Tag Archives: McNak

Top 6 McNak Blog posts of 2011

Posted on December 29, 2011 by | 1 Comment

‘Tis the season for reflection, so in that spirit, here is a quick snapshot of our most read blog articles for 2011:

  1. Ever had a difficult situation where you didn’t want to let someone down with unwelcome news, so you avoided personal contact, and resorted to e-mail? The post, Don’t hide behind email  was selected for WordPress’s Freshly Pressed, and elicited many great comments.
  2. Written by one of our Gen Y staff members, the article Facebook friend or foe serves up an interesting perspective on how your activity on Facebook could affect your career.
  3. No matter what profession, no matter what stage in our lives, actor Kevin Spacey’s Wise Words can apply to all of us.
  4. What do you want to be when you grow up? Vancouverite Sean Aiken set out to do something different. He decided to try out 52 jobs, one week at a time. An inspiring documentary are the results of Sean’s One Week Job project.
  5. Here are 4 excellent points from Mike Desjardins of ViRTUS in his article about Influencing Corporate Culture
  6. Arianna Huffington’s funny TED Talk about the importance of sleep. It clearly makes sense that sleep is the Ultimate Productivity Tool

This year the McNak blog has seen more page views than ever before. We’d like take this opportunity to thank you all for taking the time to read, comment and share our articles. We have more grand plans for 2012 so watch this space.

Happy New Year!

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Posted in corporate culture, Inspiration

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Always a McNaker

Posted on December 6, 2010 by | 1 Comment

A lot of people ask me how I got into recruitment. Is it something I had always wanted to do? Is that what I did before I joined McNak? Will I always be an agency recruiter?

The truth of the matter is that I fell into recruiting – and was wooed by everything that was (and continues to be) McNak. When I first came in to meet with McNak, I was on the hunt for a job…at that stage, a temporary job was top of mind. When the interviewer asked me what sort of work environment I was looking for, I glanced around the funky Yaletown office and answered, “Somewhere like here.” The next question was: “Have you ever thought about being a recruiter?” And the rest, as they say, is history.

I’ve been with McNak through one office move, two database conversions, three job titles, four anniversaries, countless successful job placements, and hundreds of interviews with candidates from every background imaginable. The learning opportunities have been immense, and McNak’s unique corporate culture has both nurtured my professional growth while allowing me the autonomy to develop my own style as a recruiter.

But all good things must (really, is it a requirement?) come to an end. What McNak has also given me is a true sense of where I want to go in my career. It was not my original goal, but I have recognized that my future lies in the broader realm of Human Resources. I now have an opportunity to take that to the next level with an in-house HR Generalist and Recruiter role. And I would never have gotten to this place if not for the winning team at McNak.

My thanks go out to Cheryl and Sarah, of course, but also to the amazing team of McNakers, both former and current. And although I’m moving on, you know that in spirit I will always be a McNaker! (I don’t know, Sarah – should I get the tattoo?)

~ Bradley Cuzen

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Posted in career, Human Resources

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Corporate Culture Minute

Posted on November 25, 2010 by | 1 Comment

I’ve said it before.  I really like my job. I like my bosses. I like their entire team at McNak. Working here is fun.  “Do what you love, and you never have to work a day in your life”.

~ Jessica Rozitis

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Leaderectomy

Posted on September 23, 2010 by | 2 Comments

“ektomia” – a cutting out of or cutting out; Greek origin, ca. 1000 BC

Road trip….more specifically….14 uninterrupted hours of driving alone from Vancouver to Smithers…..no cell phone, no email, no radio, no music….nothing but me, my truck, and the hum of the road. Ever tried that? It’s an incredible experience! During the first hour or two, a bit of panic sets in as you realize that you’re “unplugged”….then a sigh of relief and comfort as your brain unclenches and you can process, truly process your thoughts….be it random or focused on recent or past events.

