Celebrating 36 Years of ATR International
This past weekend marked ATR International’s 36th anniversary! On September 14, 1988, my parents officially opened ATR, a company born in part because of a misunderstanding.
A Misunderstanding That Sparked an Idea
My father, a Mechanical Engineer, was sent on an interview for a job in a shipyard. Oops—wrong kind of engineer!
My mom laughed with my dad when he told her the story, but it wasn’t the first time this had happened. Although it didn’t usually get to the interview stage, recruiters often called my dad with offers that didn’t match his technical skills or experience. Wasting everyone’s time isn’t really funny, though, and it wasn’t long before this humorous story sparked an idea. My mom was an experienced career counselor at Stanford University, and my dad had both technical and practical know-how and experience. Together, they thought they could do a better job recruiting technical talent for companies. No more phone calls looking for ship or train engineers!
Building a Legacy of Excellence in Technical Recruiting
Thirty-six years later, it’s obvious they were right. The company that started with just the two of them has grown to nearly 60 employees today, and we’ve placed 35,000+ people over the years. It turns out that truly understanding our clients’ needs and matching them accurately with talent that fits those requirements is a recipe for success. Investing in technology and a quality-certified recruiting process is a good idea too. It produces consistent, quality results for our clients across industries and verticals. Hiring great people who know their stuff and work hard on behalf of our clients is also key to ATR’s longevity.
Adapting Through Time: From 1988 to Today
It’s hard to underestimate how different things were back then. In 1988, U.S. GDP was $5.2 trillion; last year, it was nearly $28 trillion. There are roughly thirty million more people in the workforce today. Technology has transformed the world, including the workplace, so much so that 1988’s office looks ancient and outdated—nearly unrecognizable compared to today. ATR has prospered for 36 years because we’ve been able to anticipate change, adapt to fluctuations in the economy, and harness the power of new technologies. The explosion of the virtual office and remote work in response to the pandemic is the latest transformation we’ve weathered. Being successful in business requires recognizing, preparing for, and responding to change. Adaptability, while also remaining true to your core principles and business model, is critical to successfully navigating the inevitable highs, lows, and everything in between!
The Constant: People Make the Difference
What hasn’t changed? People. People invent products and create businesses, and therefore need to hire other people. It’s people who are looking for work. Finally, it’s people at ATR who work with our clients, understand what they need, and recruit people who are qualified for those jobs. To be successful for this long requires many different skills—and a little luck—but it absolutely requires that you treat people honestly and with respect. That is a foundational principle my parents built ATR upon, and one that, as CEO and President, I embrace and carry forward into the future. I pretty much grew up in the staffing business. I’ve been coming to the ATR office since I was four! I take the responsibility of my position seriously.
Looking Forward to the Next 36 Years
I’m proud of the company that my parents started in 1988, nurtured, and grew, and have now entrusted to me and our current team to lead and flourish for another 36 years. Making the world a better place, one job at a time may seem like just a tagline, but it is also profound in its simplicity. Helping people work means helping them live more successful, fulfilling lives. The work that we do each day is integral to the U.S. economy, the success of our clients, and the lives of the candidates we place. My profound thanks to my parents for the courage to follow their dream, to everyone who has ever worked at ATR—especially my current team (!), and to the clients and candidates who have trusted us to help them. I am grateful and excited for what the future will bring.