed by his informative and innovative approach with each reading, which builds upon prior writings. Hiring Greatness introduced a unique formula for recruiting top notch talent, which I intend to deploy at Numerix. Hiring Greatness is thought provoking! It has caused me to re-think my entire approach to hiring C-level candidates, or any potential employee for that matter. Numerix will now seek to locate “future employees” who are not “currently running away, but toward something”, as David suggest in Hiring Greatness. All hiring managers at any company and in any industry must add Hiring Greatness to their reading list.’
“Top Talent. What is it, really? Are you ready to gamble (again) on your instincts? How do we first define it, find it and mine it for all it’s worth? “Executive Recruiting for Leaders” is the only Creed required by companies in this day and age. How, When and Why to trust executive searches to professionals. How to prepare and what results to expect and demand. If you need a winning executive in your organization, you need this book!”
Hiring Greatness is pure leadership. There are so many amateurs who practice this space. Read even one chapter and you’ll immediately discover what a true professional really looks like. Perry and Haluska are incredibly talented. This book redefines everything we know about hiring the right talent the right way. You don’t need to read every book on the recruiting process. You just need to read the right one. Look no further. Hiring Greatness is full of disruptive wisdom from two of the space’s premier thinkers. Their record speaks for itself and this book shows how they’ve achieved it.
Want to hire the right people for a high powered team that creates ‘VALUE’, then read this book.
Hiring Greatness – the most critical business activity you MUST get right! David Perry and Mark Haluska clearly define a systematic proven process that unequivocally identifies, qualifies, attracts and lands greatness for you; greatness that exponentially accelerates and improves your bottom line.
Hiring Greatness, written by one of the true masters of executive search, is an indispensable resource for companies and leaders who realize that finding top talent is critical to business success. Hiring Greatness offers both keen insights into the realities of the marketplace and intensely practical guidance as to how to navigate it to achieve the right results.
I’ve been recruited by Dave, retained his services as a recruiter and used his book Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters to find and land my dream job. Now I’m at a lean software start-up; recruiting a key executive in an environment where all hires need to be great hires and Dave comes to the rescue again.
The recruiting industry often operates using smoke and mirrors. Misdirection enables many firms to deliver mediocrity. Mr. Perry smashes the mirrors and clears the smoke. In colourful fashion, he has given power back to companies permitting them to extract true value from their recruitment projects and grow their business with top tier executives -difference makers. Also a great read for every executive search professionals. David has laid out a brilliant road map for those individuals to become industry leaders.
David is a leader in his field with a proven track record applying common sense, achieving success for his clients across a spectrum of disciplines and counties. This book is a culmination of experience, wisdom, perseverance and results. A must read.
Hiring Greatness is the perfect road map for success in recruiting. So many individuals just fall into the job of recruiting, why not ensure success with deliberate edification? Dive into the latest from Perry and Haluska to uncover what a hiring professional really looks like.
At last! A book on executive search that’s easy to read and makes so much sense you feel empowered to take action immediately. Hiring Greatness has it all.
In today’s highly competitive market, companies that want to attract, and keep, star players had better understand what makes stars shine. Perry and Haluska challenge the usual — conventional, outmoded, and ultimately, inherently faulty — approaches to hiring the best and provide a clear, step-by-step process to getting it right.
“This book will teach you how to sell yourself. That knowledge will change your opportunities and can change your life.”

Carl Albert
Chairman - Boise Inc.
“This book will teach you how to sell yourself. That knowledge will change your opportunities and can change your life.”
“Rarely do I read a business book that leaves me with actionable suggestions that are truly original. From the first pages, GM4JH does just that — it provides both a concrete plan and a wealth of tips for serious job seekers that are new but eminently logical and extremely effective. And having seen David Perry in action, I know he sets the bar in teaching that failure is not an option. He and Jay Levinson provide a game plan that is both powerful and practical.”
“A literary Trilogy… they’re rare – due to the difficulty in delivering a sustainable message or worthless -due to lackluster content. Now Perry/Levinson join the ranks of CS Lewis & JR Tolkien and deliver a masterpiece every job hunter must have in their guerilla arsenal. This edition more than the others, defines commando concepts and tactics already proven to work by scores of people who have mustered the courage to approach their search using the Force Multiplier Effect. The paradigm shift in the job market is forcing change. Get this book – you need to be battle ready.”
