Hall of Fame (hôl əv ˈfām): an institution honoring the achievements of individuals in a particular activity or field.
We’re thrilled to welcome you back to the Impact Recruitment Hall of Fame! This is where we pay homage to the best of the best, the success stories, the legends, the people who deserve to be celebrated for being just that wonderful.
Last quarter we introduced you to Myra Nguy. Now we’d like you to meet her protégé, Vanessa Chin. Joining us in 2018 as our Client Services Coordinator, Vanessa’s now our Manager of Administration, and our go-to person for, well, pretty much everything.
Q: Before we start, could you just sum up what you do around here for anyone who isn’t familiar with your role?
A: Ah, that’s actually a much harder question than it should be! Anytime my friends or family ask about my role, it’s just like, “Okay, how can I explain this in a way that makes sense?”.
So, let’s see, my title is Manager of Administration, and the core part of my job is just that: to manage the office and the administration, including working on the back-end procedures required to support our production staff.
In addition to that, I’m responsible for writing RFPs, which is basically a type of business development that involves putting together large proposals for crown corporations, mainly. Oh, and I also act as our company’s mini-legal department, which is really interesting.
Q: Wow. That sounds… hectic?
A: It’s busy, for sure, but I love it! I love being this hub of information, essentially the go-to person at Impact for, well, anything you might need to know. I guess, basically, I’m the ultimate generalist. I have a pretty good idea of what’s going on in most areas of the business (but certainly not an expert in everything, of course).
Q: Prior to joining Impact, what was your most memorable job?
A: I don’t think I ever loved a job before this one, if I’m honest. But I guess working at Tim Horton’s when I was fifteen was kind of great – life was so simple then, and frankly, I ran that show! I knew that place inside and out.
Q: I’m noticing a theme here – understanding the ins and outs of a company and being able to answer questions and help solve problems.
A: Definitely! Constantly problem-solving keeps things very interesting, and I really enjoy learning about the operations of a business and having that knowledge helps me in understanding the big picture.
Q: What drew you to Impact, initially?
A: Well, I guess initially it was the culture. Everybody I’d met so far was great, and the team seemed like a really fun, tight knit group. It was also obvious that there was a lot of growth happening, for the company in general, but also in terms of growth and career development opportunities for employees, so that was a big draw, too.
Once I had the job, I realized quite quickly that I was fascinated by the recruitment industry, which was a nice surprise. The more I learned, the more I wanted to know, and I’ve certainly gotten to do plenty of learning over the last two and a half years.
Q: Speaking of growth, how has the company changed since you’ve been here? How would you like to see it continue to develop over the next few years?
A: Well, there have certainly been some big changes over the last year! Like everybody else, we’ve had to adapt how we do business during the pandemic. But besides that, yeah, there’s been a lot of change and it’s been really exciting.
If we look at the administrative team, specifically, there’s been huge growth! We’ve gone from a small group of people each doing a mismatch of things, to several, highly specialized teams. There’s a really clear structure in place and our processes have been refined to a point where we can easily manage the continued growth of Impact and provide the required resources and support to our employees across Canada.
Q: What’s a work-related accomplishment you’re particularly proud of?
A: I think learning to be a manager for the first time – and during a pandemic, no less. I’d never managed anyone before, not officially anyway, and then I had this little team relying on me for communication, support and guidance. I learned a lot about connecting with people, and the importance of patience and empathy, which is critical when you’re in a managerial role. It was a challenge, but also a great opportunity for me to grow, and I’m really thankful for that.
Q: And, on the flip side of that, what’s been the biggest challenge for you during your time at Impact?
A: To answer honestly, it’s juggling my time. I’m involved in many different areas of the business, which means I’m constantly switching gears and figuring out how to prioritize certain projects over others. Time management is so important, and I’m always finding ways I can be better at that and ensuring I use my time in the best way.
Q: What’s a workplace skill you think everyone can benefit from?
A: I’m tempted to say communication, because good communication skills are so important in a business setting – but I’m going to go with resourcefulness. Having that ability to stop and think about how you can get something done using the tools at your disposal, and to be able to take the initiative and really dig into whatever’s being asked of you and come up with a solution.
Q: If you had to swap jobs with someone at Impact for a week, who would it be and why?
A: I’d love to give recruitment or business development a go. I’m used to juggling a bunch of tasks and I love collaborating and connecting with people, so who knows, maybe I’d actually be pretty good at it!
Q: And finally, what’s the best advice you have for someone just starting their career at Impact?
A: Be curious. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and join in on training sessions or shadow someone on a kick-off call. Be open to learning something new or connecting with a colleague you haven’t spent much time with. You’ll be so surprised at how quickly you build up all of this knowledge, and I guarantee that’ll make you feel more empowered in your role.
Think working with us sounds pretty cool? Check out our Careers page to see all the roles we’re currently hiring for!