What was I processing…glad you asked…I was thinking about my new role at McNak and about all the previous jobs I’ve had over the past 25 years. Dishwasher, busboy, waiter, customer service, gas jockey, sales rep, entrepreneur, client relations, marketing, and account manager. How have they shaped me? What have I learned? What is important to me as I begin the next 25 years of work in my life?  Two words constantly popped into my head – “passion” and “leader”. What does it mean to be passionate about work, to be a leader, to be a passionate leader?

I wondered aloud (it’s ok to do this when you’re on a road trip alone), is a passionate leader always a good thing or does passion have a dark side that can cause things to go awry and create misery for an organization? (think Darth Vader) I believe the answer is a resounding yes! Companies have a duty to its employees, share(stake)holders, and customers to remove a imprudent, selfish, passionate leader from its ranks – a “leaderectomy”.

Passionate leaders, consciously or not, who use fear and control to achieve their goals are ultimately responsible for creating a toxic and unbearable culture within their organization. It’s up to the leader’s leader to look past the numbers and dig right down to the front line troops and ask the question, “Do you like working here?” Any answer besides “yes” demands more investigation and possible leaderectomy!

The truly terrific leader firstly motivates his or her reports to be their best and then secondly, inspires them to be a company brand advocate. Imagine how great the workplace would be if everyone loved being there. Imagine how happy the customer would be!

Each and every day we are presented with opportunities to lead. Will you be a Darth Vader or a Yoda?

After my 14 hour drive, I met up with my family and had a wonderful two-week vacation….on the way home I was excited to get back to the McNak office and re-join my colleagues. We have fun here.

P.S. Great quote on my grandmother-in-law’s fridge: “Never look down on anybody unless you’re helping him up” – Jesse Jackson


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May we introduce you? Finding work that creates bliss.

Posted on July 21, 2010 by | Leave a comment

Finding your dream job- here at McNak we are often asked: how do you do it? We believe it starts with your unique vision. From our experience of examining thousands of jobs a year, we know there is a career that plays to your individual strengths. A place where colleagues truly appreciate your concepts and contributions. You just have to find it. It is not a ‘job’ where you fill your time from 9 to 5, but an environment that stimulates you to innovate and create.

The most critical step in acquiring your dream job is networking. Cast a wide net by speaking to former colleagues and acquaintances. Specifically, gather a list of two to five companies you’d like to work for. Articulate your interest in these businesses – what makes these firms compelling for you? By being specific, you give your audience a clear idea of your skills and the culture you’d like to work in. You’d be amazed at the results – when people understand your motivations, they are in an excellent position to introduce you to the right people.  You’ve drawn them a clear picture of who you’d like to meet. Securing an introduction to the right person is far more likely, and it can make the difference between loving your career …or not.

Of course if you’ve worked with McNak in the past, you know that we enjoy introducing like-minded people so much we’ve chosen it as a career! We have always been passionate about introducing you to your perfect match.

~ Julie Steele

photo credit: D Sharon Pruitt

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Posted in career, Human Resources

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Corporate Culture and Top Performers

Posted on June 23, 2010 by | 2 Comments

Corporate culture and Top Performers. These two words go hand in hand together, much like peanut butter and jam. Top performers are most often the true indicators of a company’s culture and are part of the integral root system of the company’s success. At McNak we find that for most of our client companies, corporate culture is a big deal. The biggest risk for a company is in failing to create an environment that supports corporate culture or to acknowledge that corporate culture should be present but do nothing to nurture it.

Developing a culture that attracts top performers is one of the most important tools for a company’s recruitment process. Proof of corporate culture can now be found on the most transparent level through social media and other on line media.  By understanding the nature of top performers, you can take their energy and inspiration and use it to grow other future top performers. Take a top performer out for lunch and you’ll not only know what’s on their mind, but you will most likely come away with valuable insights into the business.