“If you are a job seeker, an educator, career practitioner, this is the best resource anyone can have to finding the work you love! It is all about branding the individual and giving you step-by-step strategies and tools that really truly work. BRAVO again!”
“There’s never been a more important time than now for the unconventional, Guerrilla job-search methods in this book. To cite just one example: You’ll learn how to build a compelling new network in days that gets you sit-down meetings with decision makers who can hire you for jobs that aren’t advertised or don’t even exist yet. You will literally have no competition if you use these proven methods for creating a Guerrilla Resume, picking your target employers, and convincing them to hire you. What Jimi Hendrix was to the blues, David Perry is to job hunting. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.”
“Most business books are b-o-r-i-n-g. However, you know from the minute you crack open Guerrilla Marketing for Job-Hunters 3.0 this book is different. David Perry has done it again. It’s everything you need to know to land the perfect job for YOU using the most creative and up-to-date methods. In fact, I challenge any reader to open this book to any page and try to NOT find something that helps them with their career (you can’t do it).”
“Guerilla Marketing for Job-Hunters 3.0 is a comprehensive resource that works in today’s job market. The ideas shared are non-traditional, innovative, aggressive and most importantly they provide results. The step by step process is easy to understand and implement. I would recommend this book to anyone serious about finding or changing their job!”
“Full marks to author David Perry, the Peter Drucker of the executive search industry. Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters provides powerful and unique insights into how to take complete control over your next career move. After reading this book you will do just that, take control, using a road map that gives you the confidence to succeed.”
“Guerilla Marketing for Job Hunters is the first practical battle-plan for a new, empowered workforce- one that is ready to go to war over talent- their own. Jay Levinson and David Perry take you to the front lines and tell you how to survive and prosper. Not for faint-hearted whiners looking for an easy road These guys show you how to build underground tunnels, find backdoors and infiltrate the opposition.”

Gerry Crispin
Chief Navigator - CareerXroads
“The current state of the global job market is more challenging than it has been in over 25 years. The magnitude of job force reductions is unprecedented. Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 3.0 is the most important and critical tool to use as a competitive advantage. When you think about the quantity of people that are vying for the few job openings that might exist, the job hunter must be clever and think outside of the box. This book provides ample ways to stand out head and shoulders beyond all others in a very crowded job market.”
“The Relationship Edge. Are you on it, in it, or over it? In business and in personal relationships of all kinds, trust is the critical element. It’s the glue that bonds all the other elements together. Without it, the relationship will diminish or die. David Perry is a trusted advisor. His book openly discusses the approaches to making right decisions and building the relationship edge. I highly recommend this read.”
“When you are looking for help in landing that position you dream about, Guerrilla Marketing for Job-Hunters 3.0 is the resource to turn to.”
“We’re all guerrillas now.”
“Can you believe it? A book on job hunting that is a page-turner! David manages to turn job hunting into an energizing activity. Follow the methods laid out in David’s book, and you will actually look forward to your job search! Even if you are not looking for a job, you will want to read this book. In today’s fast-moving knowledge-worker economy, everyone needs to know how to brand and market themselves—this is exactly what David teaches you to do. One last thing: if you are an employer, you will want to try to keep this book out of your local bookstores—this is not a book you will want your employees to read—it will give them too many door-opening ideas.”
There are lots of ways to job hunt but not lots of smart ways. If you want to go smart, then go with David Perry and buy this book.
“We’re in a new world. Resumes alone won’t do it. Take it from someone who stood on a street corner wearing a sandwich board of his resume in the mid-1990s—the ideas in Guerrilla Marketing for JobHunters 2.0 are a heck of a lot easier to implement—and you won’t get laughed at anywhere near as much. Recommended reading.”
“Job hunters don’t need to be told the ‘what’ of job hunting, they want and need to know the ‘hows’ They are all in here and then some and, just as important, conveyed with the energy and passion of someone who not only knows what he’s talking about, but truly believes it. You will too.”
