Climbing the corporate ladder rung by rung? How passé! It’s 2023, and the world of work looks very different than it did in years gone by.
Enter: the nonlinear career path. Instead of focusing on moving up and up and up, professionals are exploring opportunities to make lateral or diagonal moves, embrace twists and turns, learn new skills and let their career journey take them to places they never expected.
Today we’re chatting with Mark Fedyshen (Senior Recruitment Specialist, Development + Construction Management) about his time at Impact, big career moves and building lasting professional relationships.
Q: Let’s start off simple – what’s your name and what do you do around here?
A: My name’s Mark Fedyshen, I’m a Senior Recruitment Specialist with the Building Division.
Q: And how long ago did you join Impact?
A: I joined back in February 2015, so about 8 and a half years ago now.
Q: You know, that rounds up to a decade, my friend.
A: It does, doesn’t it – yeah, wow.
Q: When you first came on board, what role were you hired for?
A: I joined as a Recruitment Specialist, focusing on construction roles: project managers, superintendents, project coordinators, warranty – I think a bit of safety at the time, as well.
Q: That’s quite a diverse desk.
A: Well, we were a three-person team! There were just two people who recruited for all of our construction positions, and I was one of them.
Q: Two people! I guess it’s safe to say we’ve grown up a bit since then.
A: For sure.
Q: And your education is actually in construction, in engineering, isn’t it?
A: Mechanical engineering, yeah, right out of high school I took a mechanical engineering degree out of UVic, with co-op, that took about five years and after graduation I joined a mechanical contractor.
Q: From the construction sector to the recruitment industry, that’s a pretty big career move! How did that end up happening?
A: I felt like it was time for a change. I really liked construction – I liked the work I was doing and the people I worked with, but there were a lot of nine- and ten-hour days, plus the commute, and I just kind of needed to open up some time in my life – I needed some more balance there.
Q: That’s totally fair – but how did you wind up at Impact?
A: I’d met some people from Impact at a hockey tournament they co-sponsored with my previous company, and I was chatting with them about job opportunities in the construction sector, but nothing really seemed like the right fit. Eventually, it kind of got tossed out there like, what if I joined Impact and used my knowledge and connections to recruit for construction roles?
Q: And what was it that you liked about the company?
A: I already knew I got on well with the team, and they seemed like a really solid, successful group. Making a big career move like that isn’t without risk, though, so with that in mind, I said I’d sign on for six months and see how I felt after that. Eight and a half years later, I’m still here.
Q: A fairy tale ending. Alright, so you join, you’re brand new to recruitment – was it tough to find your footing early on, or was it a pretty smooth transition?
A: Yeah, it was a big change and there were some learning curves, for sure, but I had a lot of people that wanted to see me succeed, and that was incredibly helpful. Recruitment is very much about teamwork: when you succeed, generally other people are succeeding alongside you – I like to say that a rising tide raises all ships.
Q: You’re very wise, Feds.
A: Anyways – I had two strong mentors sitting left and right of me, they made sure I was learning and had my questions answered, they also wouldn’t put up with any of my bad habits! I really wanted to prove that I made the right choice, so I put my head down and worked hard to give myself the best chance of being successful in this new role.
Q: Were you enjoying recruitment?
A: Yeah, I liked it. I had some good success (and some big failures, too) early on, and I was happy to have the opportunity to work alongside people that really understood and cared about the construction industry like I did.
Q: Alright well, let’s fast-forward eight years – you’re a Senior Recruitment Specialist, and I guess now you’re the one doing the teaching, kind of acting like a mentor to new hires and showing more junior employees the ropes.
A: Yeah, it’s come full circle. I led a team for a little bit, actually, but I decided it wasn’t the best long-term role for me – that’s something that’s great about Impact, there’s lots of opportunity to try something new, to learn what you like and what you’re good at.
Q: For sure.
A: For me, it’s recruitment – that’s what I really enjoy. I find it very rewarding to meet somebody and get to be a part of their career journey, in the short-term and the long-term. There are people I met when I first started in 2015 who I’m still in touch with to this day.
Q: Relationship building is a big part of your recruitment strategy, isn’t it?
A: Yeah, absolutely – even if I’m not able to place somebody in a new role this time, there might be an opportunity to assist them down the line. The more you get to know someone, the better you can help them find a job that’s the right fit for them and their life.
Q: Do you have a favourite placement, like one that really sticks out in your mind?
A: Ah, that’s tough! There are a few that stand out, but honestly, at the end of the day, I’m just trying to help people find something that works for them – I’m here to provide information and make sure things go smoothly. I want to make sure that each candidate makes a decision they’re comfortable with and happy about.
Q: Okay, two questions left – how’s the company changed since you’ve been here?
A: Well, first of all, the coffee situation has improved dramatically. We used to use this old, single-pot coffee maker, and now we’ve got one of those fancy machines with all the bells and whistles, three different beans to choose from, all that kind of stuff. Big time upgrade.
Q: Oh man, that old coffee maker. It was not the best.
A: More seriously, though, a big change is just how much the company’s grown. Like I said, when I joined Building Division was made up of just three people. Michael Scott (VP, Building Division) was one of the people who I learned so much from when I first came on board and he’s done an amazing job growing our team over the years with a really good group of people. It’s great to know you have a strong group of colleagues to work alongside and offer support.
Q: Last one – what’s your best advice for somebody who’s new to recruitment?
A: Three things. Number one – listen and learn from the people around you, ask questions. Two, keep up to date on industry news, read as much of it as you can. Third, take a long-term view – start building those relationships from day one and put in the work to maintain them.
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