Top performer employees usually share some traits in common with companies that have developed corporate cultures. They both have a track record in communicating their vision of success as well as have well developed core values and goals. Great employees also are not afraid to speak up for the greater good of an enterprise. They will continually test the integrity of its values and goals by pushing for the highest level of achievement. When they set goals, they think in terms of what they really need to be doing. These types of people think about ways to maximize opportunities and leverage their potential. They visualize their success. This accountability when answered by the corporation attracts more of the same type of performers and the organization overall succeeds with a continued, renewed energy.

And while they may be hard drivers, they bring about much reward and satisfaction to the work environment. And as a bonus, they also share of love of celebration. I’m talking about sharing individual AND team successes. These individuals want nothing more than to see their teams succeed. Being a part of an organization that communicates their vision and goal messages on a consistent basis while taking the time to celebrate all levels of success are important qualities for great corporate cultures.

Employees that feel a part of something more than just their job tend to stay. Employee teams in these companies are usually far more productive, innovative and happy. It pays to be more than a ‘vanilla’ type of corporate culture! If our corporate culture were to be an ice cream flavour I would see it as more of a Tiger Stripe. Edgy and sweet! It started years ago when our company, dear McNak, was much younger. When I look back it all began in such tiny baby steps. At first we didn’t realize what we were becoming. And then somehow we happened upon ‘McNak’ as our name as a term of endearment and I guess it just stuck! Over the years we started to enjoy how much it meant to be a part of something great together and we really have embraced all the unique parts that have made us who we are. I suppose we really went after our inner quirk. Everything fueled it from that point on. And we’ve so enjoyed our evolution as the ‘McNak’ that we are today.

~ Sarah McNeill

photo credit:  hiwarz

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The beat of an organization

Posted on May 19, 2010 by | Leave a comment

I recently attended the 2010 HRMA conference. The theme of the conference was People, Passion, Profit. There was a surprise plenary on the agenda to kick off the conference. With much anticipated curiosity and anticipation I waited outside the room with other fellow HRMA attendees. Our curiosity was rewarded when we were finally allowed to enter the conference room. To my surprise the conference seats where lined with 1000 drums! We spent most of the 40 minutes learning about how the power of sound can move a group together. It was a powerful message: Before you can move forward cohesively as a group you need to start with a united baseline.

This metaphor for ‘finding a team’s rhythm’ is something we have done for years now at McNak. While we don’t do it with drums or music we have found our rhythm in the pulse of our weekly company wide meeting that we have every Monday morning. Originally inspired by Verne Harnish in his book The Rockefeller Habits, we have truly made it our own. By having our whole team united at one time has really made a difference in the cohesiveness of how we move forward with our own individual goals. This brief meeting also carves out time for our whole team to be present to celebrate individual and team successes. And now if only we could just nail our McNak theme song…..

~ Cheryl Nakamoto

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Hire for attitude

Posted on December 17, 2009 by | 1 Comment

One of McNak’s favourite models of the ultimate service experience is the Four Seasons Hotels. It has, after almost fifty years, stayed true to founder Isadore Sharp’s vision to create a second to none service culture. If only more companies could translate their style into their own businesses. 

“We hire for attitude, then we train for skill” – Ellen du Bellay, vice president of learning and development, Four Seasons Hotels

A lot of us wonder about respect, especially when it comes to workplace culture. As any follower of our blog knows, McNak is all about finding the cultural fit in an organization, and respect is an integral part of that. Respect is essential to the success of McNak’s business – how we interact with our candidates, how we develop relationships with our clients, and how every member of Team McNak works together to ensure a truly respectful workplace. If respect is core to a company’s belief system then the bond is almost unbreakable and is a powerful tool for personal and corporate success.

Respect in the workplace starts with the individual – whether it’s a management position, a junior administrator, or the CEO. This is the core of the message in Erica Pinsky’s ‘Road to Respect: Path to Profit’. Pinsky, a local author, speaker and consultant, recently took the time to discuss her insights at the BC HRMA book group.