“This new book lays out a straightforward and detailed ‘plan of attack’ for every step of a job search from planning to negotiating the offer. The insights and insider knowledge of the recruitment industry that Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 3.0 offers establishes it as an indispensable tool for job seekers to land the interview and secure the job of their dreams. Going into a job search without this book would be like going into battle unarmed.”
“This book is brilliant. Packed with stories, examples, and tactics to help you at any point in your job search—this book is all about landing a real job with intense competition in a minimal amount of time. An absolute must read.”
“If you’re a college student looking for an internship or a recent graduate looking for an entry-level job, then you’ll understand from even a quick skim through Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 3.0 that it will be as indispensable to your job search as your text books were for your classes. In tight job markets, the competition for the best positions is especially fierce, and every candidate will be looking for an edge. If you want to get the edge over your competition, then you need to get this great new book.”
“Perry and Levinson truly understand how changes in information and communication technologies have created new opportunities and pitfalls for the job seeker. Stand out from the crowd and truly shine by illuminating your most important talents to the broadest audience—in a cost effective fashion. Stop wasting time and start with this book.”
“If you are ever tempted to think, ‘I know all that’ when it comes to the job search, read this book. As a former director of Career Services at a major university, this book is a humbling reminder that even ‘experts’ need refreshers and new insights to stay relevant. Thanks to technology, the tools and techniques to assist with self-marketing strategies are constantly changing (evolving). This book not only allows you to stay in the game, but it helps you get ahead of the game when it comes to marketing you.”

Dawn Brown
Author - That Perception Thing
“David Perry calls his co-author, Jay Levinson, the ‘5-star general of guerrilla marketing.’ Perry is the drill sergeant. He kicks butt. In the army, his squad would lose the fewest men. In the job wars, his men and women beat the opposition and gain the position. If a career victory is what you’re after, follow Perry.”
“This book provides readers with valuable information that will enable them to stand above the crowd and secure the best suitable employment. A wealth of information extends into areas that I will be able to utilize in my business, because in a way, I am always applying for the ‘job’ of being a trusted advisor to potential clients.”
“Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 3.0 is a must have manual for the serious career professional. David brings his strong sales perspective to the job hunt strategy. Follow his process. Don’t compromise. Leave your emotions in the bedroom and let his ‘system’ do the work. David leaves out the fluff and academics leaving us with fast-paced advice and lots of free ‘go-to’ resources that he uses to execute the system himself. I’ll be providing a copy of Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 3.0 to all my sales clients. David’s approach applies to the deal hunter as much as it does the job hunter.”
“This much-needed sequel to Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters puts the tools of the Internet at the fingertips of the searcher! Advice on social networks, blogs, special web sites, and interactive promotion is laid out for all to use. In today’s troubled economy, it would pay every employee—not just those who are currently looking for a job—to become familiar with this book. One of the benefits of the process is that it will help you appreciate your own strengths and skills and your value as a person—not a bad side effect from an exercise that is, after all, devoted to your future!”
“When the first Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters was published, the content was original, game changing, and outrageous. In just four years, the recommended tactics have become absolutely, undeniably necessary for success. Candidates who don’t adopt this plan are handing over their new career opportunity to the competition.”
“David has looked at the process of job hunting in a completely out-of-the-box approach, and why not? The automotive industry says this is no longer your father’s car, so your approach to looking for a job is no longer the way your father looked for one either. It’s about the two-way street of value. Your future employer needs to value your skills just as you need to value their appreciation of them, and David’s book is about the whole process.”
“A must read. A useful and effective tool for all economic times. Once you start reading, it’s hard to put it down.”
“Dave never ceases to amaze me with his ability to adapt the latest marketing trends to the job-search procedure. Bravo, Dave! This book is even better than the last one.”
“The job-search paradigm has shifted, and you can either play by the new rules or go the way of the dinosaurs. The bold, cutting-edge search strategies found in Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 3.0 will position you to exploit the system and demolish the competition. I know, because it’s how I coach my clients to win!”
“It doesn’t matter how brilliant you are or how exceptional you are at your job. If you are not getting yourself in front of the right people, the hiring decision makers, you will be overlooked. David Perry and his Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 3.0 will give you the ammunition to get noticed. Don’t get lost on the battlefield, win the war.”