The Summer Culture at Vector Marketing Canada.
Vector Marketing Canadian Campus Recruiting Manager Sherri Dickie certainly has her hands on the pulse of Canada’s students. Her travels to Colleges and Universities throughout the country give her a unique perspective on what makes a student tick, especially when it comes to considering summer employment.
She recently attended the Canadian Association of Career Educators and Employers Conference and came away with some interesting observations following a session given by Dr. Derek S. Chapman.
Here’s what she had to say:
“Today’s student is particularly concerned with whether a position is the right ‘fit’ and that boils down to company ‘culture’. When seeking summer employment, students will consider jobs with competitive pay, perhaps flexible hours, an opportunity for advancement, and the opportunity to learn."
“But ‘fit’ and ‘culture’ are recurring themes among these students.”
Dr. Chapman sited three primary reasons leading to employees remaining in a position:
- Normative Commitment (they have a sense of loyalty or obligation)
- Continuance Commitment (they can’t afford to leave)
- Affective Commitment (they love it, they feel engaged, challenged and appreciated)
He concluded that “affective commitment” leads to the highest performance from the employee, however it also provides the highest job satisfaction. This is truly a win-win situation.
“Providing a unique environment is where I find Vector Marketing Canada really excels,” said Sherri. “However fit and culture are very difficult to describe in a job posting. But once our student sales reps become engaged in the Vector culture they more fully understand the energetic vibe. And at that time, they understand that they ‘fit’ in our organization and that they are accepted."
“It’s been said time and time again, that at Vector Canada we work hard, and play harder.”
The other part of the “vibe” cited by Sherri is recognition.
“Too often young people are only recognized when they do something wrong,” said Sherri. “This is especially true during first encounters in the workforce. Vector Canada, however, focuses on creating a really strong culture of recognition and mentoring so that they can become the best they can be."
“One of our greatest challenges is that we work with students who have been promoted into our management positions and they haven't experienced any other corporate environment other than ours. They certainly have witnessed first-hand the ‘culture’ and find they ‘fit’ in this organization. These young reps and managers thrive on recognition which involves compensation and awards. They are also being mentored by some of the most dynamic people they will ever meet."
“It’s interesting that some of our reps and managers become curious about what else is out there in terms of opportunities. Many find that precious few companies have the culture that we’ve developed at Vector Canada."
“White water rafting trips, limo nights, spontaneous dance parties at conferences, ultimate Frisbee nights, talent shows, charity fundraiser team walk/runs, and award ceremonies complete with an abundance of trophies are the norm for a Vector Marketing Canada summer."
“Through these activities, a special bond grows among our student representatives and they often count their colleagues and managers as some of their best friends. These are important factors leading to reps and managers building careers at Vector following graduation. At Vector Marketing Canada we’re a true family and believe that #WorkShouldBeFunSeriously!”
Thanks, Sherri, for your comments on the culture here at Vector Canada! We clearly have something very special.