The economic realities of the last year have had a tremendous impact on workplace behaviour – the stress that comes with an uncertain economy can push people to unkind behaviours. The fear of losing a job (or not being able to find another one) can compel individuals to stay in jobs where they are not being treated with respect, putting up with unacceptable behaviour.

Surprisingly, bullying is one of the greatest concerns in Canadian workplaces, causing severe damage at both a personal level, as well as to corporate profitability. Unfortunately, while Canadian Labour Law protects individuals from discrimination, it has yet to deal with workplace bullying. While it may be impossible to legislate respect, corporations that deeply believe in it find themselves with a truly competitive edge.  A healthy company can’t be all shiny on the outside and tarnished and bruised on the inside. It just doesn’t work any other way.

Some of us are fortunate enough to have employers truly committed to developing a respectful workplace. Aretha Franklin nailed it with her lyrics ‘ ‘R-E-S-P-E-C-T – find out what it means to me…’

~ Bradley Cuzen

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Teamwork.

Posted on December 2, 2009 by | 1 Comment

I should be sleeping. But after spending such a phenomenal day doing strategic planning that included a delicious wind up dinner, family style, at one of our favourite restaurants, with my ‘other family, team McNak, it is so good to close off the day knowing that this was time well spent. I just had to share.

Our  day’s objective: to get clarity around a major goal and set the course for the next quarter.

Our day began extremely smoothly. I think we can attribute this to knowing that we have a team that is prepared to share and take risks for the best interests of our McNak family. We agreed to a no hold back, tell it like it is session. Rip the bandages off if you must. Expose the rocks and then set a plan in place to remove them. The adage that people need to weigh in before they buy in is so very true. We finished the day knowing far more about each other and with a clearer course than when we began. And we left in alignment.

During this session we got on the topic of what we have now called Family loyalty. This is when you know that the relationship has set a course on its own beyond your own controls. Its on autopilot. Loyalty high, trust high.  Bradley Cuzen nailed it with his comment by a recent placement who had called us with new business and had proudly said to him ‘we’re family now’. I think our whole team beamed when he told us the story!

Patrick Lencioni, author of The Five Dysfunctions of a Team – A Leadership Fable had the perfect opening line from this book for today’s retreat. He said, ‘Not finance. Not strategy. Not Technology. It is teamwork that remains the ultimate competitive advantage, both because it is so powerful and so rare.’

As we shared our reflections on the day over a delicious dessert platter we concluded some things that we are certain of. Families aren’t perfect. People aren’t perfect. Trust is crucial. Commitment – everything. And when you take the time to know how each person fits, combined with a single unified goal, the ultimate power of a team is magic.

Row in the same direction and your outcomes will be substantial. We can hardly wait to embark upon our united objectives of the next quarter in our business together. How sweet it is.

~ Sarah McNeill

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Make it personal

Posted on October 8, 2009 by | 1 Comment

hellomynameisSocial networking is great.  There, I’ve said it.

Connecting with like minded people on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook can be valuable. It simply depends on how you make it work for you. Social media defines McNak’s culture.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to speak with Gillian Shaw, Digital Writer for the Vancouver Sun, and I was able to provide my take on how McNak deals with social media policies and the use of social media sites with our employees.  I originally ‘met’ Gillian on Twitter.  Gillian wrote a great article in today’s Vancouver Sun on this subject. Interesting read.

I had the opportunity to meet Gillian in person today at the SOHO SME business conference.  She was speaking on a panel with Rich Patterson and Shane Gibson – “The Business of Social Media: How to Maximize Connections Using Social Communities on the Internet”.

I had also ‘met’ Rich Patterson of NinePointTen Social Media and Patterson Brands on Twitter, and was happy to meet him in person today.  Wherever you make those social connections – whether it be on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIN etc. – there is nothing like meeting these great folks in person.

McNak embraces social media.  It keeps us connected to our community, and keeps the conversation flowing.  It also provides another avenue for new connections.  It’s just nice to make it personal once in a while.

~Jessica Rozitis

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